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IFEZ hosts medical summit on AI acceleration in drug discovery

Published: 07 Nov. 2025, 17:46 Updated: 09 Nov. 2025, 17:20

LEE JAE-LIM
[email protected]

Officials, representatives and scholars from global companies, research institutions and universities attended the 2025 AI-Bio Conference in Songdo, hosted by the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority on Nov. 7. [INCHEON FREE ECONOMIC ZONE]

The Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) brought together leading corporations, researchers and academic institutions from around the world on Friday to explore how artificial intelligence can accelerate breakthroughs in new drug discovery and precision medicine.

The 2025 AI-Bio Conference in Songdo, hosted by the IFEZ Authority, gathered more than 240 participants representing global corporations, research institutions, and universities. Attendees included Samsung Biologics, Celltrion, Lotte Biologics, LG AI Research, Bertis, VPIX Medical, Meteor Biotech and Tomocube, along with prominent academic institutions such as Vanderbilt University, the University of Cambridge, Harvard University, Stanford University and the MD Anderson Cancer Center.

“This conference represents an innovative platform where AI and biotechnology meet to open new frontiers in health care,” said IFEZ Commissioner Yun Won-sok in his opening remarks. “Through this convergence, we aim to position Songdo as a global AI-Bio hub. This event marks the starting point for Incheon’s rise as a center of AI-Bio innovation and a turning point for expanding AI technologies into smart manufacturing and aerospace industries.”

Yun Won-sok, commissioner of the Incheon Free Economic Zone, delivers welcoming remarks at the 2025 AI-Bio Conference in Songdo, Incheon, on Nov. 7. [INCHEON FREE ECONOMIC ZONE]

The conference began with a keynote by Dr. Saad Nadeem, medical platform lead at Nvidia and adviser for the Medical Open Network for AI, who shared insights on how high-performance computing and deep learning are reshaping medical research. Following his address, Prof. Hwang Tae-hyun of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, founding director of the Molecular AI Initiative, presented groundbreaking research on AI-based 3-D and 4-D molecular modeling for drug development.

The speaker lineup also featured Prof. Han Nam-sik of the University of Cambridge, Dr. Andrew Song of Harvard University and the MD Anderson Cancer Center and Dr. Jang Young-hwan of Oregon Health & Science University, who each presented recent findings on integrating AI into biomedical and pharmaceutical research.

In the domestic industry session, Korean companies showcased cutting-edge technologies in AI-driven precision diagnostics, proteomics analysis, and smart biosensing. Firms including LG AI Research, Bertis, VPIX Medical, Meteor Biotech and Tomocube unveiled innovations demonstrating how AI tools can enhance diagnostic accuracy and streamline drug development pipelines.

The global collaboration session brought together experts such as Bae Jung-yung, head of Korea Innovation Center Silicon Valley; Prof. Jang Ji-yeung of Rutgers University; and Dr. Lee Si-yeon of Stanford University, who discussed strategies to strengthen international startup ecosystems and foster cross-border partnerships.

In addition to expert panels, the event offered mentorship programs connecting global scholars with Korean university students and early-career researchers, providing young talent with exposure to global research trends and collaborative opportunities abroad.

The Incheon Free Economic Zone, located on Korea’s west coast near Incheon International Airport, was established in 2003 to attract foreign direct investment and promote international business and research activities in biotechnology, aerospace and smart manufacturing. Its Songdo International City serves as the flagship district of the zone, housing major biopharmaceutical companies such as Samsung Biologics and Celltrion, as well as a growing cluster of global research and development facilities and startups.

Managed by the IFEZ Authority under the Incheon Metropolitan Government, the zone provides a full range of tax incentives, infrastructure support and administrative services to investors and institutions operating within its borders.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [[email protected]]