2025 Yale-KU Forum: Clinical and Basic Neuroscience

Yale School of Medicine (YSM) and Korea University College of Medicine are coming together for the second annual Yale-KU Forum on Oct. 28, showcasing the collaborative relationship between the two institutions. This year, the event, held at Korea University (KU) College of Medicine, will focus on clinical and basic neuroscience research.

Forum topics include treatment targets for Alzheimer's disease, applications for electroencephalography, genetic dysfunction in neurodevelopmental disorders, and research models for rare syndromes.

Beyond the forum, the two institutions have also launched the Korea University-Yale Scholars in the Biomedical Sciences Program to foster groundbreaking research and train top scholars for the global scientific and medical community. Through the program, KU medical graduates will have opportunities to pursue PhDs in Yale’s Combined Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences or the Investigative Medical Program. Yale researchers will visit KU’s campus to engage with its medical program and build connections with future trainees.

“Bringing together scientists with different perspectives and training helps us look at scientific questions in creative new ways,” says Anthony Koleske, PhD, Ensign Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry and deputy dean for research (basic science) at YSM. “By bringing our two communities together, we anticipate that this forum will stimulate new interactions and collaborations between the schools.”

The first session of the Yale-KU Forum will include welcome remarks from leadership at both institutions, including Nancy J. Brown, MD, the Jean and David W. Wallace Dean of Yale School of Medicine, who will also deliver the forum’s special lecture.

The second session, moderated by Jung Bin Kim, MD, PhD, an associate professor at KU Anam Hospital, will focus on clinical neuroscience. Stephen Strittmatter, MD, PhD, Vincent Coates Professor of Neurology and professor of neuroscience at YSM, will present his work on targeting a glutamate receptor for disease modification in Alzheimer’s disease, while Emily J. Gilmore, MD, professor of neurology and neurosurgery at YSM, will discuss critical care electroencephalography.

They will be joined by KU researchers studying the connection between metabolic health, body composition, and Alzheimer’s disease; therapeutic modulation of sleep and cellular senescence in Alzheimer’s disease; and using electroencephalography for neuromodulation.

The third session will explore basic neuroscience and be moderated by Koleske, who will also present research on using genetic variants to understand genetic dysfunction in neurodevelopmental disorders. Nenad Sestan, MD, PhD, Harvey and Kate Cushing Professor of Neuroscience at YSM, will explore the origins of the prefrontal cortex and cognitive networks, and Janghoo Lim, PhD, professor of genetics and neuroscience at YSM, will present work on deciphering neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis to identify novel therapeutic strategies.

Rounding out the final session are talks from KU researchers on experimental models of West syndrome and Cohen syndrome and closing remarks from KU College of Medicine’s vice dean for research, Sunwook Hwang, PhD.

The forum will be accessible via online attendance.