Following the success of the first MDPI Seoul Salon in July, MDPI Korea recently hosted the second Seoul Salon, bringing together over 20 academics who have collaborated with MDPI journals.

The event was hosted in the heart of Seoul, where it served as an opportunity for knowledge exchange in the fields of biology and biochemistry. There were many noteworthy presentations shared by both MDPI employees and invited speakers, who delved into the key research trends in these life sciences and MDPI’s commitment to supporting such endeavors to make a greater impact on the world.

Kicking off the first session, Ms. Ana Vuletic, Journal Relation Specialist at MDPI, shared in-depth information about research and publication ethics in natural sciences. This was followed by a presentation by Ms. Angela Toribio, also a Journal Relation Specialist at MDPI, who spoke about MDPI’s contributions to advancing open science through MDPI’s biology-themed journals and publications. Their presentations gave insights into the various strategies and guidelines that MDPI strictly adheres to in order to publish high-quality research and support the South Korean and global research community. This first session ended with a coffee break, which was an opportunity for lively networking and conversations.

Shortly after, Prof. Dr. Yong-Yeon Cho of the Catholic University of Korea gave a fascinating analysis on karyoptosis, a controlled, novel form of cell death. His presentation was followed by Professor Moo-Seung Lee of the KRIBB/University of Science and Technology, who discussed Shiga toxin-mediated HUS pathogenesis, a serious complication of certain E. coli infections that can damage the kidneys and blood. Bringing the session to a close was Dr. Sungpil Yoon of Sungkyunkwan University. He shared his research findings on repurposed first-line treatments for overcoming P-gp-driven drug-resistant cancers. All three presentations offered in-depth analyses for these significant breakthroughs, providing a glimpse into the bright future for South Korean biological research.

Looking ahead

The MDPI Seoul Salon was yet another milestone for MDPI Korea. It reinforced our mission to proliferate open access publishing in the domestic market and stay up to date with trending research topics. We would like to genuinely thank all the guests for their time, enthusiasm, and support for the expansion of open science in South Korea. We look forward to hosting more events like this in the future to increasingly support and engage with scholars and key stakeholders.