This forum is the seventh in a U.S.-Korea bilateral series, and is the first devoted to the biological sciences. Emerging infectious diseases was selected as the theme because of the global nature of the threat, and because it is a high priority issue for the United States and the countries on the western side of the Pacific Rim as well as the World Health Organization.

Speakers from Korea and the United States will discuss past and current achievements in infectious disease research and new directions toward the 21st Century. Presentations and discussion will focus on hemorrhagic fever, malaria, tuberculosis, antimicrobial resistance, cholera, Japanese B encephalitis, AIDS, Hepatitis B and C, and Influenza. In addition, participants will discuss policy issues related to collaboration on emerging infectious diseases between the U.S. and Korea and strategy initiatives proposed by the two countries.

The forum is sponsored by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning; the Center for Science, Trade, and Technology Policy of George Mason University; the Fogarty International Center (FIC) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), two components of the NIH; the Ministry of Science and Technology, Korea; and the Korean Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology.

FIC supports international training and research in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. NIAID supports research to prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as HIV disease and other sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, malaria, asthma and allergies. NIH is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Press releases and other information about FIC are available on the Internet at http://www.nih.gov/fic.