Kevin Kee-Jong Hong | Professor
KOREA mRNA VACCINE INITIATIVE (KmVAC)

Kee-Jong Hong (BS, Seoul National Univ; MS, Seoul National Univ; PhD, Texas Tech Univ) is currently a Professor at the Department of the Microbiology, Gachon University School of Medicine, Korea, and a Program Manager of Division for Health Security at Korea Advanced Research Project Agency for Health (ARPA-H) after finishing Korean National project for the mRNA Vaccine R&D, KmVAC(Korea mRNA Vaccine Initiative). He has conducted research and development related to the pandemic preparedness including Influenza, Coronavirus, Ebola virus, Nipah virus and Bioterrorism pathogens such as Anthrax, tularemia. He worked for the Korean Dsease Control and Prevention Agency (KCDA) for 10 years as a government officer, also worked as a director of the industrial research institutes including the Interpark BioConvergence (currently Gradient BioConvergence) and the NKmax for another 7 years before joining the Gachon University. He is serving for the Korean Vaccine Society as a chair of publication committee, also serving for the Korean Society for Zoonoses as a vice president. In 2024, he was selected as a member of Scientific Advisory Committee for CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations) and keeps working till 2027.

Appearances:

Pre-Congress Workshops - 21st April @ 14:00

DRIVING KOREA’S VACCINE R&D CAPABILITIES TOWARDS REGIONAL AND GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH - ROOM 207A

This workshop will be split into two sections, starting with Korea’s Efforts to Contribute to Regional and Global Vaccine R&D, followed by International Partnerships for Vaccine Equity. Join this workshop to meet speakers not only from South Korea, but also from other international Asian markets that are driving vaccine R&D and manufacturing capacity.

2:00 Korea’s Efforts to Contribute to Regional and Global Vaccine R&D

Current and planned efforts by Korean government and industry to support regional and global Vaccine R&D and local manufacturing

2:45 – 3:30 Panel Discussion with the Korean government and industry on current and future international partnerships in vaccine R&D and local manufacturing

3:30 – 3:45 comfort break

3:45 International Partnerships for Vaccine Equity

Collaboration between Korean and international partners to support regional and global health through partnership in R&D and establishment of local manufacturing of vaccine in LMICs

4:15 Panel: What does it take to collaborate for impact on global vaccine equity? What are some best practices of effort for vaccine R&D and local manufacturing in LMICs?

Kevin Kee-Jong Hong, Professor, KOREA mRNA VACCINE INITIATIVE (KmVAC)

Hani Kim, Executive Director, RIGHT Foundation