IVI in the Media
×
IVI’s Advanced Vaccinology Course Marks 15th Annual Event
IVI’s Advanced Vaccinology Course Marks 15th Annual Event
Dr. Jerome Kim, Director General of the International Vaccine Institute, delivers welcome remarks at the opening session of the 15th IVI International Advanced Course in the Asia-Pacific Region at IVI headquarters in Seoul on Monday.
Course has trained about 1,000 healthcare professionals and policymakers from over 30 nations in the vaccine sciences
Nearly 140 participants from 29 countries including trainees participate in this year’s course, which runs from May 11-15 at IVI headquarters
IVI Director General Dr. Jerome Kim urges ‘increased developing country capacity in vaccine research, development, epidemiology, and immunization to ensure prompt responses to potential outbreaks as a result of emergency crises and natural disasters’
- More than 30 experts from international agencies, research institutions, industry and non-profit organizations, including IVI, WHO and the U.S. NIH will serve as faculty members
May 11, 2015, Seoul, South Korea— The International Vaccine Institute (IVI), the first international organization hosted by the Republic of Korea, convenes the 15th Advanced Vaccinology Course (AVC) in the Asia-Pacific Region at IVI headquarters from May 11 to 15. The annual course aims to build capacity of health professionals and decision-makers, especially those from developing countries, in the entire vaccine continuum spanning vaccine development, evaluation, production and policy in order to help increase developing nations’ capacity in vaccine research and immunization.
This year’s AVC marks the 15th anniversary, as the highly subscribed course brings together nearly 140 participants from 29 countries, including trainees and faculty from Korea, the U.S., and India. Over the past 15 years, the course has trained about1,000 scientists, public health officials, and policymakers from the private and public sectors from over 30 countries worldwide. The trainees include participants from developing countries who are invited through fellowships funded by course sponsors that include KEB Foundation and Sky72 Golf Club. Many of the past participants have become leaders in vaccines and immunization in their countries and the global health community.
“Countries recently have experienced major natural disasters that resulted in outbreaks of infectious diseases. In the wake of a humanitarian crisis like the earthquake in Nepal, the international community should move fast to preemptively address potential outbreaks, such as cholera, a disease that preys on disasters,” IVI Director General Dr. Jerome Kim said. “The course provides practical knowledge and an opportunity to share experiences and to exchange views on vaccine research, development, epidemiology, and immunization among professionals from around the world especially those from developing countries.”
Lectures by leading experts in vaccinology and interactive case studies will comprehensively cover disciplines and issues including epidemiology and immunobiology, vaccine discovery to process development, vaccine clinical development for licensure, vaccine licensing to introduction, introduction to use, and vaccine use and acceptance. More than 30 experts from international agencies, including IVI and the World Health Organization; research institutions, including the U.S. National Institutes of Health; universities, including London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; industry, and non-profit organizations serve as faculty members.
As the new Director General of IVI, Dr. Kim will give a keynote speech that will touch upon current and future perspectives of HIV vaccines, his area of expertise, on May 15. Also, Dr. Sinho Jung from Samsung Medical Center will deliver a lecture on ‘Clinical Trial Design: Statistical Approach,’ and Dr. Robert Hall from the U.S. NIH, will give a talk on ‘Laboratory Diagnostics of Infectious Diseases: Current and Future Landscape,’ while Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India will lecture on ‘Addressing Challenges of Vaccine Introduction at Country Level: India.’ Ms. Melissa Malhalme from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance will address ‘Sustainable vaccine financing: Role of Gavi in vaccine access and market shaping.’
“Capacity building of developing countries is one of the three pillars of IVI’s mission along with development and delivery of vaccines for developing nations,” said Dr. Kim. “IVI will continue to provide quality training for healthcare professionals and vaccine scientists to ensure wider use of vaccines by populations in need, and seek to develop a network among participating organizations to expand partnership in vaccines, vaccination and global public health.”
The weeklong course is sponsored by the Korea Exchange Bank Foundation, Sky 72 Golf Club, Community Chest of Korea, Seoul Metropolitan City Government, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Incepta Pharmaceuticals, and Pfizer. The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the Korean Ministry of Education also has provided support.
About IVI
The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) is the world’s only international organization devoted exclusively to developing and introducing new and improved vaccines to protect the world’s poorest people, especially children in developing countries. Established in 1997, IVI operates as an independent international organization under a treaty signed by 35 countries and the World Health Organization. The Institute conducts research in more than 30 countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America on vaccines against diarrheal infections, bacterial meningitis and pneumonia, as well as Japanese encephalitis and dengue fever, and develops new and improved vaccines at its headquarters in Seoul, Republic of Korea. For more information, please visit www.ivi.int.
Media Contact:
IVI
Tae Kyung Byun
Public Awareness/Advocacy Officer, IVI
Phone: +82-2-872-2801 (Ext. 159)
Mobile: +82-10-8773-6071
Email: tkbyun@ivi.int