Daewoong Foundation announced on the 22nd that it has finally selected a total of 20 research projects through the “New Medical Scientist Academic Research Support Program,” which supports young medical scientists. Each selected researcher will receive up to KRW 50 million in research funding, and the rights to the research outcomes will belong to the researchers.

This call for proposals ran from August 11 to September 12 and attracted a record-high total of 159 applicants. Research proposals were submitted in 17 disease areas, including infectious diseases, endocrinology, oncology, neurological disorders, ophthalmology, and aging.

The selection process consisted of a first-round document review and a second-round interview review. In the first round, evaluators conducted a comprehensive assessment of the appropriateness of the research plan, originality and innovativeness, budget, and research team capabilities. The second round involved an oral presentation and Q&A session to further verify the research value and the capabilities of the researchers.

This year, overseas research support was included for the first time, resulting in the selection of three overseas researchers. Their research topics include: ▲ elucidation of aging mechanisms using non-human primate models ▲ research on the development of small-molecule new drugs ▲ research on formulation (dosage form) technologies.

Domestic research topics are also diverse. They include advanced medical fields such as ▲ discovery of novel-mechanism drug candidates ▲ end-to-end new drug development using AI ▲ gene therapy and innovative cell therapy research ▲ stem cell-based regenerative research. The foundation plans to broaden the research scope of domestic researchers and strengthen the basis for international collaboration through overseas research support.

Since 2018, Daewoong Foundation has been supporting research by young medical scientists aged 45 or younger, and has provided about KRW 5.3 billion in funding for a total of 107 research projects to date. A foundation representative stated, “We will continue to provide practical support so that researchers can focus on their work and enhance their capabilities,” adding, “We will ensure that research achievements lead to academic outcomes and international competitiveness.”

Meanwhile, Daewoong Foundation was established in 1984 with a personal endowment from Yoon Young-hwan, honorary chairman of Daewoong Pharmaceutical, and has contributed to the advancement of medical technology and the development of global talent through scholarships and research support.

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