Korean Society for Biotechnology and Bioengineering to Host International Conference in Jeju, Gathering 2,000 Bio Experts

Over 900 Cutting-Edge Papers on AI-Biotech Convergence to Be Presented

Special Sessions Featuring Leading Bioindustry Companies and Keynotes by Four World-Renowned Scholars

An international academic conference bringing together some 2,000 experts in biotechnology from Korea and abroad, including world-renowned scholars in advanced biotechnology, will be held in Jeju next month.

Promotional Material for the '2026 Fall Conference and International Symposium of the Korean Society for Biotechnology' by the Korean Society for Biotechnology

The Korean Society for Biotechnology and Bioengineering announced on September 1 that the "2026 Fall Conference and International Symposium of the Korean Society for Biotechnology and Bioengineering" will take place for three days, from September 30 to October 2, at the Jeju International Convention Center. The Korean Society for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, established in 1984, is Korea's leading academic society in biotechnology under the Ministry of Science and ICT.

This year's conference, held under the theme "Sustainable Innovation in Advanced Biotechnology through the Convergence of AI and Biotechnology," will feature the participation of over 2,000 biotechnology professionals from academia, industry, research, and government in Korea and overseas. More than 900 cutting-edge research papers will be presented during the event.

Four world-class scholars will deliver keynote lectures. Huimin Zhao, Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and a renowned authority in synthetic biology, enzyme engineering, and biofoundry, will introduce a new paradigm in synthetic biology research, transitioning from directed evolution to AI-based autonomous experimentation. Shoji Takeuchi, Professor at the University of Tokyo and a global expert in tissue engineering and biohybrid systems, will discuss technologies that integrate living cells and tissues into engineering systems, such as three-dimensional tissue fabrication and biohybrid robots.

Gregory Stephanopoulos, Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a pioneer in metabolic engineering, will present future directions for biotechnology focused on sustainability. Chaok Seok, a leading authority in AI-based protein and molecular design and Professor at Seoul National University, will outline the latest advancements in protein structure prediction and AI-driven drug discovery. These speakers will also interact with participants through separate on-site meetings for discussions and networking.

The academic program consists of 33 specialized sessions in the field of biotechnology. International sessions will cover topics such as the Korea-Taiwan BEST-KSBB Joint Symposium, enzyme engineering, synthetic biology, cell-free synthetic biology, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production technologies. Domestic sessions will address subjects such as cell culture engineering, biotechnology for greenhouse gas reduction, and cell and gene engineering for cancer therapy.

Collaboration with industry has also been strengthened. The Society annually presents an award to companies contributing to the development of the biotechnology industry. For the second half of 2026, COSMAX BTI has been selected as the recipient, and a ceremony with a special lecture by Chunho Park, Head of the R&I Unit, will be held. Special corporate sessions and educational workshops will feature participation from HLB Genex, Twist Bioscience, and Samyang Corporation, among others, and a bio-exhibition with over 50 domestic and international companies will be organized. Companies such as CJ CheilJedang, BIONEER, GC Green Cross, and Thermo Fisher Scientific Korea are also supporting and participating. In addition, a joint special media session by the Korea Science Journalists Association and the Korean Society for Biotechnology and Bioengineering will be held, focusing on ethics in science reporting and science communication.

With sponsorship from the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, participation by early-career researchers and graduate students will be expanded. The "Young Scientists Forum" and "Next-Generation Scientists Forum" will provide opportunities for oral presentations by young researchers, and the "BB Jump" capstone design competition for undergraduate students in biotechnology will also be held as a special program.

President Sungok Han stated, "With approximately 13,000 experts active in the Korean Society for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, the Society is the representative academic body in advanced biotechnology where domestic and international experts share, exchange, and collaborate on the latest research achievements for the advancement and industrialization of biotechnologies." Han added, "This conference will serve as a platform for knowledge sharing to seek sustainable innovation in advanced biotechnology through the convergence of AI and biotechnology in the AI era, and through academia-industry-research collaboration, it will contribute to a leap forward in Korea's bioindustry." Registration is available on the Society's official website.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.