Japanese researchers visit SNU and AMC in Korea

KRF A3 Foresight Program 2010 Korean-Japan Small Group Meeting

-Epigenetic Signature in Gastric Carcinogenesis-


Summary

Japanese researchers visited Korea, and a small meeting “Epigenetic Signature in Gastric Carcinogenesis” was held on 23-25 March, 2010, in Seoul. In this small meeting, 5 Korean researchers (Drs. Woo Ho Kim, Byung Lan Lee, Se Jin Jang, Daehee Kang, and Hyang Sook Seol) and 7 Japanese researchers (Drs. Yasuhito Yuasa, Yoshimitsu Akiyama, Hiroshi Fukamachi, Takeshi Otsubo, Yutaka Hashimoto, Shu Shimada, and Ayako Mimata) attended.


On March 24, progress discussions were made at Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, on following four research areas, and were summarized by leading scientists;

R-1: Dr. Yasuhito Yuasa “Risk factors of gastric cancer accounting for host epigenetic alterations among three nations”.

R-2: Dr. Byung Lan Lee “Investigation of mechanisms of gene-specific silencing of tumor-suppressor genes during gastric carcinogenesis”.

R-3: Dr. Woo Ho Kim “DNA methylome and its application on subtyping of gastric carcinomas”. Dr. Kim also discussed how molecular pathology contributed treatment of gastric cancer.

R-4: Dr. Hiroshi Fukamachi “Epigenetic changes in gastric cancer stem cells”.


These discussions were followed by a bench side discussion at Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University. In the afternoon, another bench side discussion was made at Asan Medical Center.


After these discussions, a forum “Promoting collaboration among three nations” chaired by Dr. Se Jin Jang, was held at Asan Medical Center.


Through these meetings, participants discussed the importance and the role of epigenetic pathway in gastric carcinogenesis, and its application in molecular subtyping of gastric cancer. This meeting was very fruitful for both junior and senior researchers to promote their mutual collaboration to get leading-edge research results, which may hopefully lead to new preventive and therapeutic measures against gastric cancer.


After a bench side discussion at Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University in the morning of March 24. 2010.


After a bench side discussion at Asan Medical Center in the afternoon of March 24, 2010.