Contribution to Enrichment of Korean Academy of Asthma Allergy Clinical Immunology: Homage to Professor You-Young Kim, the Pioneer Exploring Allergology in Korea

Abstract

This year is the 38th year since the Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology (KAAACI) was launched. The late Prof. Seok-Young Kang of Seoul National University College of Medicine played a key role in founding the KAACI in 1972 when allergology was a totally unexplored field in Korea. Prof. Kang's effort was succeed by one of his best disciples, Prof. You-Young Kim. Prof. Kim dedicated a significant and most productive part of his professional life to the development of allergology in Korea. In addition to his clinical healthcare activity as an allergy specialist, he was also closely involved in the initiation of research activities in the area of allergy in Korea. In the early 1980s, Prof. Kim studied at the University of Southampton and at Dokkyo University and developed close relationships with outstanding scholars such as Prof. Holgate and Prof. Makino. With research experience at Southampton, Prof. Kim became the first Korean allergist to publish a research article in an international journal.1 He was continuously involved in every single activity of KAACI for 30 years since beginning his career as an allergist in 1980. He participated in diverse national epidemiologic surveys and made an effort to determine major allergens in Korea.2-4 He also discovered novel inhalant allergens such as outdoor spider mites5-8 and proved their role as a major occupational allergen for the first time. In the era of genomics, he and his colleagues took a leap forward in the field of asthma related gene study.9-14 In addition to his achievements in education, research, and clinical works, he has consistently filled key posts in KAAACI and contributed to the expansion of its academic activity. He also established the Korean Asthma Allergy Foundation (KAF) and made an effort to distribute treatment guidelines for allergic diseases. He has led the nationwide campaign and education of physicians and people to enhance awareness of asthma and to improve the quality of allergic practice in Korea. He also initiated the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases Korea (GARD Korea) and was elected as its first chairman. Given all his efforts and achievements as an allergy physician, he was bestowed an 'outstanding clinician award' from the World Allergy Organization in 2007. Prof. You-Young Kim is a genuine pioneer who built the foundation of allergy and clinical immunology field in Korea. He has devoted himself to the training of numerous clinicians, scholars, and researchers. To commemorate Prof. You-Young Kim's pioneering work and to honor his retirement, the alumni association of the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at Seoul National University Hospital held an international asthma allergy symposium in October, 2009. The event was a special time to discuss and reflect on the history, current findings, and the future of the Korean allergy field. At the symposium, Professor Kim reviewed the history of allergology in Korea and Professor Holgate, a friend as well as a mentor of Professor Kim, gave a lecture on asthma pathogenesis. There was also a review of the evolution of asthma concept and guidelines by Professor Makino. Along with his international colleagues, well-known scholars in Korea who were one time students of Professor Kim joined the commemoration symposium. Prof. Moon, who is the current chairman of the board of KAACI, discussed the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of asthma. Prof. Park, who is the editor-in-chief of the AAIR, delivered a lecture on the topic of eosinophil and development of asthma. As a representative of the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology in Seoul National University Hospital, I presented the topic of pharmacogenomic approaches to asthma treatment. The topics presented at Prof. Kim's commemoration symposium were published as reviews in this issue of AAIR to honor Prof. Kim's retirement. Although with retirement, Prof. Kim took a step back from the front lines, we will always appreciate and remember his everlasting efforts and passion and wish him a healthy and happy retirement. Thank you Prof. Kim for your dedication to Korean allergology, you are an exemplar of both physician and scholar and gave an inspiration to current and future generations in the field of medicine.