Invited Speakers

Professor Rooma Sinha is a global pioneer and Chief Gynecologist at Apollo Hospital, Hyderabad.
Since introducing robotic surgery to India in 2012, she has become the nation’s foremost expert in treating benign gynecological conditions and uterine fibroids. A visionary leader, she is the Founder President of the Association of Gynecological Robotic Surgeons of India (AGRS), President-Elect of the Asian Society of Gynecological Robotic Surgeons (ASGRS), and is SERGS-certified in Europe.
Beyond her surgical mastery, Dr. Sinha is a dedicated mentor, directing the prestigious MARS and Vattikuti fellowship programs to train the next generation of specialists. Please join me in welcoming a true leader at the forefront of surgical innovation.

Dr. Jiheum Paek is a leader in minimally invasive surgical techniques and one of the most experienced gynecologic robotic surgeons in Asia as well as Korea. He has extensive experience in treating gynecologic cancer as well as complex benign disease. He has performed more than 2,100 cases of robotic surgery and 2,000 cases of single-port laparoscopic surgery in the gynecologic field. Dr. Paek completed Gynecologic Oncology fellowship at Yonsei University Severance Hospital and joined Dr. Peter Lim’s robotic surgery and clinical research program at University of Nevada, Reno, USA as a visiting scholar. He is currently a Professor and the Director of the Robotic Surgery Center at Ajou University Hospital, Korea. He is President-elect as well as one of the founding members of the Asian Society of Gynecologic Robotic Surgery. He currently serves as the Publication Committee Chair of the Society of Korean Robotic Gynecologic Surgery and International Planning Committee Chair of the Korean Society of Gynecologic Endoscopy.

Professor Hung-Cheng Lai is a globally recognized leader and pioneer in gynecologic oncology and robotic surgery, with a career spanning over two decades of expertise in robotic-assisted surgical systems. He currently serves as the President of the Taiwan Society of Gynecologic Robotic Surgery (TSGRS) and is a former President of the Asian Society of Gynecologic Robotic Surgery (ASGRS).

Professor Lai holds prestigious academic appointments as a Professor at Taipei Medical University and the National Defense Medical University. His clinical practice is defined by his mastery of the da Vinci surgical system, particularly in the management of complex gynecologic diseases, ranging from advanced malignant tumors to intricate benign conditions and pelvic reconstruction.

TJ Kim graduated from Seoul National University College of Medicine. He completed his internship, residency and oncologic fellowship training at Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine. He was awarded as ‘the best clinical fellow of the year’ in Samsung Medical Center in 2006. He is now a professor there.

TJ Kim has interests in clinical trials concerning innovative MIS (Robot, NOTES, SPA/LESS), ovarian cancer prevention and chemotherapy. He started single-port laparoscopy, hybrid NOTES, and da Vinci robotic surgery in 2008. He is the first surgeon who started single-port laparoscopy, single-site da Vinci surgery in South Korea. He has led single institutional and multi-institutional randomized clinical trials in minimally invasive surgical field. He has published more than 230 peer-reviewed international journal articles (SCI(E)) in the field of gynecologic oncology as well as minimally invasive surgery (MIS). His published articles on single-port surgery were the most cited.

TJ Kim has been an invited lecturer at international symposia and conferences as an honored guest speaker. He has also performed live demonstration surgeries in many countries. He has run observational program for foreign doctors. Many surgeons from Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, India, Malaysia, Thailand, and USA visited him to observe his surgical techniques.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Iwate Medical University School of Medicine
Deputy Director of Iwate Medicial University Hospital

Tsukasa Baba, MD, PhD, is Professor and Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Iwate Medical University, Japan. A gynecologic oncologist specializing in minimally invasive and robotic surgery, he chairs the FIGO Committee on Minimal Access Surgery and promotes MIS education across the World.

Dr. Hiroaki Komatsu is a leading expert in Gynecologic Oncology and Robotic Surgery. An International Class B Robo Doc, he is a certified Proctor for the da Vinci, Hugo™ RAS, and hinotori systems. He serves as the Secretary General of the Japanese Society of Gynecologic Robotic Surgery (JSGRS) and is the Associate Editor of the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research. His work focuses on robotic surgical education and certification systems.

Dr. Takashi Takeda is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Keio University School of Medicine, Japan, where he earned both his M.D. and Ph.D. From 2022 to 2025, he served as a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Oxford, supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. His research focuses on the mechanisms of ovarian cancer carcinogenesis and their clinical implications.  A dedicated leader in surgical education, Dr. Takeda founded the ARISING-GYN project, an Asia-wide initiative aimed at advancing structured education in robotic gynecologic surgery. He also collaborates with the Society of European Robotic Gynaecological Surgery (SERGS) on international training initiatives.
Dr. Takeda is board-certified in Gynecologic Oncology, Endoscopic Surgery, and Clinical Genetics in Japan. His contributions have been recognized with the Best Presentation Award (2024) and the Early Career Award (2025) from the Asian Society for Gynecologic Robotic Surgery (ASGRS). He remains active in numerous international societies, including IGCS, ASGO, and APAGE.

Prof. Ka-Yu Tse is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at The University of Hong Kong, Honorary Consultant at Queen Mary Hospital, and Chair of the Department of Gynaecology at HKU-Shenzhen Hospital. She completed her specialized gynaecological oncology training at Queen Mary Hospital and Addenbrooke’s Hospital (Cambridge, UK) and has served as a visiting scholar at prestigious institutions, including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
An influential leader in her field, Prof. Tse currently serves as President of the Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society of Hong Kong (OGSHK) and Vice President of the Hong Kong Society of Gynecological Oncology (HKSGO). Internationally, she chairs the Gynaecological Oncology Committee for the Asia & Oceania Federation of Obstetrics & Gynaecology (AOFOG) and is a member of the FIGO Oncology Committee.
Prof. Tse is a dedicated researcher and editor for several peer-reviewed journals. Her clinical and research expertise focuses on surgical and medical treatments, biomarkers, and novel therapies for gynecologic cancers.

Dr. Kiyoshi Kanno is Deputy Director of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Kurashiki Medical Center, Japan, one of the country’s leading high-volume centers for minimally invasive gynecologic surgery. He specializes in laparoscopic and robotic surgery, gynecologic oncology, and advanced surgical management of deep endometriosis.
Dr. Kiyoshi Kanno has particular expertise in nerve-sparing pelvic surgery and robotic techniques using the da Vinci platform, including the development and clinical application of nerve-plane–sparing approaches and fluorescence-guided surgery with indocyanine green. His work focuses on improving surgical precision and functional outcomes in complex pelvic procedures, especially in patients with severe deep endometriosis.
He serves as an Editorial Board member of Journal of Robotic Surgery and is a Video Faculty member of the International School of Surgical Anatomy (ISSA), Italy. His surgical videos and research presentations have received numerous awards from societies such as APAGE, JSGOE, JSES, and the Japan Robotic Surgery Society.

I earned my Ph.D. from the Postgraduate School of Medicine at The Catholic University of Korea in 2005. Prior to that, I completed my M.S. at the same institution in 1999 and my M.D. in 1995.
Since 2017, I have been serving as a Professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea. In 2007, I completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Experimental Therapeutics at the University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center.
In addition to my academic roles, I hold several key positions and memberships. I am the Director of Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Chief of the Gynecologic Cancer Center at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital. I also serve as the immediate president of both the Korean Society of Single Port Surgery (K3S) and the Korean Society of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology (KSPOG), and the vice president of Korean Gynecologic Oncology Group. Previously, I was the founder president of the Korean Society of Neuropelveology (KSON). Additionally, I am a Board Member of the Asian Society of Gynecologic Robotic Surgery and the past Editor-in-Chief of the GRS (Gynecologic Robotic Surgery), the official journal of both the Korean Society of Gynecologic Robotic Surgery and the Asian Society of Gynecologic Robotic Surgery.

Dr. Hakyun Chang (James) is a gynecologic oncologist at Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital in Seoul, Korea. He specializes in minimally invasive gynecologic oncology, with a particular focus on Sinlge Port (SP) robotic surgery. Dr. Chang has extensive experience in advanced robotic procedures for gynecologic cancers and complex pelvic diseases. He is actively involved in international academic societies and has delivered numerous invited lectures on robotic and minimally invasive surgery. His research interests include robotic surgical innovation, advanced pelvic surgery, and translational research in gynecologic oncology.

Dr. Chiheum Cho is a Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital, School of Medicine, Republic of Korea. His primary research interests focus on gynecologic oncology, particularly strategies to overcome chemoresistance in ovarian cancer and the medical treatment of uterine fibroids.
Dr. Cho began performing gynecologic laparoscopic surgery in 1992 and has since accumulated extensive surgical experience in the management of both benign and malignant gynecologic diseases. In 2011, he introduced robotic surgery into gynecologic practice at his institution. Since 2014, he has specialized in single-port robotic surgery and has performed more than 2,600 cases for a wide spectrum of gynecologic benign and malignant conditions.
He is a pioneer in the field of robotic surgery in gynecology. Dr. Cho founded the Korean Society of Gynecologic Robotic Surgery and served as President of the Asian Society of Gynecologic Robotic Surgery from 2021 to 2023.
In addition to his clinical and academic contributions, Dr. Cho has played significant leadership roles in hospital administration. He served as Director of Strategic Planning beginning in 2014 and subsequently held the positions of Hospital Director and President of the Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center until February 2026.
Dr. Cho continues to contribute to the advancement of minimally invasive gynecologic surgery and translational research in gynecologic oncology.

Board Member, Asian Society of Gynecologic Robotic Surgery (ASGRS)
Professor Hiroaki Kobayashi is a globally recognized leader in gynecologic oncology and a pioneer in robotic surgery. A graduate of Kyushu University, he earned his Ph.D. in 1991 before completing a prestigious postdoctoral fellowship at the Sunnybrook Health Science Centre in Toronto, Canada. Currently serving as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Kagoshima University, he also leads the Robotic Surgery Center at Munakata Suikokai General Hospital as of 2026.

With a career defined by clinical excellence and administrative leadership, Prof. Kobayashi previously served as Vice Director of Kagoshima University Hospital and Director of its Robotic Surgery Center (2020–2025). His influence extends across major international and domestic academic societies; he is the President of the Japan Society of Gynecologic Robotic Surgery (JSGRS) and a Director of the Japan Robotic Surgery Society (J-ROBO).

On the international stage, Prof. Kobayashi serves as a Director of the American Society for Gynecologic Robotic Surgery (ASGRS) and was the Congress Chair for the ASGRS 2025 meeting. As an expert in gynecologic oncology, he has chaired the Cervical Cancer Committee for the Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) and served as the Congress Chair for the Japanese Society of Gynecologic Oncology (JSGO) in 2024. His profound contributions to medical education and research have been recognized with numerous honors, including the Kanzawa Medical Research Foundation Award.

Dr. Urmila Soman is a pioneering Robotic and Laparoscopic Gynaecologist with over 23 years of experience in advanced minimally invasive surgery. Currently the Senior Consultant and Lead at Aster Medcity, Kochi, and Cluster Head for Aster Hospitals, Kerala, she has redefined surgical standards in India through innovation and clinical excellence.

A true trailblazer, Dr. Soman is the first surgeon in India accredited as a Master Surgeon in Robotic Surgery by the SRC. Her global standing is further evidenced by her 2024 SERGS Certification. Her career is marked by several “national firsts,” including India’s first robotic neovaginal construction and robotic correction of pelvic arteriovenous malformations.

Recognized for exceptional speed and precision, Dr. Soman completed 100 and 200 robotic surgeries in record time, reaching 300 cases within just two years. Beyond surgery, she is a dedicated mentor, serving as a proctor and leading an ICOG-accredited training centre. Her research is widely published, and her contributions have earned prestigious accolades, including the Vattikuti Scholar Award, AGRS Champion Award, and the KFOG Pacesetter Award. Dr. Soman continues to lead the evolution of gynecological care through surgical innovation and superior patient outcomes.