Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea recently organized a ceremony to support Sri Lanka in oral cancer research. Oral cancer is one of the most common cancers prevalent in Sri Lankan patients. Unfortunately, the prognosis of the cancer is poor and leads to high morbidity and mortality rates. Despite these facts, research in this field is inadequate due to the lack of infrastructure facilities that would help promote advanced research.

Realizing this resource limitation, the Oral Cancer Research Institute of Yonsei University, under the guidance of its Directress, Professor Jin Kim, extended its assistance through the Korean Research Foundation to establish the Center for Research in Oral Cancer in the Faculty of Dental Sciences at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka with her long standing research collaborator, Professor WM Tilakaratne as the founding Director.

The ceremony was organized to acknowledge the donation of research equipment to the newly-established center in Sri Lanka. The highlight of the function was the donation of a Cone Beam CT scanner (CBCT) to the research center by VATECT Global Company in Seoul, Korea; this will be Sri Lanka’s first CBCT scanner.

Mr. Tissa Wijeratne, Sri Lankan Ambassador to Korea, and Dr. Kim Young-Hwan, member of the Korean National Assembly, were the chief guests of honour. In his speech, the Ambassador noted that the assistance extended from the Korean government will uplift the standards of various sectors in Sri Lanka. He was hopeful that Korean experts would help their Sri Lankan counterparts to find new treatment strategies for oral cancer and improve the lives of those afflicted with this disease. Professor WM Tilakaratne was very thankful to the Korean Researchers, especially Professor Jin Kim, Directress of the Oral Cancer Research Institute of Yonsei University and donors (VATECH and other companies)for providing hope to oral cancer victims in Sri Lanka. Prof Jin Kim reiterated that they are determined to help Sri Lanka in developing the field of oral cancer research by collaborating with Professor Tilakaratne and his team of researchers. Dean of the Yonsei College of Dentistry, Dr Kim Young-Hwan, and President of the Yonsei Medical and Dental School also addressed the meeting. Dr. AM Attygalla, Consultant Maxillofacial Surgeon also attended the ceremony.

The installation ceremony of the CBCT in the Faculty of Dental Sciences was held on the 27th of November 2013 under the patronage of Professor UB Dissanayake, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Sciences and Professor WM Tilakaratne, Director of the Centre for Research in Oral Cancer, University of Peradeniya.

As a result of this collaboration, the future of research in oral cancer is only expected to improve research discovery and the diagnosis and treatment of the various aspects of diseases in the oral and maxillofacial region.

Donation of the Cone Beam CT Scanner with Sri Lankan Ambassador Tissa Wijeratne to the Center for Research in Oral Cancer in the Faculty of Dental Sciences at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka by VATECH Company during the ceremony at Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.

Professor WM Tilakaratne, Director of the Centre for Research in Oral Cancer presenting a appreciation plaque to Mr. Stan H Oh, CEO of the VATECH Global Company, Korea.