On October 8, the G-LAMP project team at Seoul National University’s Institute for Data Innovation in Science (IDIS), which focuses on statistical and mathematical research, signed a mutual cooperation research agreement (MoU) with the Biostatistics Branch of the Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics at  the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in the United States.

Director Sungkyu Jung of IDIS stated, “We anticipate that this agreement will contribute to solving problems in the biohealth sector and advancing basic science by sharing the research capabilities developed by both institutions, alongside the expansion of IDIS’s existing bio data.”

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is a highly regarded institution that operates the world’s largest cancer research support program under the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the U.S. Notably, its Biostatistics Division develops new statistical methodologies for epidemiology and genetics related to cancer, applying various data-driven methods in practice.

Grace Hong, a senior researcher who visited IDIS for the agreement, is recognized for her advanced statistical methodologies for classification problems using high-dimensional covariates, which she applies to public health, medical, and health policy research involving bio data.

To effectively implement this agreement, the two institutions held a meeting to identify research opportunities and agreed to further discussions at the operational level to clarify their collaborative efforts.

Director Sungkyu Jung remarked, “The integration of existing statistical technologies and bio data at IDIS will allow us to generate new insights in basic science. In addition to our collaboration with NCI, IDIS recently signed an MoU with the Edmund Mach Foundation in Italy on September 27, which will enable us to establish various bio data sets and develop into a global collaborative research platform.”

The Edmund Mach Foundation is dedicated to conducting scientific research and developing technologies in agriculture, bioeconomy, ecology, biodiversity, environment, and food in Italy to foster innovation. Director Choongwon Jeong of IDIS’s Biodata Science Center expressed, “With these two MoUs, we can share data between our institutions, allowing us to expand our research across the entire biohealth spectrum. This includes studying the evolution of biodiversity due to climate change and developing and applying quantitative methods for cancer etiology.”

Director Jaejun Yu of the G-LAMP project team at Seoul National University stated, “We are focused on creating an environment for world-class global collaborative research centered around a research institution that emphasizes statistical and mathematical themes, transcending disciplinary boundaries. In this process, we aim to operate in a way that serves as a role model for research in our country.”