Gachon University Gil Hospital selects R&D projects to create innovative results between Korea and the United States...Advanced Precision Radiation Cancer Treatment Platform
Jul 25, 2025
Gachon University Gil Hospital (Hospital Director Kim Woo-kyung) was finally selected for the new support project for the "2025 Research-Centered Hospital Korea-US Innovation Performance Creation R&D" organized by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
This project is a state-led R&D project aimed at creating global results in the health care sector in cooperation with leading global institutions such as the United States. Gil Hospital will begin to upgrade precision neutron treatment technology to conquer incurable cancer with a total of 7 billion won in research funds for three years.
Under the theme of 'Advanced Global Terranostic Intermediated Research-Based Intractable Cancer Molecular Targeting Radiation Therapy Platform', this study is to develop ultra-precise customized treatment technology that combines boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) and world-class 11.74T ultra-high magnetic field MRI. It also aims to spread it to global clinical and treatment standards.
Gachon University Gil Hospital is the first and only institution in Korea to have a BNCT treatment center. For the past decade or so, it has been jointly developing the technology and equipment with Dowon Medax Co., Ltd. as pure domestic technology. BNCT is a method of destroying only cancer cells by irradiating neutrons using boron drugs that selectively act on cancer cells, and it is called a 'dream cancer treatment device' because it can expect high effects with only one or two treatments while minimizing normal tissue damage.
In addition, Gachon University Gil Hospital has the world's first 11.74T ultra-high magnetic field MRI system. It has a resolution about 10,000 times higher than the existing diagnostic 3T MRI, and plays a decisive role in checking the distribution of boron concentrations before and after BNCT treatment, predicting treatment responses, and establishing a patient-specific treatment plan.
The Miami Cancer Institute (Baptist Health South Florida) will participate in this project as an international joint research partner and continue cooperation by investing $100,000 of its own resources. Miami Cancer Center will closely participate in various research processes, including clinical trial design, patient selection, and treatment effectiveness verification, based on global clinical experience in rare cancer and patient data.
In the future, the research team plans to promote non-clinical and clinical research to expand the indications of ▲BNCT ▲ develop AI-based prognosis prediction and treatment timing derivation algorithms ▲ Global clinical research and international standardization of medical devices (IEC proposal) ▲ Korea-U.S. joint conference and operation of the medical verification committee.
"This task is a significant milestone in expanding the precision treatment system developed with domestic technology to the global stage. Through global cooperation and technological advancement, we will not only present a new paradigm for treatment of intractable cancer, but also contribute to the leap toward a health care powerhouse by enhancing the global status of K-precision medicine," said Kim Woo-kyung, head of the hospital.
This project is a state-led R&D project aimed at creating global results in the health care sector in cooperation with leading global institutions such as the United States. Gil Hospital will begin to upgrade precision neutron treatment technology to conquer incurable cancer with a total of 7 billion won in research funds for three years.
Under the theme of 'Advanced Global Terranostic Intermediated Research-Based Intractable Cancer Molecular Targeting Radiation Therapy Platform', this study is to develop ultra-precise customized treatment technology that combines boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) and world-class 11.74T ultra-high magnetic field MRI. It also aims to spread it to global clinical and treatment standards.
Gachon University Gil Hospital is the first and only institution in Korea to have a BNCT treatment center. For the past decade or so, it has been jointly developing the technology and equipment with Dowon Medax Co., Ltd. as pure domestic technology. BNCT is a method of destroying only cancer cells by irradiating neutrons using boron drugs that selectively act on cancer cells, and it is called a 'dream cancer treatment device' because it can expect high effects with only one or two treatments while minimizing normal tissue damage.
In addition, Gachon University Gil Hospital has the world's first 11.74T ultra-high magnetic field MRI system. It has a resolution about 10,000 times higher than the existing diagnostic 3T MRI, and plays a decisive role in checking the distribution of boron concentrations before and after BNCT treatment, predicting treatment responses, and establishing a patient-specific treatment plan.
The Miami Cancer Institute (Baptist Health South Florida) will participate in this project as an international joint research partner and continue cooperation by investing $100,000 of its own resources. Miami Cancer Center will closely participate in various research processes, including clinical trial design, patient selection, and treatment effectiveness verification, based on global clinical experience in rare cancer and patient data.
In the future, the research team plans to promote non-clinical and clinical research to expand the indications of ▲BNCT ▲ develop AI-based prognosis prediction and treatment timing derivation algorithms ▲ Global clinical research and international standardization of medical devices (IEC proposal) ▲ Korea-U.S. joint conference and operation of the medical verification committee.
"This task is a significant milestone in expanding the precision treatment system developed with domestic technology to the global stage. Through global cooperation and technological advancement, we will not only present a new paradigm for treatment of intractable cancer, but also contribute to the leap toward a health care powerhouse by enhancing the global status of K-precision medicine," said Kim Woo-kyung, head of the hospital.
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This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
