Leading biomedical engineering scholars from around the world will gather in Daegu to discuss the future of advanced medical technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), biosensors, medical imaging and medical robots.
According to the Daegu city government on Nov. 2, the 13th IFMBE Asian Pacific Conference on Medical and Biological Engineering (APCMBE 2026), jointly hosted by the Korean Society of Medical and Biological Engineering and the International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering, will take place at EXCO in Daegu from Nov. 4 to 7.
Held every three years, it is the Asia-Pacific region’s largest international academic conference on medical and biological engineering.
Researchers from around the world gather to share the latest research findings in biomedical engineering and explore ways to collaborate internationally on global health care challenges.
About 400 people, including roughly 100 international participants, are expected to attend the opening ceremony on Nov. 4.
Keynote speakers will include Nigel Lovell, a professor at the University of New South Wales in Australia; Qiushi Ren, a distinguished professor at Peking University in China; and Luke Pyung-Se Lee, a distinguished professor at POSTECH.
They will speak on biomedical sensors and remote patient monitoring, the development and commercialization of ophthalmic medical devices, and nanobiophotonics and AI-based molecular diagnostics.
They are expected to focus in particular on translating basic research findings into technologies that can be used in clinical settings, as well as the potential to improve precision medicine and access to health care.
The conference will feature about 40 sessions across nine meeting rooms.
Researchers from South Korea and abroad will present the latest research trends and findings in 16 fields, including medical ultrasound, medical data analysis, biomedical optics, neural engineering, medical image processing, medical AI, biosensors and biochips, biomaterials, biomechanics and medical robotics, cell and tissue engineering, translational medicine, regulatory science and biosemiconductors.
Fourteen special programs will also bring together participants from academia, industry and government agencies in South Korea and abroad.
They will discuss advanced technologies such as medical device commercialization and evaluation, on-device AI, biosemiconductors and ultrasound, as well as national research and development (R&D) achievements and ways to train specialized personnel.
A biomedical engineering creativity competition for high school students will seek to identify the next generation of science and technology talent. Exchanges with international academic journals will also explore how to disseminate research findings globally and advance scholarly publishing.
Programs showcasing Daegu’s medical and biotechnology capabilities are also drawing attention.
Local organizations and companies, including the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation, the Medicity Council, Kumoh National Institute of Technology and Keimyung University, will take part in exhibitions and special sessions to introduce the region’s research capabilities and technologies to participants from South Korea and abroad.
A “K-MEDI hub Technical Tour” will also be offered to international participants.
Participants will visit OPEN BRIDGE, which has prototype production infrastructure, as well as the Preclinical Research Center and the Medical Technology Testing and Training Center at the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation, giving them a firsthand look at Daegu’s advanced medical research and development facilities.
Daegu Administrative Vice Mayor Shim Young-jae said, “This conference, held in South Korea for the first time in 27 years, is a meaningful international event that brings leading biomedical engineering scholars from around the world to Daegu to share advanced medical technologies and research findings. We will actively support efforts to showcase Daegu’s medical and biotechnology research capabilities to the world and help the event lead to expanded overseas networks for local companies, international joint research and cooperation on technology commercialization.”
