03 Sketches from the Secretariat

03. Sketches from the WCI Secretariat

3-1. The KOICA-KAERI-WCI-IAEA e-Workshop from June 28 to July 1, 2021

The KOICA-KAERI-WCI-IAEA e-workshop on the “Establishment of a Long Term Management Plan by Strengthening Capacity for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Radioisotopes and Radiopharmaceutical Applications” was successfully implemented by

the KAERI in cooperation with the WCI from June 28 to July 1, 2021.

This e-workshop was organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA) and

the Korea International Cooperation Agency(KOICA), and implemented by the KAERI in cooperation with the WCI. The program consisted of opening and closing ceremonies, and presentations and comments on the project/program concept papers(PCPs). This program was simplified and shortened, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This program has run from 2019 to 2021, over three years.

The 20 participants from Argentina, Bangladesh, India, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico,

Montenegro, Philippines, Serbia and Thailand joined this e-Workshop. There were a total of 7 experts attending this e-workshop course.

The pre-orientations by groups A & B took place on June 21 and 22, 2021, respectively. The opening ceremony, the PCP (project concept paper) presentation and comments, and the closing ceremony all occurred from June 28 to July 1, 2021. In addition, the

organizer has recently uploaded video clips on PCP materials, the special lecture, practices regarding radiopharmaceuticals production, course information, the KOICA training program, evaluation and survey information that the participants had read in advance on the communication channel (Google classroom). Each session is explained as follows:

Opening Speech:

Dr. Hyeon-Jin Kim, Course Director, at the Nuclear Training and Education Center, the KAERI, gave the opening speech. He extended his warmest welcome to all of the participants, and expressed his gratitude to the KOICA, the IAEA, and the WCI for cooperation in organizing this e-workshop. He emphasized that objective of the workshop was to provide support for establishment of a long-term management plan and guidelines for diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals. He added that strengthening the capacity in these areas is closely linked to the quality of our lives. Therefore, he said, this course will help the participating countries build their capacity in this field. Finally, he encouraged every participant to be actively involved in discussions during the e-workshop so that the participants gain instructive knowledge and skills that can be applied later back in the participating organizations and countries.

Welcoming Speech:

Dr. Joao Alberto OSSO JUNIOR, Head of Radioisotope Products and Radiation

Technology Section, Division of Physical and Chemical Sciences, IAEA also welcomed the 20 participants from 10 different countries from across world to this workshop. He stated the course has a long collaborative history, regarding the organization and implementation of training and e-learning courses on applications of nuclear energy, in particular, the production of medical radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals.

He pointed out that the section he leads at the IAEA is responsible for the

implementation of activities related to the production of medical radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals - making the nuclear medicine a reality. He added that building capacity is essential and that high-quality training courses like this one are vital to the support the education of professionals in this field, thus going on to show appreciation to the organizers. He reiterated this training course had been designed to be carried out over three consecutive years, so the same participants were active in 2019, 2020

and in 2021. He wished the participants a fruitful experience on the course program he was confident was excellent. Finally, he added that participants had a unique

opportunity to create important networks to support their professional life.

Welcoming Speech:

Dr. Syed M. Qaim, Education and Training Committee Chair of the WCI (Professor, at Forschungszentrum Jülich and the University of Cologne, Germany) delivered his welcoming remarks and emphasized the importance of this instructive and stimulating e-workshop to the participants. He explained that due to the tremendous progress occurring in radioisotope technology and its applications the World Council on Isotopes

(WCI) was established (in 2008), which is an international organization with the objective to establish an international forum to discuss issues related to the safe production and use of stable and radioactive isotopes for global wellbeing.

He asserted the WCI’s partnership with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has contributed to cooperative programs over last several years. He thanked the IAEA and the KAERI for

extending their kind cooperation over the years. In addition, he extended his deep appreciation to the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) for providing the financial support for the workshop.

He emphasized the importance of the Project Concept Paper (PCP) presented by the participants and discussed with the tutors and other experts. He hoped active discussion regarding Project Concept Papers (PCPs) would provide every participant with the opportunity to share valuable information to strengthen capacity for diagnostic and therapeutic radioisotopes and radiopharmaceutical application in the participating countries in the future.

Finally, he enthusiastically encouraged the participants to apply for WCI membership to maximize their sharing of valuable experiences and expertise with other WCI members

all over the world.

Closing Speech:

Mr. Woo-Geun Song, Secretary-General of the WCI had the privilege to deliver closing remarks on this e-workshop. He recalled the history of this KOICA program : the participants discussed the country reports in 2019, formulated action plans in 2020, and finally discussed the project concept papers (PCPs) in 2021. He congratulated all the participants for making the most of the great opportunity to go through this program. He said, through this program, the participants could recognize what to do for strengthening the capacity of their organizations in their countries in the future.

He expected that the KOICA will play the role in providing the Korean ODA programs for the rebuilding of capacity of the participating countries in the near future. Therefore, he asked for those interested in the KOICA ODA Program to contact the KOICA office or the Embassy of Korea via those in charge of the participating country through the official channel. In addition, he asked the participants to take the opportunity to play a role in sharing their experiences with the others working in this field all over the world.

Finally, he expressed his gratitude to the national and international experts who had been involved in this program as tutors, lecturers, and speakers.

Project/Program Concept Paper(PCP):

The participants were given the opportunity to present their country project/program concept papers(PCPs) that dealt with their project rationale, country development strategies and policies, project objectives/outputs/outcomes/outputs/activities,

proposed budget, stakeholder analysis, project management and implementation, etc. The team leaders of each country gave their PCP presentations. After that, tutors and other participants except the presenters gave comments. The list of the PCP titles by the participating country is shown as follows:

Group Country

North Macedonia

List of the PCP titles

Installation of Solid Target Processing System and Establishment of Cu64 and Zr-89 Radioisotopes Production

Montenegro Implementation of I-131 Radiotherapy

A Republic of Serbia

India

Bangladesh

Thailand Strengthening the National Capacities for Radiopharmaceutical Production in the Republic of Serbia

PET-Fluorescent Twin Molecular Imaging for Precision Surgical Therapy: Augmenting the Role of Nuclear Imaging

Strengthening Capacity of Radioisotope Production and Radiopharmaceuticals Cold Kit Production Facility

Development of Radiometals based on Radiopharmaceuticals for Diagnostic and Therapeutic

Malaysia Gallium-68 Production Using Cyclotron

B Philippines

Mexico

Argentina National Interdisciplinary Higher Education Program in Radioisotope and Radiopharmaceutical Technology

Linkage of Radiopharmaceutical Producers and Health Regulators in Mexico

Coordinated Project for Clinical Translation of Theragnostic Radiopharmaceuticals in Argentina

Special Lecture:

Dr. Syed Muhammad QAIM, Chair, Education and Training Committee of the WCI, and Professor, at Forschungszentrum Jülich and the University of Cologne, Germany gave the special lecture on the "Nuclear Data for Medical Radionuclides". His lecture was

supported by the three video clips and a presentation paper. The lecture materials were uploaded on the Google Classroom. All participants had to take this lecture in advance of the opening ceremony. The term “Nuclear Data” includes all data which describes the characteristics of nuclei as well as their interactions. He is the author of the book

“Medical Radionuclide Production”. His lecture on the “Nuclear Data for Medical

Radionuclides” is outlined as follows:

 Introduction to data for medical use (classification, imaging, radiation dose);  Standardization of production data (availability of standardized data);  Commonly used radionuclides;

 Research oriented radionuclides;

 Emerging production methodologies;  New directions in applications; and

 Summary and conclusions.

The Practices of Radiopharmaceutical Production:

The video clips on the practices of radiopharmaceutical production were uploaded on

the Google Classroom. The title is "Practices on the Web Laboratory" and is comprised of six video clips. All participants had to take the practice. These video clips show the practices of the Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.

This department has gamma imaging, positron imaging, a laboratory and therapy.

Course Information and KOICA Fellowship Program:

The video clips on the KOICA fellowship program and course information were uploaded on the Google Classroom. These videos provide online meeting guidance, the KOICA Fellowship Program (CIAT: capacity improvement and advancement for tomorrow), course program information, etc.

Survey and Evaluation:

The KOICA conducted surveys using pre and post questionnaires to assess the performance of the fellowship programs. The purpose of these questionnaires was not to measure the participant’s level of knowledge, but to assess the effectiveness of the program. The tutors and organizers evaluated performances by scoring from a range of

1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).

Comments and Feeling:

After the closing remarks, the participants, tutors and organizers had the opportunity to exchange their comments and feelings they had on this e-workshop. The participants expressed their gratitude to the organizers for having the opportunity to join this eworkshop, and to share the valuable knowledge and experiences in this field with others from the participating countries. The tutors said that this e-workshop provided the opportunity not only to transmit knowledge and theory to the participants, but also to learn from a lot experiences in the RIs and RPs from the participants. In addition, the

tutors encouraged the participants to join international academic events to stay abreast of emerging information, such as the 11th International Conference on Isotopes (11ICI) in Saskatoon, Canada, from June 19 to 23, 2022, the International Symposium on Radiopharmaceutical Sciences in Nantes, France, from May 29 to June 2, 2022, etc. The

organizer delivered his messages focusing on paying keen attention to the KOICA ODA program and suggesting participants contact the KOICA branch offices in the participating countries, adding that the evaluation on the participants was under way,

etc.

Plan for the Follow-Ups:

Within three months of this program ending, the KOICA will conduct a survey to explore if the possible ODA programs can be formulated and implemented in the participating countries. If any project can be selected through this procedure, the KOICA will provide the ODA program to boost the capability of the recipient countries in a specific field. The scope of this ODA program will cover the invitation of experts, the training of staff members, the procurement of equipment, devices, software, etc. Therefore, the organizer asked the participating countries to apply for the ODA programs through the official channel to the KOICA Headquarters in Seoul, Korea. In addition, the KAERI and the WCI will contact the KOICA to discuss the follow-up training course next year.

In conclusion, the WCI Secretariat has submitted the 2022 government budget proposal to the Ministry of Science and ICT to reinitiate the training course in next year.

3-2. Call for Bids to host the 12th ICI

The International Conference on Isotopes (ICI), held every two to three years at venues around the world, are established to provide a platform for the exchange and discussion of scientific and technical information, to discuss and promote state of the art issues of

isotopes, and to act as an interface with other professional groups.

The World Council on Isotopes (WCI) is now calling for bids from local groups that have a willingness to consider hosting the 12th ICI, due to be held sometime in 2024. Bids should be a written document that addresses the following as a minimum:

1. Venue: Suggest a possible location for the event. Give clear location details. A venue should be easily accessible to a major international airport with suitable connections to transport infrastructure. 2. Accommodation: A range of reasonably-priced hotels and other forms of accommodation should be available within a reasonable distance from the venue.

3. International access: It is essential that all nationalities are permitted to enter

the host country, and can obtain any required visas and travel documents in a

timely fashion. 4. Budget: Outline a reasonably accurate budget, including details of proposed registration fees and exhibition booth fees, items to be covered by the registration fees (e.g., lunches, refreshments), and anticipated costs for production and distribution of the abstracts and proceedings. In addition, describe a commitment of a reasonably accurate contribution in accordance with the WCI Bylaw (B8.1(C), e.g. 10% of the registration and exhibition fees, to the

WCI reserve fund.

5. Sponsorship: Describe the extent of anticipated sponsorships by different funding agencies and foundations, specifying any contacts that have already been made. Provide plans for industrial sponsorships. 6. Scientific program: Outline the variety of anticipated sessions, including

plenary sessions and speakers, and a range of smaller oral and poster sessions spanning the interests of a diverse array of researchers, managers, educators

and policy-oriented individuals. 7. Publication plan: Specify the proposed media, timelines and publisher for the abstracts and proceedings. 8. Financial support for attendees: Indicate the extent of anticipated financial support available for attendees, particularly students and citizens of developing

countries.

9. Outreach: Outline arrangements for access to and by the media and local

community. 10.National and local government support: Indicate the nature and extent of anticipated support from and cooperation with local, regional and national

agencies. 11.International and national non-governmental organizations: Summarize the nature and extent of anticipated support from and collaboration with NGOs.

12.Local Organizing Committee: Outline the likely structure, composition and responsibilities of the organizing committee and any sub-committees. 13.Others: Describe the possibilities of technical and social tours, free registration fees for the WCI Executive Members, International Coordinators and Secretariat

staff, and a free exhibition booth for the WCI Secretariat. In addition, describe the efforts or plans of the potential 12th ICI bidder to encourage anticipated sponsors to participate in the WCI sponsorship and advertisements programs. (visit the WCI website for your reference)

Bids to host the 12th ICI should be sent to the Secretary-General of the WCI Secretariat, Mr. Woo-Geun Song, by February 28th 2022.

Document screening will be made until April 29th, 2022 by the WCI selection committee and presentation evaluation will take place June 19th, 2022 in Saskatoon, Canada. The

announcement of the successful bid for the 12th ICI will be made sometime during June 19-23, 2022, at the 11th ICI venue in Saskatoon, Canada.

Groups submitting bids will be requested to make a short (~20 minutes) presentation and to participate in discussions with the selection committee on June 19th, 2022 at the 11th ICI venue in Saskatoon, Canada.

Submissions received after the deadline are not guaranteed to be considered. Electronic/digital submissions are preferred (to: secretary@wci-ici.org), although they may consist of a combination of formats (e.g., Word, jpg and pdf) as is most convenient.

ICI series held to date

▪ 1st ICI, Beijing, China, 1995

▪ 2nd ICI, Sydney, Australia, 1997

▪ 3rd ICI, Vancouver, Canada, 1999

▪ 4th ICI, Cape Town, South Africa, 2002

▪ 5th ICI, Brussels, Belgium, 2005

▪ 6th ICI, Seoul, Korea, 2008 ▪ 7th ICI, Moscow, Russia, 2011

▪ 8th ICI, Chicago, USA, 2014

▪ 9th ICI, Doha, Qatar, 2017

▪ 10th ICI, Kuala Lumpur, 2020

▪ 11th ICI, Saskatoon, Canada, 2022

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