Event: Inauguration of Dr. Jerome Kim, Director General of International Vaccine Institute
Date: 11:00, June 22 (Mon), 2015
Venue: International Vaccine Institute

Prof. Adel Mahmoud and members of the IVI Board of Trustees, the Honorable Gim Chaechun, Excellencies, Members of the Korea Support Committee for IVI, Distinguished Guests:

On behalf of Seoul National University, it gives me great pleasure to join you all to welcome Dr. Jerome Kim as IVI’s new Director General. I extend hearty congratulations to Dr. Kim on your inauguration as IVI’s new leader. SNU has had the privilege of having IVI, the first international organization hosted by the Republic of Korea, on our campus since the Institute’s inception. We are pleased to have the opportunity to support humanitarian vaccine research through IVI as the world’s only international organization devoted exclusively to new vaccines for the poor.

IVI has built up an impressive portfolio of scientific achievements along with its institutional growth over the past years. The Institute has made strides in implementing its mandate to discover, develop and introduce new vaccines for developing countries. IVI has developed new vaccines against cholera and typhoid, and has made important contributions to collective efforts to make available new vaccines against dengue and other neglected diseases. On the foundation of these achievements, the Institute is poised to make a bigger impact in global health.

IVI’s founders in Korea, such as Prof. Cho Wan-kyoo, former President of SNU, strategically located IVI’s headquarters on the SNU campus in order to synergize with the university’s vibrant academic community. Building upon our cooperation in vaccine sciences and public health, SNU looks forward to seeing a more dynamic exchange between the two organizations. A number of SNU graduate students are conducting their research projects at IVI laboratories, gaining experience and knowledge in their studies and careers. IVI senior scientists have become professors at SNU. This is a wonderful example of a successful partnership that serves the interests of both organizations, and a reminder of the quality of scientific work that IVI has generated.

We at SNU hope to expand and deepen our partnership with IVI under Dr. Kim’s leadership, and we believe there are many more opportunities to do so. SNU is committed to providing all possible support for IVI to help ensure that the Institute successfully carries out its mission to discover, develop and deliver vaccines for people in need across the world. SNU will remain as IVI’s partner in these humanitarian endeavors.

On behalf of the SNU community, I wish to acknowledge all the members of IVI for your dedication and hard work in leading the success of the Institute. Once again I congratulate Dr. Kim on your inauguration, and hope you find your life in Seoul to be a most pleasant one. .

Thank you.