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On September 1, 2024, Prof. Howard Lee was sworn in as Dean of the Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University. In this capacity, Prof. Lee will lead GSCST to transform its strengths to another level. In his inaugural speech, Prof. Lee stressed urgent changes that need to take place to regain the uniqueness of GSCST, which can happen only if the school fully embraces adaptability in a fast-moving environment and challenges. Prof. Lee will serve for two years, which can be repeated one more term. |
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Through the program, David aims to leverage advanced machine learning technologies to accelerate the development of precision medicine and drug discovery. His research will integrate real-world data, including various omics data and electronic health records, to develop personalized disease risk and treatment response prediction models. These models will not only help in formulating personalized treatment strategies that optimize outcomes and minimize adverse effects but will also propose cost-reduction methods by applying these models to the time-consuming and expensive clinical trial phases, enabling rapid and accurate selection of eligible patients.
David expressed his honor in being selected for the program, stating, "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with emerging researchers in Sweden on significant societal issues such as climate change, precision medicine, and innovative energy solutions. The guidance and support from experienced mentors will undoubtedly enhance my research capabilities. I am committed to utilizing the knowledge and experience gained from this program to achieve better research outcomes and contribute to both academia and society." |
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The conference featured several noteworthy sessions. Discussions on drug adverse reactions focused on improving patient safety through better detection and reporting mechanisms. The DUR platform sessions explored advancements in drug utilization review systems that help prevent medication errors. Presentations on natural language processing (NLP) showcased its application in extracting meaningful data from unstructured clinical notes, enhancing decision-making in clinical settings. Meanwhile, sessions on the limitations of multi-center Common Data Model (CDM) research highlighted challenges such as data standardization and integration across different institutions.
Lively discussions ensued on these topics, with various studies showcasing the innovative use of medical data to improve healthcare outcomes. The conference emphasized the dynamic and evolving nature of medical informatics, driven by continuous advancements in technology. A key theme throughout the conference was the importance of collaboration. Speakers and participants highlighted how interdisciplinary teamwork and partnerships between medical institutions, academic bodies, and industry are crucial for overcoming challenges and driving innovation in medical informatics.
This achievement stems from a collaborative effort involving CCADD, the Medical Informatics Lab of the College of Medicine at The Catholic University of Korea, led by Prof. In Young Choi, and hemato-oncologists from both hospitals. Dr. Choi's presentation provided an in-depth evaluation of the algorithm developed to extract information automatically from CDWs into the registry, highlighting its practical applications and significant implications for pediatric ALL research.
The session chair lauded Dr. Choi’s presentation, commending its excellence and the potential impact of this innovative work on future medical research and patient care. |
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This summer, CCADD welcomes three interns-Kim Chanmin, Choi Yunjin, and Yoo Kyungwan -for the 2024 Summer Internship Program. Kyungwan Yoo, a student at Kyung Hee University, earned his Bachelor’s degree in genetic engineering. He worked as an undergraduate researcher at the Kyung Hee University Regenerative Medicine Institute, focusing on creating cell-targeting treatments. Currently, he is interested in integrating biological science with artificial intelligence (AI) technology and applying it to drug development. Kyungwan applied for the 2024 CCADD Summer Internship Program to expand his knowledge of drug development in general, be it clinical trials, and/or utilizing medical big data. He also intends to gain practical experiences in applying programming languages to these domains. Yunjin Choi has graduated from Stony Brook University with a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics. After graduating, Yunjin worked as a statistical analyst at the Biomedical Research Institute, Korea University Guro Hospital. She has mainly conducted retrospective studies on nephrology and neurology. For example, she published a paper entitled "Fasting glucose variability and risk of dementia in Parkinson's disease: a 9-year longitudinal follow-up study of a nationwide cohort", which examined the impact of fasting glucose variability on the risk of developing dementia in Parkinson's disease patients over a nine-year period. The study found that greater variability in fasting glucose levels was associated with a higher risk of dementia, further suggesting that stabilizing glucose levels might be beneficial for cognitive health in these patients. Besides being the first author of the study, she was also responsible for data analysis and interpretation, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the study results. She also has the opportunity to learn how to draft and revise the manu and enhance its scientific merit. During this time, Yunjin developed an interest in Real-World Data (RWD), such as electronic medical records (EMR). She intends to pursue her interest while at CCADD. Chanmin Kim is a Biological Engineering major at Kangwon National University. She became interested in developing new drugs while learning drug delivery systems. She also completed GMP training. After receiving the Excellence Award for designing smart healthcare products at Gachon University's DNA (Data, Network, AI) School Camp , she became interested in improving the efficiency of developing new drugs by applying data science and AI. Her goal is to become a researcher in the development of new drugs using AI. Through her 2024 CCADD summer internship program, she will pursue this goal. We hope that during their summer internship, they will gain confidence in their field of study, learn how to study independently and explore new knowledge, and devote all their passion to gaining a deep understanding of drug development and regulatory science over the course of these two months. |
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Professor Howard and David attended the
84th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association (ADA). It was
held from June 21 to 24 in Orlando, Florida, hosting experts in diabetes research
from all over the world. The event brought together leading scientists,
healthcare professionals, and stakeholders to discuss critical issues,
including advancements in diabetes technology. It also showcased cutting-edge
research and innovations in diabetes treatment and management, ranging from obesity
and GLP-1 receptor agonists to autoantibody testing and early diabetes detection.
The event also provided a memorable venue for
Prof. Howard and David, where they presented their work on “Developing Machine Learning
Model for Predicting Acute Coronary Syndrome in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients
through Substitution of Propensity Scores for Binary Variables”. During the poster
presentation session, questions were asked and answered, ideas were exchanged, and
constructive comments were offered. The event, along with the opportunity to present
the work, paved the way for improving the study and provided a valuable experience
to learn from world-renowned researchers.
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On May 30th, CCADD came together to
celebrate Teacher's Day, creating a memorable evening for Prof. Howard,
graduate students, and CCADD members. The event was graced by the presence of
Dr. Hyun A Lee, Dr. Siun Kim, Dr. Yoona Choi, and Dr. Tae Kyu Chung, whose
attendance added warmth and significance to the occasion.
The evening was enchanting, with a
delightful dinner setting the stage for meaningful conversations. Attendees
shared recent updates, discussed various research topics, and exchanged
personal experiences. Both graduates and current students found inspiration and
motivation in each other's stories, drawing strength from their shared
journeys.
A heartfelt farewell for Dr. Tae Kyu
Chung marked a special highlight of the event. As he prepares to start a new
chapter as a postdoctoral researcher at the University
of California San Francisco (UCSF), Dr. Chung expressed his gratitude and
hopes for future research endeavors. CCADD members honored Dr. Chung’s new
journey with full hearts, celebrating his achievements and new beginning.
The gathering reaffirmed the strong bonds
within CCADD and emphasized the importance of interaction and collaboration
between alumni and current members. This event was more than just a meeting; it
was a moment of growth, support, and envisioning a shared future. We hope such
gatherings will continue, creating lasting and meaningful memories for all
CCADD members.
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On May 13th, under a brilliant and clear
sky, CCADD in Gwanggyo held a special event to celebrate Teacher's Day. This
heartfelt gathering brought together Prof. Howard, CCADD members, and student
researchers, all united in gratitude and admiration.
A board adorned with photos chronicling
the history of CCADD and heartfelt messages of thanks captured the cherished
moments. A cake featuring Prof. Howard, accompanied by flowers, was presented
as a token of appreciation for his unwavering dedication and support. Sincere
letters expressed deep gratitude for the professor's commitment and
encouragement. Laughter filled the room during dinner as members recounted
stories from their time together, fostering trust and camaraderie. The
professor praised the students' efforts and passion, encouraging everyone to
continue striving towards greater goals.
This Teacher's Day event provided an opportunity
for the professor and lab members to grow closer, promising a positive impact
on future research activities. It was a testament to the warm and harmonious
atmosphere of CCADD, offering a meaningful moment to express deep respect and
gratitude to Prof. Howard. Beyond a simple celebration, it was a significant
occasion to strengthen the unity of the entire lab and pledge future
achievements.
Prof. Howard’s heartfelt words perfectly
captured the essence of this 2024 Teacher's Day: "There are many
professors out there, but I am made to be more than those simply because of
you. Truly, each and every one of you is my hero and heroine, and I feel
indebted that you have guided me to become who I am."
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A research article, entitled “A Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness and Safety of Prephase Steroid Treatment before Remission Induction Chemotherapy in Patients with Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Using Common Data Model-Based Real-World Data: A Retrospective Observational Study”, authored by Yoona Choi, Bo Kyung Kim, Jung-Hyun Won, Jae Won Yoo, Wona Choi, Surin Jung, Jae Yoon Kim, In Young Choi, Nack-Gyun Chung, Jae Wook Lee , Jung Yoon Choi, Hyoung Jin Kang, Howard Lee, has been published in Clin Epidemiol (5 year impact factor, 5.10) on Apr 22, 2024.
The study analyzed data from 2012 to 2021 extracted from the Common Data Model databases of Seoul National University Hospital and Catholic University Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, to assess the effectiveness and safety of prephase steroid treatment in pediatric ALL patients undergoing remission induction chemotherapy (RIC). This study revealed an 88% decrease in the incidence of tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) among pediatric ALL patients receiving prephase steroids compared to those who did not. This significant reduction highlights the potential of prephase steroid treatment to enhance safety of initial chemotherapy for pediatric ALL patients.
This study emphasizes the role of precise steroid dosing in treating pediatric ALL treatment, illustrating how such precision can decrease complications such as TLS and enhance survival outcomes. CCADD is dedicated to leveraging real-world data to build clinical evidence, addressing questions that randomized controlled trials (RCTs) may not fully resolve. |
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The EACL conference, hosted in Malta from March 17th to 22nd, was not just a venue for presenting their findings; it also provided enriching learning opportunities. The event covered a wide range of topics, from the challenges posed by large language models (LLMs), as seen in studies like "Leak, Cheat, Repeat: Data Contamination and Evaluation Malpractices in Closed-Source LLMs," to their innovative applications in healthcare, as exemplified by "Leveraging ChatGPT in Pharmacovigilance Event Extraction: An Empirical Study." These discussions spurred our team to consider how we could integrate these insights into our research.
Additionally, the conference featured thought-provoking keynote speeches that challenged prevailing views on language models. Dr. Lapata, in particular, argued against the notion that LLMs are a solution-for-all. Instead, she advocated for a modular approach, employing specialized, smaller language models to efficiently and sustainably address various natural language processing tasks, such as summarizing and crosslingual semantic parsing.
The main conference, spanning three days, was followed by workshops that offered practical learning experiences. "Computational Approaches to Language Data Pseudonymization" was notably relevant to our work, focusing on the anonymization of sensitive text data, a critical consideration when dealing with clinical texts. A standout session, "When Is a Name Sensitive? Eponyms in Clinical Text and Implications for De-Identification," delved into how transformer-based models could minimize false positives in de-identifying clinical texts, a concern often raised by the presence of eponyms, and it got us thinking deeply about how to properly deidentify personal health information in clinical notes.
All in all, the week-long EACL conference served dual purposes: it was an avenue for sharing our contributions with the NLP community and a fertile ground for acquiring new knowledge. Such opportunities are invaluable, affirming our progress and direction in the field.
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Dr. Chung studied at the Department of Transdisciplinary Studies, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University (SNU). Dr. Chung graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2011-2016), majoring in biology-neurobiology. Additionally, he completed his military service as an orthopedic medic at the Armed Forces Yang-ju Hospital in Korea (2014-2015). He joined CCADD in February of 2018 by starting his internship program. |
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In a heartfelt farewell ceremony, we recently honored Yoona Choi with a plaque, marking her significant contributions at CCADD and her upcoming role as a Research Professor at Seoul National University Hospital. Throughout her four-year period at CCADD, Yoona showed a deep commitment to clinical data science. Especially, her role over the last year as lab chief was pivotal in steering our research with both excellence and innovation. We are excited to welcome Jung-Hyun Won as the new lab chief, who is ready to advance the valuable contributions Yoona has made.
As she embarks on this exciting new chapter, we extend our deepest gratitude for her contributions and leadership. Her legacy at CCADD is one of inspiration and high standards, and we are confident she will continue to make significant impacts in her future role. We wish her every success as she transitions to her new position, looking forward to her continued achievements in the field of medical research.
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On February 26th, Professor Howard and the
CCADD members gathered to honor the graduation of Tae Kyu Chung and the
successful completion of the winter internship program by Seorin Choi and Yunha
Noh.
Tae Kyu, who studied the realm of
biology-neurobiology as an undergrad, joined CCADD in February 2018 as an
intern. Under the guidance of Professor Howard Lee thenceforth, he navigated
through the rigors of an integrated master's and PhD program. His persistent
dedication to PKPD modeling culminated in a doctoral thesis entitled
“Comparison of Machine Learning and Population Pharmacokinetic Models for
Predicting Antiepileptic Drug Concentrations Based on Therapeutic Drug
Monitoring Records”, earning him a Doctor of Medicine degree. On the graduation
day, his relentless pursuit was duly awarded.
Simultaneously, a ceremony to mark the
completion of Seorin and Yunha's internship was conducted at the main campus of
Seoul National University. Throughout their internship, they immersed
themselves in a series of educational endeavors, presentations, and assignments.
On that day, their efforts, all contained within a comprehensive poster
presentation, were met with a deep appreciation. Members of CCADD also attended
the ceremony to celebrate the completion of their internships.
As we congratulate their accomplishments,
we also look forward with anticipation to their future as independent researchers. |
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