Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital

SEOUL, KOREA (September 29, 2010) ------ Hallym University Medical Center(HUMC) is hosting the '8th Hallym-Columbia-Weill Cornell-NYP Symposium' at the Grand Ballroom of the COEX in Seoul, October 9, 2010. Under the theme of ‘New Strategy to Common Pulmonary Diseases in the 21st Century,’ medical professionals from both countries will share thoughts on three topics: Tuberculosis; Lung Cancer; and Airway Diseases.

Among the American experts who will participate in the symposium are Dr. Neil W. Schluger, professor of medicine, epidemiology & environmental health sciences, Columbia University, Dr. Claudia I. Henschke, professor of radiology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Dr. Charles A. Powell, associate professor of medicine, Columbia University, Dr. William A. Bulman, assistant professor of clinical medicine, division of pulmonary, allergy & critical care medicine, Columbia University.

During the symposium, Prof. Schluger, and Dr. Ki-Suck Jung, professor of Hallym University, will give special lectures on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease(COPD), one of hot medical topics, in tandem with global efforts to control tobacco use.

With rapid industrialization, aging and destruction of environment, the pulmonary disease is emerging as one of risk factors which threaten the health of people. As the incidence of pulmonary disease increases dramatically every year, active discussions about the prevention and treatment of the disease are going on in the world medical circles. In this sense, this symposium will be an excellent chance to discuss new therapies of the disease we have to conquer in the 21st century, according to an official at HUMC.

Dr. Lee Hae-Ran, HUMC president, said, "It is indeed an honor and a privilege for us to collaborate with Columbia, an inarguably top-notch institution in medicine. Selection of the theme is particularly significant as the world medical experts today are paying extra attention to the pulmonary disease, a threat to human lives. Their extensive experience, profound medical knowledge and elaborate skills, I believe, will be a powerful stimulus in our endeavor to advance academic research activities.” "The opening of this academic event is also all the more significant as we took a huge step forwards becoming a world-class medical center in a few years, declaring a new global vision, 'The 3rd-term Mighty Hallym Initiative 2012-2015,' to effect change and innovation,” she added.

Since Hallym signed an international affiliation agreement with Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 2002, it has actively promoted international collaboration with the world’s top universities and medical centers such as Weill Cornell Medical College and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in the U.S., Nagasaki University, Nagoya City University, Tokai University and Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine in Japan, Uppsala University and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, the University of Oulu in Finland, and Ho Chi Minh University in Vietnam.

For further information about speakers, agenda and registration, please visit the website http://nysymp2010.hallym.or.kr

Contact: Ms. Young-Hee Han
02-2629-1273
symposium@hallym.or.kr