UAC and HIARC hold first joint symposium on antibiotic resistance research in Korea

On November 25th, the Uppsala Antibiotic Center and the Hallym International Resistance Center (HIARC) at Hallym University Medical Center took an important step in their collaboration by having their first joint scientific symposium. The meeting brought together researchers from Sweden and South Korea, sharing a common goal: to strengthen international dialogue on antibiotic resistance and enhance the connection between research and clinical practice.

A space for exchange across disciplines

The symposium served as a space for exchange between clinicians, microbiologists, and engineers, where current research conducted at HIARC was presented, and potential synergies between the centers were explored. This is the first joint event between the centers after the inauguration of HIARC during the 13th Hallym-Uppsala Symposium in November 2024.

The presentations addressed relevant clinical aspects of infectious diseases, such as:

• Antibiotic interaction testing and combination therapies.
• Diagnostic tools for resistant infections.
• Clinical decision support in hospital settings.
• Real-time monitoring approaches for patient care.

Discussions focused on how these approaches can support better treatment decisions and reduce unnecessary antibiotic use.

UAC’s collaboration with HIARC brings insights from a different clinical and epidemiological context, enriching UAC’s research and strengthening its global network. The symposium also reinforces UAC’s role as a platform where research, healthcare, and policy-relevant perspectives meet.

Building on an active research partnership

The joint symposium builds on the already ongoing collaboration between UAC and HIARC.

As part of this international partnership, the teams from both centers are engaged in a Eurostars-funded research project, ASEND-MDR, which provides a structured framework for collaboration over the coming years. The project focuses on diagnostic approaches that guide antibiotic combination treatment based on bacterial response data.

The funding supports regular scientific exchange, shared methodology development, and researcher mobility between Sweden and South Korea.

Next steps in the collaboration

Following the first joint symposium, UAC and HIARC plan to continue their collaboration through follow-up meetings, yearly symposia, researcher exchanges, and joint dissemination activities.

Future symposia will expand participation and deepen the scientific dialogue, with the aim of generating research that is both internationally grounded and clinically meaningful.