On March 7, 2024, Nagasaki University and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for vaccine research and development at the IVI headquarters in Seoul, Korea.
IVI is an international organization established in 1997 in Seoul through an agreement between the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Korean government. Its mission is to discover, develop, and provide safe, effective, and affordable vaccines to improve public health worldwide.
Nagasaki University also has a long history in infectious disease research. In 2022, the university established the “DEJIMA Infectious Diseases Research Alliance (DIDA)” to integrate research resources on infectious diseases dispersed throughout the university. It is also designated as one of the “Japan Initiative for World-leading Vaccine Research and Development Centers,” managed by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED).
As previously stated, Nagasaki University and IVI have many similarities in vaccine research and development, and collaboration is expected to yield synergistic effects.
During the signing ceremony, President Prof. Nagayasu of Nagasaki University and IVI Director Dr. Jerome Kim signed the MOU. Professors Morita and Yamamoto, respectively the Director and Deputy Director of DIDA, and Professor Kaneko, Director of International Clinical Development at DIDA, attended the ceremony along with IVI executives and researchers. The two institutions introduced themselves, exchanged opinions, and established a cooperative relationship for future collaborations
