With the Biden administration’s executive orders taking effect, interests in biology issues are increasing as the global technology hegemony competition has intensified. In response, the forum aimed to discuss how to develop biotechnology as a strategic technology in Korea.

KISTEP held the 151st KISTEP Wednesday Forum on October 12 under the theme of "Biology Digital Transformation and New Growth Investment Strategy."

Byoung-Ho Son, Vice President of KISTEP, said, "Currently, digital transformation, a new data-based research paradigm, is essential in Korea to overcome the limitations of existing R&D system." He added, “This forum will analyze the current status of biology digital transformation along with the future strategies for biology.”

△Byoung-Ho Son, Vice President of KISTEP

In the presentation, Dr. Kyu-Sun Lee, Director General of the Division of Research Strategy of KRIBB (Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology), said, "The long-standing limitations of the biology field are high cost, long-term research, and high failure rate." To complement this, he introduced three elements (▲digitization, ▲platformization, ▲strategic technology) of the 'biotechnology transformation,' which are the core of future growth engines in the biology field. These are changes to a new R&D paradigm that can create research and industries that were not possible in the past through convergence with digital technology and turn biotechnology into a strategic technology with enhanced research efficiency and effective research results.

△Dr. Kyu-Sun Lee, Director General, Division of Research Strategy, KRIBB

Director General Lee suggested establishing a plan to promote the biology digital transformation to strenghthen competitiveness in response to biotechnology independence, biomaterial, parts, and equipment, and the global hegemony competition following the Biden administration's bio-industry innovation strategy.

As a facilitation measure, Director General Lee emphasized the need for a 'mid- to long-term manufacturing innovation roadmap' to strengthen linkages between R&D programs by ministries. He also argued that preparing a strategy for technology independence in the field was necessary by 'fostering human resources' with core capabilities and 'building a virtuous cycle platform' for active data use.

Dr. Seung-su Jun, Director General of the Office of National R&D Coordination of KISTEP, led the panel discussion with Sanggoo Kang, CEO of MedySapiens, Prof. Jung Soo Park of SKKU and Dr. In-Hyoup Song, Center Director of KRICT.

△Sanggoo Kang, CEO, MedySapiens

Sanggoo Kang, CEO of MedySapiens, emphasized the necessity of setting field-oriented and industry-oriented indicators, which he felt in his experience of biology big data research activities, and insisted, "It should be established according to operation."

△Prof. Jung Soo Park, Department of Smart Factory Convergence, SKKU

Prof. Jung Soo Park of SKKU said, "Digital transformation is a 'means.' The goal is for the bio-industry to have sustainable growth," expressing concerns about digital transformation itself becoming a goal. However, to solve problems such as biomaterial, parts, and equipment issues and the digital divide between advanced companies and SMEs and venture companies, he reiterated that digital transformation should be recognized as a function of means while aiming for global standardization and rapid digitization.

△Dr. In-Hyoup Song, Center Director, KRICT

In-Hyoup Song, Director of Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, said, "Due to the nature of the pharmaceutical manufacturing process, it is questionable whether continuous production applies to all products." He suggested applying two strategies for digital transformation by distinguishing between mass-produced products and low-volume, multi-variety products in manufacturing innovation. In addition, he stressed the need for 'data reliability' and biology R&D digitization, such as artificial intelligence-based experimental automation.