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Taiwan, China: Faculty and Postdoctoral Fellows, National Health Research Institutes
National Health Research Institutes NHRI
Faculty / Postdoctoral Fellows
Taiwan Biomedical Research Hub
Introduction of National Health Research Institutes
The National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) was established in 1996. It is a government sponsored non-profit organization dedicated to the enhancement of medical research and the improvement of health care in Taiwan. With annual budget around U.S. $90 M, the NHRI has about 900 employees and is located at a beautiful 79 acres campus in Zhunan Town, Mioali County of Taiwan. Professor Kenneth K. Wu, M.D., Ph.D., a world-renowned cardiovascular biology and blood researcher, serves as the President of the institution. Before joining NHRI in 2006, Professor Wu held a Roy M. and Phyllis Gough Huffington Chair and was Professor and Director of Hematology at University of Texas Health Science Center and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. He also served as Director of Vascular Research Center. Professor Wu's research is noted for his novel studies of cyclooxygenase (COX), prostacyclin synthase (PGIS), thromboxane synthase (TXAS) and nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). Besides basic mechanistic investigations, he has pioneered translational research such as developing COX-based gene therapy and novel endogenous control of COX-2 mediated diseases. Besides his leadership, Professor Wu has brought his expertise to strengthen cardiovascular and inflammation research at NHRI. Professor Wu has recruited Professor Ing-Kang Ho as Vice President of NHRI. Professor Ho had a long tenure as Professor and Chairman, Department of Pharmacology and Dean of Graduate School at University of Mississippi. He is an expert in Toxicology and drug addiction.
Research Units and Core Facilities
Under the leadership of President Wu, the scientists at the NHRI investigate many aspects of the basic biomedical sciences and conduct mission-oriented medical research, including aging, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, infectious diseases, molecular and genomic medicine, biotechnology and pharmaceutics, biostatistics and bioinformatics, medical engineering, mental disorders, occupational diseases, vaccine, stem cell, nanomedicine, and health policy.
The research units are headed by distinguished investigators to accomplish the following missions: (l) Advancing basic biomedical knowledge; (2) Enhancing diagnosis, prevention and treatment of important diseases of Taiwan; (3) Promoting biotechnology development and transfer; (4) Providing research data for implementing health policy. NHRI research units emphasize teamwork and interdisciplinary approaches to tackle large biomedical questions and problems. Several units have built infrastructure, which facilitates translational research to bring basic research discoveries into clinical and/or biotechnological application.
Principal investigators (equivalent to faculty members in a university) of NHRI hold M.D., Ph.D. of M.D. Ph.D. and specialize in diverse fields of biomedical research and medicine. In addition to the conventional areas of biomedical research, such as cellular and molecular biology, biochemistry immunology and microbiology, epidemiology, biostatistics, pharmacology, toxicology and clinical medicine, a number of investigators are in the fields of organic and medicinal chemistry, nanochemistry, physics and engineering. The diverse expertises of principal investigators present an exciting opportunity to collaborate and to tackle frontier biomedical sciences such as medical imaging, nanomedicine and system biology. Availability of excellent physician-scientists in NHRI has been valuable for rapid translation of basic discoveries to clinical and biotechnology applications.
The research units are located at Zhunan Campus in quiet and beautiful surroundings. Research laboratories are open and flexible to allow for interdisciplinary collaboration. The investigators are encouraged to share equipment and common facilities. Furthermore, there are a number of core equipment units that are open to all investigators of NHRI and outside NHRI. The core units include DNA sequencer, confocal microscopy, proteomics, cell and animal imaging, pathology, and electron microscopy. Core equipment at planning includes protein chemistry.
Besides equipment core units, NHRI has also established Cell Bank, Digital Library, National Health Insurance Research Database (in Chinese), Health Research Information Network (HINT) (in Chinese) and Bioinformatics (Gene Bank, GDB, Swiss-prot, ExPSAY, GCG), which serves the needs of intramural research programs and extramural medical centers and research institutions of Taiwan.
NHRI has clinical research units located in Tainan City with focuses on viral diseases and cancer. The geriatric and mental health clinical research unit is located in Taipei City. The clinical research units work in collaboration with researchers at the nearby universities.
Graduate and Postgraduate Training
NHRI has no graduate school of its own but has collaborated with several universities in setting up graduate programs. Currently, there are more than 100 students. NHRI has an active postdoctoral training program. Efforts are made to enrich academic and living environment for graduate and postgraduate fellows. Furthermore, a concerted effort is made to attract international graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
In addition to intramural graduate program, NHRI has provided scholarship and stipends for physicians who want to pursue graduate studies. NHRI also has extramural programs to support graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who enroll in any university in Taiwan.
NHRI has sponsored a number of medical subspecialty training programs. The medical oncology training program has produced a cadre of outstanding medical oncologists who are holding leadership in major medical schools in Taiwan. The unique aspect of the training program is a vigorous integration of clinical research in the program. Other training programs, including radiation oncology and infectious diseases, are equally successful in producing well-trained physician-researchers. Geriatrics has recently initiated an NHRI sponsored training program.
As success in education and training is the ultimate requirement for medical sciences to flourish, the NHRI dedicates to establish Taiwan as a center of first-class medical research. Like the National Institutes of Health, USA, the NHRI not only conducts intramural research but also distributes part of its funds to support extramural research in public and private institutions throughout the country. It has signed cooperative and research agreements on grant/contract basis with many universities as well as research institutes and conducted programs to train physicians, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the fields such as infectious diseases, surgical and gynecological oncology, etc. To promote research that is important, urgently needed, and feasible to succeed within a reasonable period of time, the NHRI has established the Department of Extramural Research Affairs, and the Department of Intramural Research Affairs.
Extramural Funding and Collaboration
NHRI has an excellent record in extramural funding based on peer review. The review system is similar to that of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). Currently, there are five study sections to review grant proposals. Study section members are senior investigators from major universities or research institutions in the U.S., Canada and Europe. A large majority of them have extensive experiences as NIH Study Section members, and some serve on the Advisory Council. The NHRI program has generated a cadre of outstanding investigators that serve as leaders in biomedical research in Taiwan. Furthermore, the peer review system established by NHRI has served as a review model for Taiwan and elsewhere in Asia.
NHRI provides grants for investigators in Taiwan to organize symposia and conferences. These conferences have been successful in getting together the investigators in Taiwan and outside Taiwan to exchange ideas and conduct collaborative researches. NHRI has sponsored international conferences on several focused research fields such as stem cells, lung cancer, emerging viral infectious diseases and national health insurance. Eminent researchers are invited to be speakers at the conferences. Furthermore, NHRI has established a distinguished NHRI Lectureship. The Lecturers include Nobel Laureate, Academy of Sciences members and prominent scientists.
To forge clinical trials, NHRI establishes a successful Taiwan Cooperative Oncology Group (TCOG). TCOG comprises all the major medical centers in Taiwan. It plans innovative clinical trials and has made major contributions in treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma, H. Pylori-associated maltoma and lung cancer.
Highlights of Research Accomplishments
The scientists of NHRI have made important novel discoveries during the past 3 years. They are highlighted as follows.
In genomic research, NHRI joined the international genome sequencing program and the research endeavor for the sequencing of chimp chromosome 22, which was published in Nature, 2004.
Based on the Taiwan Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance (TSAR), the government implements the health insurance policy of antibiotics usage and leads to a reduction of 48% of total antibiotics usage within two years. Furthermore, the drug resistance for the 1st line antibiotics such as erythromycin and ampicillin showed a dramatic decrease in TSAR (2004-2005).
NHRI with medical institutions in Taiwan joined in Stanford-Asian Pacific Program for Hypertension and Insulin Resistance, and established the Taiwan Data Coordinating Center at NHRI. This program has led to discovery of novel genes for metabolic syndrome.
For clinical trials, NHRI has established and validated a new integrated state-of-the-art clinical research information management system (CRIM), which greatly facilitates data management for clinical trials.
NHRI pharmaceutical team successfully synthesized a sizable amount of Tamiflu R in 18 days with purity higher than 99% in 2005.
The genomic group identified for the first time the gene responsible for familiar avascular necrosis.
Collaboration between genomic and cancer researchers resulted in discovery of a high frequency of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations among lung cancer patients in Taiwan and a high response rate of Taiwanese lung cancer to EGFR-targeted therapy.
The stem cell group was successful in culturing a large number of adult stem cells from placenta and has developed novel ways to drive their differentiation into hepatocytes.
The NHRI Vaccine Center has successfully produced cell-based H5N1 vaccine for urgent use.
The cancer group has pioneered the use of thalidomide in treating hepatocellular cancer.
Print Ref: SP99772R : Faculty / Postdoctoral Fellows
Faculty / Postdoctoral Fellows
Taiwan Biomedical Research Hub
Introduction of National Health Research Institutes
The National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) was established in 1996. It is a government sponsored non-profit organization dedicated to the enhancement of medical research and the improvement of health care in Taiwan. With annual budget around U.S. $90 M, the NHRI has about 900 employees and is located at a beautiful 79 acres campus in Zhunan Town, Mioali County of Taiwan. Professor Kenneth K. Wu, M.D., Ph.D., a world-renowned cardiovascular biology and blood researcher, serves as the President of the institution. Before joining NHRI in 2006, Professor Wu held a Roy M. and Phyllis Gough Huffington Chair and was Professor and Director of Hematology at University of Texas Health Science Center and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. He also served as Director of Vascular Research Center. Professor Wu's research is noted for his novel studies of cyclooxygenase (COX), prostacyclin synthase (PGIS), thromboxane synthase (TXAS) and nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). Besides basic mechanistic investigations, he has pioneered translational research such as developing COX-based gene therapy and novel endogenous control of COX-2 mediated diseases. Besides his leadership, Professor Wu has brought his expertise to strengthen cardiovascular and inflammation research at NHRI. Professor Wu has recruited Professor Ing-Kang Ho as Vice President of NHRI. Professor Ho had a long tenure as Professor and Chairman, Department of Pharmacology and Dean of Graduate School at University of Mississippi. He is an expert in Toxicology and drug addiction.
Research Units and Core Facilities
Under the leadership of President Wu, the scientists at the NHRI investigate many aspects of the basic biomedical sciences and conduct mission-oriented medical research, including aging, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, infectious diseases, molecular and genomic medicine, biotechnology and pharmaceutics, biostatistics and bioinformatics, medical engineering, mental disorders, occupational diseases, vaccine, stem cell, nanomedicine, and health policy.
The research units are headed by distinguished investigators to accomplish the following missions: (l) Advancing basic biomedical knowledge; (2) Enhancing diagnosis, prevention and treatment of important diseases of Taiwan; (3) Promoting biotechnology development and transfer; (4) Providing research data for implementing health policy. NHRI research units emphasize teamwork and interdisciplinary approaches to tackle large biomedical questions and problems. Several units have built infrastructure, which facilitates translational research to bring basic research discoveries into clinical and/or biotechnological application.
Principal investigators (equivalent to faculty members in a university) of NHRI hold M.D., Ph.D. of M.D. Ph.D. and specialize in diverse fields of biomedical research and medicine. In addition to the conventional areas of biomedical research, such as cellular and molecular biology, biochemistry immunology and microbiology, epidemiology, biostatistics, pharmacology, toxicology and clinical medicine, a number of investigators are in the fields of organic and medicinal chemistry, nanochemistry, physics and engineering. The diverse expertises of principal investigators present an exciting opportunity to collaborate and to tackle frontier biomedical sciences such as medical imaging, nanomedicine and system biology. Availability of excellent physician-scientists in NHRI has been valuable for rapid translation of basic discoveries to clinical and biotechnology applications.
The research units are located at Zhunan Campus in quiet and beautiful surroundings. Research laboratories are open and flexible to allow for interdisciplinary collaboration. The investigators are encouraged to share equipment and common facilities. Furthermore, there are a number of core equipment units that are open to all investigators of NHRI and outside NHRI. The core units include DNA sequencer, confocal microscopy, proteomics, cell and animal imaging, pathology, and electron microscopy. Core equipment at planning includes protein chemistry.
Besides equipment core units, NHRI has also established Cell Bank, Digital Library, National Health Insurance Research Database (in Chinese), Health Research Information Network (HINT) (in Chinese) and Bioinformatics (Gene Bank, GDB, Swiss-prot, ExPSAY, GCG), which serves the needs of intramural research programs and extramural medical centers and research institutions of Taiwan.
NHRI has clinical research units located in Tainan City with focuses on viral diseases and cancer. The geriatric and mental health clinical research unit is located in Taipei City. The clinical research units work in collaboration with researchers at the nearby universities.
Graduate and Postgraduate Training
NHRI has no graduate school of its own but has collaborated with several universities in setting up graduate programs. Currently, there are more than 100 students. NHRI has an active postdoctoral training program. Efforts are made to enrich academic and living environment for graduate and postgraduate fellows. Furthermore, a concerted effort is made to attract international graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
In addition to intramural graduate program, NHRI has provided scholarship and stipends for physicians who want to pursue graduate studies. NHRI also has extramural programs to support graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who enroll in any university in Taiwan.
NHRI has sponsored a number of medical subspecialty training programs. The medical oncology training program has produced a cadre of outstanding medical oncologists who are holding leadership in major medical schools in Taiwan. The unique aspect of the training program is a vigorous integration of clinical research in the program. Other training programs, including radiation oncology and infectious diseases, are equally successful in producing well-trained physician-researchers. Geriatrics has recently initiated an NHRI sponsored training program.
As success in education and training is the ultimate requirement for medical sciences to flourish, the NHRI dedicates to establish Taiwan as a center of first-class medical research. Like the National Institutes of Health, USA, the NHRI not only conducts intramural research but also distributes part of its funds to support extramural research in public and private institutions throughout the country. It has signed cooperative and research agreements on grant/contract basis with many universities as well as research institutes and conducted programs to train physicians, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the fields such as infectious diseases, surgical and gynecological oncology, etc. To promote research that is important, urgently needed, and feasible to succeed within a reasonable period of time, the NHRI has established the Department of Extramural Research Affairs, and the Department of Intramural Research Affairs.
Extramural Funding and Collaboration
NHRI has an excellent record in extramural funding based on peer review. The review system is similar to that of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). Currently, there are five study sections to review grant proposals. Study section members are senior investigators from major universities or research institutions in the U.S., Canada and Europe. A large majority of them have extensive experiences as NIH Study Section members, and some serve on the Advisory Council. The NHRI program has generated a cadre of outstanding investigators that serve as leaders in biomedical research in Taiwan. Furthermore, the peer review system established by NHRI has served as a review model for Taiwan and elsewhere in Asia.
NHRI provides grants for investigators in Taiwan to organize symposia and conferences. These conferences have been successful in getting together the investigators in Taiwan and outside Taiwan to exchange ideas and conduct collaborative researches. NHRI has sponsored international conferences on several focused research fields such as stem cells, lung cancer, emerging viral infectious diseases and national health insurance. Eminent researchers are invited to be speakers at the conferences. Furthermore, NHRI has established a distinguished NHRI Lectureship. The Lecturers include Nobel Laureate, Academy of Sciences members and prominent scientists.
To forge clinical trials, NHRI establishes a successful Taiwan Cooperative Oncology Group (TCOG). TCOG comprises all the major medical centers in Taiwan. It plans innovative clinical trials and has made major contributions in treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma, H. Pylori-associated maltoma and lung cancer.
Highlights of Research Accomplishments
The scientists of NHRI have made important novel discoveries during the past 3 years. They are highlighted as follows.
Print Ref: SP99772R : Faculty / Postdoctoral Fellows
posted by Editor @ 4/16/2007
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