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Office of International Promotion and Outreach2026-03-04https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1478595875247755264&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2026-02-05https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1468833945595416576&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2026-01-13https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1460667992076455936&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-12-19https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1451397194388082688&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-12-04https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1445978716185300992&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-11-25https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1442760481176555520&init=Ycover imagehttps://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1442762338854768640&init=YDespite limited resources, the team achieved global-level performance with “home-assembled desktop PCs,” attracting industry attention.Office of International Promotion and Outreach2025-11-05https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1435828710996447232&init=Ycover imagehttps://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1435832171389521920&init=YComparative imaging of CEP164 localization at the centriole. The left panel shows abundant CEP164 accumulation at the distal end of the centriole, promoting cilia formation.Office of International Promotion and Outreach2025-10-27https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1433339253655343104&init=YIllustration of Doxorubicin (“Red Berry”) generated by ChatGPTOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-10-14https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1427548152994467840&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-10-08https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1425658844167540736&init=YNYCU Neuroscientists Illuminate the Brain’s Hidden “Star Map” of Neural ActivityOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-09-22https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1419872169004896256&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-09-18https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1418081269446610944&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-09-15https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1417059484903149568&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-09-08https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1414878168589799424&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-09-02https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1412271844425207808&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-08-11https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1404440907259842560&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-07-31https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1400358316273569792&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-07-29https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1399644521691615232&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-07-24https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1397820070654119936&init=YGroup photo of the research teamOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-07-22https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1397065693660188672&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-07-16https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1395049561151508480&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-07-15https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1394839943511019520&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-07-09https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1392309647897006080&init=Ycover imagehttps://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1392309648052195328&init=YProf. Jui-Hung Hung, Principal Investigator of the EpiVerse project, Department of Computer Science, NYCUOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-06-30https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1389074687539023872&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-06-24https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1386961283139506176&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-06-16https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1384435062929362944&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-06-03https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1379311441714089984&init=YDr. Margaret S. Ho, Associate Professor at NYCU’s Institute of NeuroscienceOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-05-29https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1377300363253649408&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-05-28https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1377125868920377344&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-05-26https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1376807896372744192&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-05-19https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1374021637384441856&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-05-15https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1372432383034265600&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-05-08https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1369895471492894720&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-04-28https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1366306210520764416&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-04-21https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1364135901025800192&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-04-07https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1362696923688996864&init=YUsing AI to Detect Brain Lesions Psychiatric Diagnosis Enters the Era of Brain Sciencehttps://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1358647326184312832&init=YProfessor Chih-Chieh Yang, Chair of the NYCU School of Medicine, received the 2025 Edison Award for his groundbreaking contributions to psychiatric diagnosis and global mental health care.https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1358647326356279296&init=YThis advanced brain imaging technology maps degeneration trajectories across 138 gray and white matter regions, enabling age- and disease-stage-specific predictions that significantly enhance the accuracy of psychiatric diagnoses and support the development of personalized treatment plans.Office of International Promotion and Outreach2025-04-01https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1356532775078858752&init=YCover imagehttps://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1356532775322128384&init=YNYCU's fiber-optic microphone eliminates electromagnetic interference, ensuring clear and stable sound transmission.https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1356532775431180288&init=YThe research findings have been published in the journal Optics & Laser Technology, presenting a breakthrough solution to electromagnetic interference and ensuring clear, stable sound for medical and consumer applications.Office of International Promotion and Outreach2025-03-25https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1353719150194724864&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-03-11https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1348925311265280000&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-02-26https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1344147847703957504&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-02-11https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/doc?module=headnews&detailNo=1338771209382268928&type=sNeuromorphic Computing with Emerging Antiferromagnetic Ordering in Spin−Orbit Torque Deviceshttps://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1338769354157723648&init=Ycover image (photo credit: Getty Images)Office of International Promotion and Outreach2025-02-04https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1336531905293586432&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-01-14https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1328629951603150848&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2025-01-07https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/doc?module=headnews&detailNo=1326107247171866624&type=sA Few Charged Residues in Galectin‐3 s Folded and Disordered Regions Regulate Phasehttps://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1326106213674389504&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2024-12-03https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1313350036993609728&init=Ycover imagehttps://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1313350037245267968&init=YProfessor Tzyh-Chang Hwang and his research team.Office of International Promotion and Outreach2024-11-11https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1305456941564170240&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2024-10-24https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1298866315242508288&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2024-10-21https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1297788838067834880&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2024-08-27https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1278608215180840960&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2024-08-20https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1275403477194903552&init=YFear memory cells in the lateral central amygdala, with magenta and bright green representing neurons activated by two fearful experiences.Office of International Promotion and Outreach2024-08-13https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1272950521614831616&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2024-07-26https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1266095515947241472&init=Ycover imagehttps://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1266102086282514432&init=YScientists have observed live interneurons under a microscope for the first time.https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1266100665793384448&init=YInterneurons also have their preferred interaction partners (the closer the distance, the more they prefer to interact).Office of International Promotion and Outreach2024-07-16https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1262724931766980608&init=Ycover imagehttps://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1262781004762845184&init=Ythe Best Paper Award by IEEE TVLSIOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2024-07-09https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1260165367813115904&init=YCover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2024-07-03https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1258008713411694592&init=Ycover imageOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2024-06-12https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1250655072572936192&init=YPhoto from Getty Imageshttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00401-023-02665-yNovel lissencephaly-associated NDEL1 variant reveals distinct roles of NDE1 and NDEL1 in nucleokinesis and human cortical malformationsOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2024-05-06https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1239805153293373440&init=Ycover imagehttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-42092-xElectrophysiological population dynamics reveal context dependencies during decision making in human frontal cortexOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2024-04-29https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1233349304832233472&init=YCeiling vibration damping devicehttps://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1233349304924508160&init=YProfessor Yen-Po Wang presents new seismic-resistant technologies for Taiwan's technology factories at an international conference.Office of International Promotion and Outreach2024-03-20https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1219954918593400832&init=Ycover image (photo from techcrunch)https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1219954918660509696&init=YThe research findings have been featured as the cover story of the February issue of Nano Letters.https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c05002Metasurface- and PCSEL-Based Structured Light for Monocular Depth Perception and Facial RecognitionOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2024-02-20https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/doc?module=headnews&detailNo=1209381431382380544&type=sAn umbrella review on the association between factors of oral health and cognitive dysfunctionhttps://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1210482387574591488&init=YThe lead researcher of this study, Dr. Chia-Shu Lin, an Adjunct Professor at NYCU’s Dental Department and Institute of Brain Science.Office of International Promotion and Outreach2024-01-19https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1197766953091993600&init=YThe study involves incorporating achiral fluorescent molecules and solvents into nano-glass containers.https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacsau.3c00390Controlling Circularly Polarized Luminescence Using Helically Structured Chiral Silica as a Nanosized Fused Quartz Cell (published in JACS Au)Office of International Promotion and Outreach2024-01-10https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1194500905773305856&init=YProfessor Po-Tsun Liu stated that the breakthrough in transistor technology offers hope for the continuous improvement of the density of integration of chip circuits.Office of International Promotion and Outreach2023-09-26https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1164747191915384832&init=YResearch team conducting field investigations in the Central Cross-Island Highway.https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1164747188991954944&init=YIn Feb 2022 Tayun Bridge on the Central Cross-Island Highway was struck by massive boulder impactheavy rocks.Office of International Promotion and Outreach2023-09-18https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153559009261785088&init=YITM Confirm “Molnupiravir” Can Penetrate the Placenta to Achieve Effective Therapeutic ConcentrationsOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2023-09-18https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153558062783533056&init=Y“NYCU Laser System Research Center” has been awarded the Technology Transfer Award of the 2023 TAIPEI BIOTECH AWARDS.Office of International Promotion and Outreach2023-09-18https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153556020807602176&init=YLeft: laser source device (compared the size with NT$50 coin)Office of International Promotion and Outreach2023-07-04https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153497382986452992&init=Ylaboratory membersOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2023-05-24https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153499973610901504&init=YDr. Yang Muhua takes a group photo with members of the Cancer Progression Research Center of ExcellenceOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2023-05-17https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153500162878869504&init=YProfessor Edward Yi Chang awards photoOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2023-05-11https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153500443419086848&init=YProfessor Sheu group photo with lab memberOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2023-04-11https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153501298511843328&init=YTeam NYCU Maritime RobotXhttps://www.youtube.com/embed/Tw5rHTJ2MacyoutubeOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2023-03-07https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153504821140000768&init=YAssociated Professor Yu-Chao Wang take group photo with lab memberhttps://www.irjournal.org/journal/view.php?number=731&utm_source=TrendMD&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Intestinal_Research_TrendMD_1[1] Yen et al. (2019). Epidemiological trend in inflammatory bowel disease in Taiwan from 2001 to 2015: a nationwide populationbased study. Intestine Research, 17(1).Office of International Promotion and Outreach2023-01-10https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153506579744559104&init=YLaboratory memberOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-12-22https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153507635153080320&init=YLaboratory member with principalOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-10-27https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153509764395700224&init=YNurse taking care babyOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-10-03https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153510430388260864&init=YResearcher photoOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-09-26https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153512106750906368&init=YProfessor Xiao Dazhi and Professor Ji Kaixian took a group photo in front of the observatoryOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-09-08https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153512273713565696&init=YRongyangjiao team held a press conference on September 7 to explain the research results of new indicators for immunotherapy of liver cancerOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-08-24https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153513578582511616&init=YProfessor Liu Chengyang (first from left), Master E Xuanbei (first from right) and team members of the Department of Medical EngineeringOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-08-18https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153513838377701376&init=YResearchers photoOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-07-27https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153514712063807488&init=YResearch photoOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-06-17https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153515338613133312&init=YLaboratory membersOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-05-12https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153516804409135104&init=YProfessor Wang Jianlong (right) and Masters student Chen Yuan successfully analyzed the 2D3D composite nanostructure of new perovskite solar cellsOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-05-12https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153517233981362176&init=YLaboratory membersOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-04-20https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153517442274693120&init=YTVGH-NYCU Team group photoOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-03-03https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153519777692520448&init=YMicroelectrode Dot ArrayOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-03-03https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153520054361395200&init=Ytransdisciplinary design innovation shopOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-02-27https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153520436324077568&init=YResearch-Highlights Institute of Clinical MedicineOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-02-27https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153521001250689024&init=Ynovel semitransparent organic photo voltaics for green buildingsOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-02-27https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153521694313287680&init=YAgriTalk IoT for Precision Soil Farming of Turmeric CultivationOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-02-27https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153521950081945600&init=YCenter Biomedical Electronics Translational Research CenterOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-02-27https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153522163374886912&init=YCenter Brain Research Center BRCOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-02-27https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153522603936190464&init=YCenter Cancer Progression Center of Excellence CPCOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-02-27https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153523064332357632&init=YMeeting the rise of 5G EV and future high speed and low power consumption logic applicationsOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-02-27https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153523352363601920&init=YActive industry academia cooperation establishs the NYCU TSMC Research CenterOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-02-27https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153549536585584640&init=YBound StateOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-02-27https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153548375530934272&init=Yshallow network architectureOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-02-22https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153552780116365312&init=Ygenetics and mechanismsOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-02-22https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153551323472334848&init=YinstrumentOffice of International Promotion and Outreach2022-02-21https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/image?module=headnews&detailNo=1153523694295846912&init=YProfessor Chen Jyh-cheng of the College of Computer Science and His Team

From left: Professors Wen-Hsiao Peng, Teng-Hu Cheng, Lua Kim Boon, and Jen-Hui Chuang.

The study confirms that various forms of abdominal massage can help promote bowel movements. (Image: AI-generated)

Edited by Chance Lai

\_\_\_\_\_\_

After festive meals and long periods of sitting, many people experience an uncomfortable but common problem: constipation. New research from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), now published in the International Journal of Nursing Studies, suggests that a simple daily habit—regular abdominal massage—may be an effective, low-risk way to improve bowel function and reduce bloating.

Constipation as a widespread but overlooked health burden

Constipation affects an estimated 15% to 25% of adults in Taiwan. Among people aged 65 and older, roughly 40% live with chronic constipation, a condition that can significantly diminish quality of life.

A research team led by Li-Yin Chien, Dean of NYCU’s College of Nursing, working with doctoral researcher Shiou-Yun Huang, found that multiple forms of abdominal massage can help relieve symptoms. Whether performed by hand in a clockwise circular motion, through acupressure techniques, or using an electric massager, the interventions were associated with measurable improvement.

Their findings are based on a systematic review of international studies that compare massage approaches and evaluate outcomes such as bowel frequency, intestinal transit time, and symptom relief. The analysis concluded that abdominal massage can shorten the time food remains in the digestive tract and alleviate discomfort associated with bloating and difficult bowel movements.

The strongest effects were observed in functional constipation, followed by medication-induced constipation and constipation related to neurological bowel disorders.

A low-risk alternative to medication

Unlike laxatives or stool softeners, abdominal massage has no known adverse effects and can be safely performed at home. The researchers recommend approximately 15 minutes of daily massage for individuals with persistent constipation. For patients who rely heavily on medication, the technique offers a scientifically supported and accessible complementary option.

The study provides an evidence base for incorporating abdominal massage into both clinical care and home health routines. Chien said all three massage approaches demonstrated significant benefit, allowing individuals and caregivers to choose the most convenient method. For patients unable to take long-term medication, massage may serve as a safe and effective alternative.

 

Huang, now a lecturer in nursing at Asia University, added that the research can be translated into educational materials to help healthcare professionals teach patients and families practical self-care strategies. However, the team cautions that people who have undergone abdominal surgery, are pregnant, or are experiencing acute abdominal pain should consult a medical professional before attempting massage.

Bringing massage into clinical and home care

The researchers report that their work supports the integration of abdominal massage into routine patient education and preventive care. Because the technique is simple and inexpensive, it can be adopted in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and home settings alike.

By equipping patients and families with non-drug self-care tools, healthcare systems may reduce dependence on medication while improving daily comfort — an especially meaningful shift for aging populations managing multiple chronic conditions.

Aging societies and everyday solutions

As Taiwan’s population ages and the prevalence of chronic diseases increases, identifying natural and safe approaches to support digestive health is an increasingly important public health priority.

The researchers report that their findings transform a simple, everyday action into an evidence-based tool for improving comfort and quality of life, illustrating how small, practical interventions can play a powerful role in modern healthcare.

The study was conducted by Li-Yin Chien (right), Dean of the College of Nursing, and Shiou-Yun Huang (left), a doctoral researcher who is now a lecturer in nursing at Asia University.

Edited by Chance Lai
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Immunotherapy has been hailed as a breakthrough in cancer treatment, earning global recognition with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. But new research from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) reveals a sobering reality: under sustained treatment pressure, cancer cells do not simply weaken — they adapt, learn, and fight back.

A research team from the Institute of Clinical Medicine at NYCU has found that cancer cells exposed to long-term targeted therapy can develop heightened “stress resilience,” enabling them to evade subsequent immunotherapy. The findings help explain why many patients with head and neck cancer fail to achieve the expected outcomes when immunotherapy is administered after prolonged targeted treatment. The study, titled “Therapeutic stress triggers tumor STAT1 acetylation to disarm immunotherapy,” was published in Cell Reports Medicine.

Members of the research team (from left): Kuan-Chen Lai, a graduate student at the Institute of Clinical Medicine; Professor Muh-Hwa Yang; and Dr. Po-Hsien Chiu.

How treatment pressure reshapes the tumor microenvironment

By closely analyzing tumor behavior under extended targeted therapy, the researchers uncovered a critical mechanism behind immunotherapy resistance. Rather than remaining vulnerable, cancer cells respond to prolonged drug pressure by rapidly remodeling the tumor microenvironment. In some cases, they actively shut down signaling pathways that would normally activate immune cells, effectively rendering immunotherapy ineffective.

At the core of this adaptive response is the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). When targeted drugs chronically suppress tumors, they begin to secrete large amounts of TNF-α, which interferes with STAT1 — a key regulator that activates interferon-driven anti-tumor genes. This disruption leads to a phenomenon known as “interferon-gamma fatigue,” in which immune cells gradually lose their ability to recognize and attack cancer cells.

A second escape route: silencing immune cells directly

In a separate but complementary study published in Advanced Science, the NYCU team collaborated with Academia Sinica Academician Mien-Chie Hung to uncover another immune-evasion strategy used by cancer cells. The researchers identified RNase1, an enzyme secreted by tumors, that directly suppresses the activity of T cells and other immune cells.

 

This mechanism was observed across multiple cancer types — including breast cancer, liver cancer, and head and neck cancer — suggesting that RNase1 is a cross-cancer immune escape factor with broad clinical significance.

Cancer cells that adapt, not surrender

Taken together, the two studies paint a clear picture of cancer as a highly adaptive system. Under therapeutic pressure, cancer cells do not merely passively resist treatment. Instead, they actively reprogram immune signaling pathways, secrete proteins that weaken immune attacks, and learn how to survive in increasingly hostile environments.

“Cancer cells grow under pressure,” the researchers noted, demonstrating an evolutionary resilience that challenges current treatment strategies.

Turning resistance into clinical insight

Despite the sobering findings, the research also offers a path forward. Understanding how tumors adapt under treatment pressure provides clinicians with valuable guidance for optimizing treatment sequencing, combination therapies, and biomarker-driven decision-making.

“Immunotherapy represents a major milestone in cancer treatment, but overcoming resistance remains one of the greatest clinical challenges,” said Professor Muh-Hwa Yang of NYCU, a senior author of the studies. “By understanding how tumors adapt under therapeutic stress, we may be able to use biomarkers to guide treatment order and combination strategies — ultimately improving the success rate of immunotherapy.”

The findings underscore the importance of viewing cancer treatment not as a single intervention, but as a dynamic process — one in which timing, sequencing, and biological context may determine success or failure.

STAT1 plays a critical role in immunotherapy efficacy, and its acetylation status may serve as an important biomarker for predicting immunotherapy response.

Edited by Chance Lai
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Is anonymous trolling really the main culprit of online bullying? New research from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) suggests the answer is more complicated. A research team at NYCU’s Institute of Education has found that exclusionary cyberbullying does not only occur in anonymous settings. In fact, individuals using their real names may be even more likely to exclude others in online interactions, overturning long-held public assumptions that anonymity is what “makes people cruel.”

Real Names Don’t Stop Cyberbullying

Led by Professor Yih-Lan Liu, the research team observed common exclusion-based forms of online aggression — such as removing members from group chats, blocking users, or deliberately ignoring others. These behaviors were especially prevalent among individuals exhibiting high levels of “Dark Triad” personality traits, which in psychology are associated with narcissism, manipulative tendencies, impulsivity, and low empathy.
 

Professor Yih-Lan Liu of the Institute of Education presents research showing that online bullying can occur even without anonymity.

The study recruited 115 adult participants to join LINE discussion groups as part of a social interaction simulation. By introducing controlled conflicts into the discussions, the research team observed which participants were most likely to engage in exclusionary behavior during online interactions.

Strikingly, the study revealed that individuals high in Dark Triad traits tended to avoid open verbal arguments and instead opted for “direct exclusion”—such as calling for votes to remove a member from the chat simply because of disagreement. Even more unexpected: these exclusion behaviors appeared more frequently under real-name conditions, demonstrating that online aggression does not require anonymity.

 

Dr. Cheng-Yan Wang presents findings on the developmental trajectories and psychological factors related to bullying and aggressive behaviors.

Beyond Identity Checks: Designing Safer Online Platforms

The research team notes that some individuals continue to behave as if they are “unseen” online even when identified by real names, suggesting that the sense of anonymity can function as a psychological driver rather than being imposed solely by platform settings.

The findings demonstrate that online exclusion arises from an interaction between personality traits and situational factors, rather than anonymity alone. Professor Liu emphasized that real-name policies alone are insufficient to suppress cyberbullying, urging platforms to strengthen behavior-detection systems, establish transparent group-management rules, and promote user education to enhance online safety.

“This research reminds us that ensuring respectful online interaction requires more than authentic identity verification,” Liu said. “Understanding individual differences — and designing systems that anticipate them — is key to building healthier digital communities.”

Group photo of the research team.

By Taipei Veterans General Hospital
Edited by Chance Lai
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Nearly 40% of older adults in Asia face compromised quality of life due to sarcopenia, a progressive loss of muscle strength and mass. Now, a landmark multi-nation study has revealed that muscle deterioration in Asian populations begins far earlier than previously believed—prompting experts to recommend moving routine screening from age 65 to 50. The new consensus, led by Professor Liang-Kung Chen, Superintendent of Taipei City Guandu Hospital and Director of the Center for Healthy Longevity and Aging Sciences at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), was published this year in the prestigious journal Nature Aging.
 

A clinician conducts a handgrip strength test, one of the key indicators used to assess muscle function in the updated Asian sarcopenia guidelines.

At a press briefing, Director Chen explained that the findings are based on eight large-scale cohort studies across Japan, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, and other regions, tracking nearly 35,000 individuals over many years. The Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia integrated these datasets to build a region-specific evidence base that reflects the unique body composition and aging patterns of Asian populations.

Earlier, Faster, and Different: What the Data Shows

Skeletal muscle loss has long been known as a hallmark of aging. Past global studies estimated that adults lose up to 40% of muscle mass between ages 20 and 70, with an annual decline of 1.4–2.5% after age 60. But the new Asia-focused analysis reveals significant differences:

• Muscle strength declines sharply beginning at age 45, with a second major dip around age 70.
• Muscle mass begins to decline significantly at age 55, about a decade earlier than Western-based assumptions suggest.
• Men experience a more pronounced midlife decline compared with men of African or European descent; women begin with lower muscle mass but experience a slower rate of decline.
• Stronger midlife muscle performance can delay deterioration by up to 10 years—for instance, men with handgrip strength of 55 kg or above at age 50 show substantially slower decline.

These patterns confirm that Western diagnostic thresholds are poorly suited for Asian populations and that early detection is essential.

 

A New Consensus for Asia—and a Call to Act Earlier

Director Chen emphasized that waiting for both muscle strength and mass to “fall off a cliff” before intervening leads to limited gains, greater frustration, and poorer patient outcomes. The updated Asian diagnostic consensus introduces several significant changes:

• Recommended screening age lowered from 65 to 50.
• Diagnosis now requires both low muscle mass and low muscle strength, replacing older criteria that relied heavily on physical performance tests.
• Simplified assessment procedures, reducing the need for walking-speed or repeated chair-stand tests.
• Integration with the WHO’s Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework, aligning Asia with global healthy-aging strategies.

From Muscle Health to Whole-Body Health

Recent scientific advances have shown that skeletal muscle functions as the body’s largest endocrine organ, influencing cardiovascular metabolism, brain function, bone health, adipose regulation, and immune responses. With these broader systemic links in mind, the new consensus emphasizes “muscle health enhancement” beginning in midlife—not only to prevent disability and frailty in later years but also to promote long-term healthy longevity.

Director Liang-Kung Chen emphasized that “this is not just about preventing falls in old age,” noting that muscle health in one’s 40s and 50s shapes metabolic well-being, cognitive function, and overall resilience for decades to come.

As Asia rapidly transitions into a super-aged society, the updated guidelines offer a unified scientific roadmap to help governments, hospitals, and communities strengthen early intervention, develop preventive programs, and support healthy aging from midlife onward.

Edited by Chance Lai
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Accurately predicting and comparing protein structures is one of the most critical challenges in modern biotechnology, shaping how scientists understand drug–target interactions and develop new therapeutics. Now, researchers at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) have achieved a breakthrough—one that addresses the exploding volume of global protein data and could transform next-generation drug discovery.

Associate Professor Wei-Cheng Lo from NYCU’s Department of Biological Science and Technology, in collaboration with Nobel Laureate in Chemistry Arieh Warshel, has developed SARST2, a high-performance algorithm capable of rapidly searching and comparing protein structures across databases containing hundreds of millions of entries. The study, titled “SARST2: High-throughput and resource-efficient protein structure alignment against massive databases,” was recently published in Nature Communications.
 

Associate Professor Wei-Cheng Lo discusses SARST2 performance results with his students.

A New Solution to the AlphaFold Data Explosion

“The function of a protein is governed by its three-dimensional structure,” Lo explained. “Accurately predicting and comparing these structures has long been a central question in biological science.”

When Google DeepMind’s AlphaFold2 revolutionized structure prediction in 2020, researchers finally had a powerful tool for estimating protein shapes from amino-acid sequences. But the breakthrough created an unexpected problem:
AlphaFold’s large-scale predictions triggered a thousandfold surge in the availability of protein structures, placing unprecedented computational pressure on global bioinformatics research.

The scientific community urgently needed a next-generation algorithm—one capable of ultra-fast, large-scale structure comparison.

SARST2 answers those needs.

Lo’s team combined artificial intelligence with structural computing techniques to build an algorithm that can scan and compare vast structural datasets hundreds to tens of thousands of times faster than previous tools, while using significantly less memory and disk space. Despite its efficiency, SARST2 performs on par with the latest international algorithms.

 

A Unique Collaboration with a Nobel Laureate

Nobel Chemistry Prize winner Arieh Warshel, a pioneer of computational enzymology and mentor to NYCU’s former College of Engineering and Biotechnology dean, Professor Cheng-Gang Huang, played a direct role in the project.

Lo, who was introduced to computational biology through Huang, still refers to Warshel with respect as his academic “grand-mentor.” After sharing the early algorithm concept with Warshel in 2022, Lo received strong encouragement—and soon, the NYCU team began holding monthly online meetings with the Nobel Laureate.

The collaboration not only strengthened the research, Lo said, but also fulfilled a personal mission:
“I have always hoped to train students who can become future leaders. Allowing them to learn directly from a Nobel Prize master dramatically widens their global perspective and academic sensitivity.”

World-Class Output Built with Limited Resources

Despite the global scale of the problem, Lo emphasized that his team worked under extremely modest conditions.

“We’re like a group of people wearing straw sandals,” he joked. “We compete with international teams that have massive servers and high-end data centers—yet we do it using home-assembled desktop PCs and a local-brand cooling fan with a broken casing.”

Even so, the team produced results strong enough for Nature Communications—a testament to Taiwan’s resilience and computational biology talent.

The achievement also caught the attention of industry partners. Altos Computing Inc., a subsidiary of Acer Group, stepped forward to provide high-performance Altos AI servers, helping the team establish a stable and efficient remote computing environment for future development.

NYCU and Altos hope to accelerate collaborative innovation in quantum bioinformatics, biomedical big-data analytics, and protein-based drug discovery—strengthening Taiwan’s global competitiveness in information science, biotechnology, and medicine.

Group photo of the Engineering and Computational Biology Laboratory team.

 

Edited by Chance Lai
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National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) researchers have unveiled how cells build their microscopic “antenna” — a slender, hair-like structure known as the primary cilium, which plays a crucial role in sensing the environment. The study reveals that two key proteins responsible for cilia formation can fuse, much like liquid droplets, through a process called liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS), offering new insights into cellular communication and potential treatments for ciliopathies. The study, titled “Phase separation of TTBK2 and CEP164 is necessary for ciliogenesis,” was published in Cell Reports.

A Microscopic Antenna That Senses the World

The primary cilium, hundreds of times thinner than a human hair, acts as a cell’s radar. When damaged, cells lose their ability to perceive external signals, leading to developmental disorders such as microcephaly and other genetic diseases. While scientists have long known that specific cellular structures and proteins are required for cilia assembly, the mechanism by which certain proteins interact to trigger the process has remained a mystery — until now.

Led by Professor Won-Jing Wang and Jie-rong Huang from NYCU’s Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the research team used human retinal pigment epithelial cells to investigate how two cilia-associated proteins, TTBK2 and CEP164, interact. They discovered that these proteins do not bind like puzzle pieces or “lock and key” models, which are typical of structured proteins. Instead, they join through LLPS — a biochemical phenomenon where proteins with intrinsically disordered regions attract each other via electrostatic forces to form liquid-like condensates.

LLPS: A Paradigm Shift in Molecular Biology

“Liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) has only recently gained widespread attention,” said Prof. Huang. “Scientists used to believe that only structured regions of proteins could interact. We now know that even disordered regions can combine through this liquid droplet behavior, redefining how we understand protein organization in cells.”

Prof. Wang added, “Cilia are fascinating organelles. Some types, like the primary cilium, act as sensory antennas — such as those found on retinal cells — while others, like motile cilia, help move cells or fluids, as seen in sperm tails and respiratory tracts. Our discovery provides the first molecular evidence that protein phase separation drives cilia formation.”

Implications for Neurological and Genetic Disorders

Mutations in the TTBK2 gene are known to cause neurodegenerative conditions such as spinocerebellar ataxia, a form of cerebellar degeneration. The NYCU team’s discovery sheds light on how abnormal phase separation may disrupt cilia assembly, opening a potential pathway toward developing therapeutic strategies for ciliopathies and related diseases.

This groundbreaking finding not only deepens our understanding of how cells construct their sensory machinery but also highlights the intricate beauty of biological self-organization — where even shapeless molecules can come together to build life’s most delicate structures.

Professors Jie-rong Huang (right) and  Won-Jing Wang from the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at NYCU.

Group photo of the research team. Front row: Prof. Shu-Ling Fu (left) from the Institute of Traditional Medicine and Prof. Ting-Fen Tsai (right) from the DLSIGS.

 

Edited by Chance Lai
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An estimated 300,000 to 1.2 million cancer survivors worldwide who were treated with the chemotherapy drug Doxorubicin—nicknamed “Red Berry” for its deep red hue—experience varying degrees of chronic heart failure after overcoming cancer. In a groundbreaking interdisciplinary study, researchers from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), the National Health Research Institutes (NHRI), and Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital have identified a promising solution: hesperetin, a natural flavonoid extracted from citrus peel.

Their findings, published in the August 2025 issue of Redox Biology under the title “Activation of CISD2 as a Protective Strategy Against Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity,” suggest that hesperetin may counteract Doxorubicin’s cardiotoxic effects without compromising its anti-tumor potency.

Doxorubicin has been a cornerstone in the treatment of breast cancer, lymphoma, leukemia, and ovarian cancer for over five decades. However, its well-known cardiotoxicity presents a long-standing clinical dilemma. While one FDA-approved cardioprotective drug exists, it also reduces Doxorubicin’s cancer-killing efficacy, increasing the risk of recurrence.

The NYCU-led team discovered that Doxorubicin suppresses the expression of the longevity-associated gene CISD2 in cardiac cells. This suppression disrupts mitochondrial balance and calcium regulation, impairing heart rhythm and contraction. In contrast, hesperetin reactivates CISD2, protecting cardiac cells from damage.

From Serendipity to Breakthrough: A Dual Benefit for the Heart and Tumor Control

Remarkably, in animal models, hesperetin not only improved heart function in tumor-bearing mice treated with Doxorubicin but also reduced tumor size—highlighting that it does not blunt Doxorubicin’s anticancer efficacy. The cardioprotective effects of hesperetin were further validated using human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes provided by Stanford University, reinforcing its potential for clinical application.

The idea for this study was sparked by a casual conversation between Prof. Shu-Ling Fu of NYCU’s Institute of Traditional Medicine and Distinguished Prof. Ting-Fen Tsai of the Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences (DLSIGS).

Prof. Fu, who had been searching for natural agents to mitigate chemotherapy-induced side effects, learned that Doxorubicin suppresses CISD2. Prof. Tsai’s team had already identified hesperetin as a CISD2 activator, leading to an interdisciplinary collaboration.

Prof. Tsai noted that CISD2 levels decline with age, and her earlier research had confirmed its vital role in maintaining heart function. She emphasized that hesperetin is not the same as hesperidin, a related compound found in citrus peels. Hesperidin has poor bioavailability and must be metabolized by gut probiotics to become hesperetin—the active form that promotes CISD2.

Simply eating citrus peel, she cautioned, won’t provide sufficient hesperetin. She envisions future applications in which probiotics are used to produce hesperetin as a functional food to counteract chemotherapy-related cardiotoxicity.

Solving a Puzzle with Multidisciplinary Pieces

Co-first authors of the study include Dr. Yi-Ju Chou from NHRI’s Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine and Dr. Chi-Hsiao Yeh, cardiovascular surgeon and vice superintendent of Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital.

Dr. Yeh explained that Doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity is one of the most challenging clinical side effects. Approximately 5–9% of patients develop significant heart failure or cardiomyopathy after treatment. Long-term follow-ups show that 4–10% of patients experience chronic heart failure within a decade of cancer remission.

“While these survivors have conquered cancer,” said Dr. Yeh, “they may face progressive cardiac decline years later. If hesperetin can protect the heart without impairing Doxorubicin’s anti-cancer action, it could revolutionize how we approach chemotherapy—making it life-saving without being heartbreaking.”

Research Collaborators

In addition to NYCU, NHRI, and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, this research involved contributions from:

• Ministry of Health and Welfare’s National Institute of Chinese Medicine
• Chang Gung University
• National Cheng Kung University
• Academia Sinica’s Institute of Biomedical Sciences

Left: Cardiac cells of a mouse treated with Doxorubicin, showing dark canyon-like damage areas. Right: After hesperetin treatment, the damaged regions begin to recover.

Edited by Chance Lai
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In a breakthrough that could change the future of pediatric brain cancer therapy, researchers at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) have identified a critical molecular mechanism that drives the development of medulloblastoma—the most common malignant brain tumor in children.

The findings, published in Cell Death & Differentiation, pave the way for new precision therapies that may spare young patients from the severe side effects of current treatments.
 

The discovery that TTBK2 activity promotes the proliferation of cerebellar GNPs highlights its critical role in brain development and disease.

Understanding the Roots of Brain Tumors

Medulloblastoma originates in the cerebellum—the brain region that coordinates movement and balance—and is closely linked to developmental errors. A key player in this process is a population of cells called granule neuron progenitors (GNPs), which must proliferate and differentiate with high precision during early brain development. These cells rely on tiny, antenna-like structures on their surface—primary cilia—to receive growth signals from their environment.

A research team led by Prof. Won-Jing Wang (Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) and Prof. Jin-Wu Tsai (Institute of Neuroscience) at NYCU has now uncovered how two key genes—TTBK2 and HUWE1—work together to regulate this ciliary signaling process. Using both mouse and zebrafish models, the study is the first to establish their central role in both normal cerebellar development and tumor formation.

The Antenna Keepers: TTBK2 and HUWE1

The team found that TTBK2 acts as a “ciliary guardian”, maintaining the structure and function of primary cilia in GNPs to ensure they continue receiving signals that promote proliferation. Once these cells complete their growth phase, HUWE1 acts as a molecular switch, degrading TTBK2 and dismantling the cilia—thereby prompting the cells to differentiate into mature neurons.

 

This dynamic balance between TTBK2 and HUWE1 is essential for healthy brain development. But in medulloblastoma, the system breaks down. TTBK2 fails to degrade, leading to persistent cilia, unchecked GNP proliferation, and ultimately tumor formation.

A Promising Therapeutic Target

Crucially, the researchers demonstrated that suppressing TTBK2 not only eliminates the cilia on tumor cells—reducing their ability to receive growth signals—but also significantly curbs tumor growth. These results identify TTBK2 as a promising new therapeutic target for medulloblastoma.

“Brain cancer remains one of the most challenging diseases in medicine,” said Prof. Jin-Wu Tsai. “While current therapies such as surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy can prolong survival, they often come with serious long-term consequences like cognitive impairments or secondary cancers. Our study shows that precise disruption of tumor growth mechanisms could lead to safer, more effective treatments.”

Prof. Won-Jing Wang added, “Scientists once considered primary cilia to be evolutionary remnants without real function. But it turns out they act like true antennas—critical for how cells interpret their environment. Our findings highlight not only the importance of cilia in brain development, but also their potential role in cancer and drug resistance. This opens up an entirely new direction for brain tumor precision medicine.”

The research team discovered that SHH signaling protects a protein called TTBK2, allowing it to remain on the cell’s primary cilium and promote neuronal growth. However, in brain tumors, this mechanism is hijacked to accelerate tumor progression. The study suggests that inhibiting TTBK2 could lead to new therapeutic strategies for SHH-subtype medulloblastoma.

 

Edited by Chance Lai
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Researchers at the Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), have developed a groundbreaking live imaging technology that can capture the electrical activity of neurons with unprecedented precision—an achievement recently published in Nature Methods under the title “Imaging neuronal voltage beyond the scattering limit.”

Much like pinpointing individual stars in a vast galaxy, this innovation overcomes one of neuroscience’s most significant observational barriers, marking a key advance in understanding how the brain truly works.


Capturing the Brain’s Electrical Universe

Our sensations, thoughts, and memories arise from lightning-fast electrical signals transmitted between neurons. Yet these signals often occur deep within the brain and vanish in milliseconds, making them nearly impossible to observe directly. Traditional optical imaging techniques struggle with light scattering, resulting in blurry halos rather than clear visualizations of neuronal activity.

Associate Professors Tsai-Wen Chen and Bei-Jung Lin addressed this challenge by utilizing voltage-sensitive fluorescent molecules to monitor subtle fluctuations in neuronal membrane potential. They discovered that while neural signals may overlap spatially, only a few neurons fire at any given moment. By treating these sparse flashes of electrical activity as positional clues—much like astronomers mapping the flicker of distant stars—the team achieved a new level of imaging clarity.


A New Era of “Activity Localization Imaging”

Their technique, termed Activity Localization Imaging (ALI), enabled the researchers to observe hippocampal neurons in live mice and pinpoint the exact coordinates of each neuronal discharge. By compiling tens of thousands of such events, they constructed a high-resolution “map” of neural activity.
 

“It’s like finding each shining star in the vast galaxy of the brain,” said Prof. Chen.

Last year, the same team utilized an earlier version of this technology to demonstrate that certain inhibitory neurons tend to fire in conjunction with specific groups of cells—a phenomenon reminiscent of social “friend groups” within the brain’s neural network. (Read more)


Revealing the Microstructure of Memory

Prof. Lin noted that this breakthrough now allows scientists to distinguish even smaller and more densely packed excitatory neurons, shedding new light on the neural circuits responsible for spatial cognition and memory formation. Although the current method cannot yet detect so-called “silent neurons” that do not actively fire, the researchers believe this represents a pivotal step toward visualizing brain activity at single-cell resolution in living organisms.

Led entirely by a Taiwan-based interdisciplinary team and involving international collaboration, this study demonstrates the strength and long-term investment of NYCU’s neuroscience research, marking a milestone in the nation’s contribution to global brain science.



The reconstructed neural activity map clearly distinguishes excitatory neurons (yellow) from silent neurons (blue).

By National Science and Technology Council
Edited by Chance Lai
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In a significant cross-institutional advance, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) has joined forces with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC), Stanford University, and National Chung Hsing University (NCHU) to overcome a critical materials challenge in spin–orbit torque magnetic random-access memory (SOT-MRAM)—a next-generation non-volatile memory technology.

Led by NYCU Assistant Professor Yen-Lin Huang with support from Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), the team has developed a breakthrough solution to stabilize β-phase tungsten (β-W), a key material in SOT-MRAM, under high-temperature processing conditions—paving the way for ultrafast, energy-efficient, and commercially viable memory chips.

Published in Nature Electronics under the title “A 64-kilobit spin–orbit torque magnetic random-access memory based on back-end-of-line-compatible β-tungsten”, this work highlights Taiwan’s growing innovation leadership in advanced memory systems and semiconductors. It opens the door for transformative applications in large language models (LLMs), artificial intelligence computing, mobile devices (with extended battery life and enhanced data security), as well as automotive electronics and data centers (with improved reliability and reduced energy consumption).

A Decade-Long Puzzle in Memory Design—Finally Cracked

Modern computing relies on two broad types of memory: fast but volatile (like DRAM and SRAM), and non-volatile but slower (like Flash). For years, scientists around the world have sought a memory solution that combines the best of both worlds—high speed and long-term stability. Various contenders have emerged—PCM, STT-MRAM, FeRAM—but have consistently faced limitations in switching speed, endurance, or power consumption.

That changed with this latest Taiwan-led advance. The research team introduced a novel material layer design that significantly stabilizes the β-phase of tungsten (W), a key material in SOT-MRAM. This stability was achieved even under high-temperature semiconductor processing, while preserving a strong spin–orbit torque effect.

 

The breakthrough is the first to demonstrate:

• A 64-kilobit SOT-MRAM array integrated with CMOS control circuitry
• Ultrafast switching speeds (as fast as one nanosecond)
• Data retention exceeding 10 years
• Low power consumption, suitable for energy-critical applications

From Lab to Market: The Future of Memory Is Within Reach

This milestone brings SOT-MRAM significantly closer to real-world deployment. As a high-speed, low-power, and non-volatile memory technology, it could become a game-changing enabler across multiple industries:

• Artificial Intelligence & LLMs: Improving data throughput and energy efficiency
• Mobile Devices: Enhancing battery life and protecting sensitive data
• Automotive Electronics & Data Centers: Delivering better reliability under thermal stress, with reduced energy demands

The study not only affirms Taiwan’s global leadership in cutting-edge semiconductor R&D but also unlocks new possibilities for memory innovation amid the data explosion of the AI era.

The research team, led by Assistant Professor Yen-Lin Huang (center).

Edited by Chance Lai
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What if checking your heart health was as easy as looking into your phone’s camera? A research team led by Professor Bing-Fei Wu at the Institute of Electrical and Control Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), has developed a breakthrough system that can detect atrial fibrillation (AF)—a significant risk factor for stroke—using only the camera of a smartphone or laptop.

This non-contact, lightweight solution enables users to monitor heart rhythms in real-world settings, without the need for traditional ECG devices or physical sensors.

Atrial Fibrillation, Reimagined for Everyday Life

AF is closely associated with stroke risk, yet it often goes undetected until it’s too late. Conventional detection methods rely heavily on contact-based equipment, such as ECGs, which can be uncomfortable to wear for extended periods and are not always accessible outside of clinical settings.

To address this critical gap, Prof. Wu’s team turned to remote photoplethysmography (rPPG)—a technique that captures microvascular color changes on a person’s face via a standard camera. By analyzing these subtle signals, the system accurately estimates heart rate data in real-time.

Smart AI, No Cloud Required

The team also introduced a novel signal processing algorithm that significantly reduces interference caused by head movement and lighting changes—two common challenges in daily environments. Instead of relying on computationally intensive deep-learning models, the system employs a lightweight AI architecture with significantly reduced parameters and minimal latency.

This means it can deliver high-performance analysis without an internet connection, opening new frontiers in offline, personalized health monitoring.

Clinically Validated with 450+ Subjects

To ensure clinical reliability, the team partnered with Dr. Yu Sun from En Chu Kong Hospital to establish a comprehensive video database featuring over 450 volunteers. The dataset includes recordings of individuals with normal heart rhythms, AF, and other arrhythmias, captured under realistic lighting and motion conditions.

Even in these challenging environments, the system demonstrated high accuracy and stability, earning recognition from both the academic and tech communities.

 

Global Recognition and Real-World Application

The research results were published in the IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics, where the study was selected as a Feature Article. The project also won the Excellence Award in Artificial Intelligence at the 2024 TSC Thesis Awards  (崇越論文大賞).

Most notably, the technology was deployed in commercial devices, such as laptops and smartphones, and showcased in the FaceHeart CardioMirror. This intelligent health mirror won a CES 2025 Innovation Award in Digital Health at the world’s largest consumer tech event.

A Game-Changer for Telehealth and Preventive Care

This innovation isn’t just a lab prototype—it’s a real-world solution with the potential to transform telemedicine, community screening, and early diagnosis for high-risk groups. It empowers individuals to detect signs of cardiovascular distress early, giving doctors and patients more time to act before emergencies strike.

As the world continues to shift toward remote healthcare, NYCU’s contactless AF monitoring system exemplifies the power of human-centered AI to make everyday health smarter, safer, and more accessible.

Prof. Bing-Fei Wu, Institute of Electrical and Control Engineering at NYCU (Photo credit: Far Eastern Y.Z. Hsu Foundation)

Edited by Chance Lai
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What if every bite of rice or sip of water was more than just a reflex? Researchers from the National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) have discovered that these seemingly mundane actions—chewing and swallowing—are intricately linked to the brain’s complex neural networks.

In two recently published studies in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, NYCU’s Department of Dentistry and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Core Laboratory reveal that these everyday functions are not just mechanical—they reflect and rely on distinct neural pathways in the brain, particularly in relation to aging and cognitive adaptation.
 

In the gummy candy experiment, participants with better chewing ability were able to mix the two-colored gummy more evenly.

Mapping the Brain While Chewing and Swallowing

Over a span of two years, a research team led by Professor Chia-Shu Lin from the Department of Dentistry tested more than 100 healthy adults across various age groups. While participants performed chewing and swallowing tasks, their brain activity was recorded using MRI scans to identify patterns of neural connectivity.

Under low-effort chewing conditions, researchers observed functional connections between the cerebellum and the primary sensorimotor cortex—regions responsible for movement control. However, when chewing became more difficult (such as when the subject encountered a hard-to-crush object), those with stronger functional connections in the prefrontal cortex—an area tied to high-level cognition—showed better chewing performance.

This finding suggests that effective chewing is not merely a matter of dental health or the presence of teeth; it also involves the ability to chew correctly. It also requires active engagement of the brain’s cognitive systems, particularly among older adults who are adapting to new dentures or unfamiliar food textures. In these situations, learning and adaptation—functions controlled by the prefrontal cortex—play a critical role.

 

Swallowing: A Separate Neural Circuit

Interestingly, the neural mechanisms for swallowing appear to follow an entirely different route. The team found that successful swallowing performance was associated with enhanced connectivity between the cerebellum and the basal ganglia—areas linked to rhythmic and coordinated movement.

Contrary to popular belief, strong chewing ability does not necessarily indicate strong swallowing ability. The brain uses distinct circuits to manage these two functions.

Brain, Body, and the True Markers of Health

The study also revealed a striking correlation between neuromuscular health and oral function. Participants who performed well in both chewing and swallowing tasks had noticeably larger upper arm and lower leg circumferences—suggesting better muscle condition. In other words, the ability to both bite and swallow effectively may be a comprehensive indicator of systemic health.

Implications for Elderly Care and Interdisciplinary Medicine

“These findings underscore the critical role of oral function in overall health,” said Professor Lin, who led the research. “They also highlight the need for separate assessments of chewing and swallowing abilities in dental clinics, especially for older adults.”

Most importantly, the studies show that overcoming chewing challenges isn’t just about dental mechanics—it’s a brain-dependent process. The structure and function of the neural network significantly influence how elderly individuals adapt to eating, especially in cases involving new prostheses or complex textures.

“These results demonstrate that oral health cannot be treated in isolation,” Prof. Lin emphasized. “It must be integrated with neuroscience and geriatric medicine. Healthy aging depends not only on what we eat, but also on how we chew and swallow it.”

Professor Chia-Shu Lin, Department of Dentistry at NYCU

Edited by Chance Lai
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A scene once confined to comic books and Hollywood blockbusters may be edging closer to reality. Researchers at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) have developed a groundbreaking millisecond-scale wireless neural modulation technology that could transform the treatment of brain disorders.

The study “Magnetic-Driven Torque-Induced Electrical Stimulation for Millisecond-Scale Wireless Neuromodulation”, recently published in the leading journal Advanced Healthcare Materials and featured on its back cover, introduces a technique called Magnetic-Driven Torque-Induced Electrical Stimulation (MagTIES).

While it does not enable the fantastical mind control depicted in X-Men, it does allow scientists to wirelessly and precisely control brain waves in animals within just milliseconds. The research team has also secured a patent for the innovation.
 

The figure illustrates how MagTIES precisely tunes brainwave frequencies in live subjects.

Faster and Safer Than Existing Methods

Led by Professor Po-Han Chiang of NYCU's Institute of Intelligent Bioelectrical Engineering and Interdisciplinary Master's Program in Neurotechnology, the team tackled a long-standing limitation in brain stimulation technologies. Conventional magnetic stimulation requires high-power magnetic fields and often takes seconds to trigger neural responses—too slow to match the brain's rapid activity.

MagTIES combines magnetic nanodiscs with piezoelectric nanoparticles to generate electrical signals through a novel "magnetic torque" mechanism. This enables neuronal activity to be induced under low-frequency, low-intensity magnetic fields—up to 100 to 1,000 times faster than other nanomagnetic technologies.

 

Precision Control of Brain Waves

In animal trials, the team demonstrated that MagTIES could wirelessly stimulate deep brain regions such as the amygdala. Even more remarkably, they showed the ability to tune brain waves to specific frequencies—such as beta waves, which are associated with emotion and attention—by adjusting the magnetic field. Such precision had never been achieved with previous approaches.

“MagTIES materials are simple to produce and highly biocompatible,” said Chao-Chun Cheng, the study’s first author and a Ph.D. candidate at NYCU. “This opens enormous potential for treating neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.”

Professor Chiang emphasized the broader implications: “Wireless deep-brain stimulation can drastically reduce the need for invasive surgery, offering new hope for patients worldwide. The impact on global brain disease treatment could be profound.”

Open-Source Tools to Accelerate Adoption

To broaden access, the NYCU team also introduced an open-source, low-cost magnetic stimulation system, detailed earlier this year in Scientific Reports. The platform features a versatile device and a user-friendly software interface, designed to lower barriers for research labs and accelerate the applications of wireless brain stimulation in both medical and scientific settings.

Professor Po-Han Chiang (left) and first author Ph.D. candidate Chao-Chun Cheng (right) at NYCU.

 

Edited by Chance Lai
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More than two centuries after Benjamin Franklin invented the bifocal lens, a research team at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) has redefined how people with myopia and presbyopia see the world.

Led by Professor Yi-Hsin Lin of the Department of Photonics, the group has developed the world’s first battery-powered liquid-crystal eyeglasses with electronically adjustable optical power. This breakthrough promises to transform vision correction and extend to applications in augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and AI machine vision.
 

NYCU joins forces with international research teams to develop the world’s first electronically adjustable liquid crystal eyeglasses with mass-production potential.

The findings were published in August 2025 in the journal Physical Review Applied and highlighted in a special feature by the American Physical Society, underscoring international recognition of Taiwan’s growing strength in liquid crystal optics.

A Major Leap Beyond Franklin’s Bifocals

Traditional bifocals allow users to switch between near and far vision, but only by tilting their heads or adjusting viewing angles. NYCU’s new design eliminates that limitation. The glasses feature gradient-index liquid crystal (LC) lenses whose refractive power can be finely tuned under an electric field generated by micro-electronics embedded in the frame. A simple touch on the temple arm instantly shifts focus between near and far objects.

 

“This concept has existed since the 1970s, but no one could make it practical for everyday eyewear,” said Professor Lin. “Fresnel-type LC lenses suffered from diffraction, chromatic aberration, and poor imaging quality. Our gradient-index design overcomes those barriers by enabling continuously adjustable focal lengths with minimal distortion.”

Global Collaboration and First-of-Its-Kind Results

The breakthrough was achieved with support from Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Council, Innolux Corporation, and Google Gift USA, in partnership with Kyiv University (Ukraine) and the University of Leeds (UK).

The team is the first to fully map the optical behavior of gradient-index LC lenses under electric fields, analyze switching speed and color distortion at different optical powers, and validate their feasibility for mass production. The result: a lightweight pair of eyeglasses that can electronically adjust prescription strength in real time, powered by a compact battery.

From Everyday Use to AR/VR
 

Beyond correcting myopia and presbyopia, the innovation opens new possibilities for wearable displays and machine vision systems, dramatically improving optical performance in AR/VR devices.

“This invention doesn’t just improve eyeglasses—it redefines the future of vision technology,” Lin said. “It shows the world what’s possible when physics, engineering, and global collaboration converge.”

Group photo of the research team

 

Edited by Chance Lai
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In a significant leap forward for spatial computing, researchers from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) and the Semiconductor Division of Hon Hai Research Institute (HHRI) have jointly developed the world’s first monolithically integrated metasurface–photonic crystal surface-emitting laser (meta-PCSEL). This breakthrough enables chip-scale depth projection systems, opening new possibilities for ultra-compact, energy-efficient AR, VR, and wearable devices.

The collaborative team was led by Dr. Hao-Chung Kuo, Chair Professor at NYCU and Director of HHRI’s Semiconductor Division, working alongside Division Manager Yu-Heng Hong, researchers Wen-Cheng Hsu and Wen-Chien Miao, and NYCU Assistant Professor Yao-Wei Huang from the Department of Photonics.

Their study, Monolithically Integrated Metasurface on a PCSEL for Depth Perception, has been published in Nano Letters and selected as the cover story for the July 2025 issue.

World’s Smallest Projector: 0.025 mm³ Chip-Scale Technology

This milestone builds on the team’s 2024 achievement, Metasurface- and PCSEL-Based Structured Light for Monocular Depth Perception and Facial Recognition, pushing the limits of integrated photonics to achieve a chip-scale dot projection system for the first time.

The new meta-PCSEL technology reduces the projector’s volume to 0.025 mm³—making it the smallest in the world. Compared to dot projectors in commercial smartphones, the device is 2,450 times smaller and consumes 28.7% less power. Single-chip integration significantly lowers system complexity and power requirements, offering a highly competitive solution for industrial adoption.

This innovation showcases Taiwan’s leadership in nanoscale optics and semiconductor integration. It sets a solid technological foundation for the future of spatial computing, from AR glasses to next-generation mobile and wearable devices.

The team envisions the technology accelerating the miniaturization and mass adoption of AR, VR, and spatial computing platforms, expanding possibilities for immersive digital experiences across industries.

Nano Letters is one of the world’s leading nanoscience and technology journals, with an impact factor consistently above 10. The study was selected as the cover story for its July 2025 issue.

 

By NYCU ELITE
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While learning a second language, various pronunciation rules often confuse learners. For example, the spelling of English words does not correspond exactly to their actual pronunciation and differs from the popular “natural pronunciation” method in the field. Take the letters “P”, “T”, and “K” as an example; if they are spelled immediately after an S, they are usually not aspirated. Therefore, the pronunciation of “SPACE” is similar to [speɪs] rather than [spʰeɪs]. When “P”, “T”, and ‘K’ appear in weak, unstressed syllables, they are also not pronounced as aspirated sounds. For example, American English pronounces “HAPPY” as [ˈhæpi] instead of [ˈhæpʰi].

Professor Lu explains that English spelling can interfere with Mandarin speakers’ pronunciation, leading them to apply Chinese pinyin rules and develop a distinct “Taiwanese accent” in English.

Accurate pronunciation relies heavily on listening

Professor Yu-An Lu of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) observed that Chinese speakers often rely heavily on visual and orthographic memory when learning English vocabulary and pronunciation. In Taiwan Mandarin, the sounds “ㄆ” [pʰ], “ㄊ”[tʰ], and “ㄎ”[kʰ] are all aspirated. When Chinese pinyin conventions are directly transferred to English, learners of Taiwan Mandarin tend to pronounce English “P”, “T”, and “K” with aspiration as well. Professor Lu's research team recently conducted a phonetic imitation experiment and found that Chinese-speaking participants could more accurately imitate the difference between aspirated and unaspirated sounds when they only listened to English pronunciations. However, when the participants were also shown the English spellings (e.g., on word cards),  they often “could not hear” the difference and reverted to applying Chinese pinyin conventions, resulting in English spoken with a “Taiwanese accent”.

Linguists refer to the awareness of pronunciation, spelling, and grammatical rules as “metalinguistic awareness”. People usually do not explicitly learn these features of their mother tongue, making it difficult to explain their language knowledge because this awareness is internalized. However, when learning a second language, metalinguistic awareness often interacts with that of the first language in complex ways. For example, this study shows that Chinese speakers learning English have their “hearing” influenced and limited by their visual and Chinese spelling habits, which affects their pronunciation performance.

"When people worldwide learn a second language, they are influenced by their first language and metalinguistic awareness, often incorporating features of their mother tongue. Therefore, ‘Taiwanese English’ is not a pronunciation error or problem, but rather a set of phenomena that arise when two language systems interact—something particularly interesting to us as linguists,” Prof. Lu explained. “For example, Chinese rhymes often end with a vowel and usually cannot add a consonant. When some Taiwanese children learn English, they tend to emphasize the final consonants, such as the “T” in “WHAT” or the “K” in “CAKE.” Rather than calling this mispronunciation, we should recognize it as a systematic reflection of their first language’s characteristics.”

Professor Lu explores how “Taiwanese English” reflects the natural interplay between first-language grammar and second-language learning, revealing that what sounds like mispronunciation is often a systematic effect of first-language influence and learners’ awareness of language differences

No superior or inferior. All languages are equal.

"A second language cannot be learned as 'naturally' as the first language, and it is necessary to have guidance to understand the differences between the two.” Prof. Lu shared, reflecting on her own  English learning experience in senior high school. She explained that without exposure to native speakers, a teacher’s metalinguistic knowledge could profoundly shape students' awareness of English. For example, the difference between tense and lax vowels (e.g. “sheep” and “ship”) relates to tongue position and mouth shape, but her teacher described them only as long and short sounds, which was imprecise. “Therefore, I think every English teacher should study linguistics to help students systematically and precisely summarize the rules of learning a second language, so that students can open up the “conception and governor vessels” more quickly!” she said wittily.

During her bachelor's studies in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature, Prof. Lu encountered many students who spoke English with a fairly “standard” accent. To adjust her own English accent, she first listened carefully to the differences among various accents and then gradually imitated and learned from them. Her linguistic training also heightened her sensitivity to subtle language changes, which helped her learn and fine-tune her second language. However, Prof. Lu emphasizes that, as a linguist, language is language—there are no superior or inferior accents. Whether it is “Taiwanese English” or other accents, they all arise from different language systems. People may perceive an accent as “noble” or “vulgar,” or associate it with social status or education level, but these are meanings and value judgments imposed by the social structure of the time.

On the other hand, even within English-speaking countries, accents vary widely, and what is considered “vulgar” in one region may be regarded as “elegant” in another. Prof. Lu suggests that instead of trying seeking a single pronunciation standard, language learners should be exposed to a diverse range of accents, languages, and cultures: "Language accents are like a spectrum with many possibilities. If we only accept one accent as ‘correct’, we risk believing it is superior to others, and fail to understand accents and culture. Every language and accent is equal. When we set aside value judgments of good or bad, the more languages and accents we embrace, the more effective our communication becomes."


Professor Lu emphasizes that every accent reflects a unique language system and urges learners to embrace linguistic diversity rather than chase a single “standard” — because understanding more accents leads to better communication.

Seeing the world anew through language

Building on her laboratory phonological research on second language acquisition, Prof. Lu has recently focused on the intergenerational tonal changes in Taiwanese Southern Min. She noted that while dialect tones historically took over a century to evolve, contemporary Taiwanese Southern Min dialects are undergoing radical tonal shifts within just one or two generations. This accelerated change marks a unique opportunity to study the languages spoken in Taiwan, especially as the number of speakers of various local languages is rapidly declining.

For example, Prof. Lu noted that regarding the checked tones of Taiwanese Southern Min, because Mandarin has no words with checked tone ending in “P,” “T,” or “K”, and the younger generation has limited exposure to Taiwanese Southern Min, they are acquiring the language more like a second language or “heritage language.” This shift is changing their perception and production of checked tones. Such cross-generational variation is occurring at an astonishing rate. At the same time, influenced by Taiwan's multilingual environment, Taiwan Mandarin is developing its own characteristics, such as the merger of “厶”[s] and “ㄕ”[ʂ] and confusion between the syllable codas “ㄣ”[n] and “ㄥ”[ŋ].

Through laboratory phonological research methods, Prof. Lu has paved a research path to uncover the direction and patterns of different languages spoken in Taiwan. In fact, NYCU’s Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures encompasses a wide range of research areas. “For example, Professor Ho-Hsien Pan is studying how acoustic features can improve the understanding of autistic speakers. Professor Tsung-Lun Wan has long researched identity politics and language use among hearing-impaired individuals and other marginalized groups," Prof. Lu added. From a sociolinguistic perspective, Singlish, which was once considered “substandard,” has now become a key symbol of Singaporean national identity. Similarly, "Taiwan Mandarin” or “Taiwanese English” today may also reflect a growing local consciousness. Clearly, linguistic research at NYCU not only introduces innovative scientific perspectives but also encourages the public to rethink the complex relationship between language, culture, and society.

Professor Lu encourages embracing diverse accents as natural reflections of cultural and linguistic identity rather than errors, reminding us that all accents are equally valid within the rich spectrum of human communication.

 

Edited by Chance Lai
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Can you imagine a future where autonomous vehicles see road conditions and remember what they saw—just like the human brain? Or hospitals equipped with AI systems that automatically highlight abnormal regions in X-rays and CT scans to assist doctors in their diagnosis?

A research team led by Distinguished Professor Po-Tsun Liu from the Department of Photonics at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) has made a significant leap toward that future. The team has successfully developed a novel all-metal oxide heterojunction photonic synaptic transistor—a device that mimics the memory and learning functions of human neurons. Their findings, titled “All‐Metal‐Oxide Heterojunction Optoelectronic Synapses with Multilevel Memory for Artificial Visual Perception Applications,” were recently published in Small.
 

Professor Po-Tsun Liu’s research team successfully simulated the learning and memory behavior of synapses in the human brain, achieving multi-synaptic plasticity akin to biological neural systems. (Pictured: the experimental chip developed in the lab)

A Breakthrough in Neuromorphic Vision and Sensing

This next-generation transistor, based on a heterojunction formed between tungsten oxide (WO₃) and indium tungsten zinc oxide (InWZnO), demonstrates not only high sensitivity to visible light (at 650, 525, and 460 nanometers) but also the ability to emulate synaptic plasticity—the brain’s mechanism for learning and memory.

According to Prof. Liu, the device exhibits short-term and long-term memory behaviors through optical pulse stimulation and gate voltage modulation. The result is a highly dynamic, stable, and reproducible synaptic behavior, significantly outperforming similar devices in the literature.

Building the Foundation for Visual Memory Chips

More importantly, the team engineered a 2 × 2 photonic synapse array module based on the device, capable of real-time processing of RGB (red, green, blue) signals. This array mimics the human retina’s layered perception and storage mechanisms for image intensity and color.

Through simulated cycles of learning and forgetting, the device showed a robust and non-volatile memory capability—retaining data even after removing optical stimuli. This feature lays crucial groundwork for the development of brain-inspired visual memory chips.

High Accuracy in Challenging AI Tasks

The team integrated the device into an artificial neural network (ANN) simulation platform to explore its real-world potential. They tested it on tasks such as handwritten digit recognition and image segmentation. The system maintained high recognition accuracy even under simulated noisy conditions (Gaussian and striped noise).

When applied to image segmentation using the U-Net architecture, the device-enabled system achieved near-ideal segmentation results, demonstrating outstanding stability, robustness, and learning ability in visual processing applications.

Towards Smarter Machines

This breakthrough technology opens up exciting possibilities for applications in innovative medical diagnostics, autonomous driving vision modules, wearable sensory devices, and biomimetic robotics—paving the way for deeper integration of artificial intelligence and advanced sensing systems.

Professor Po-Tsun Liu and his research team

 

By Taipei Veterans General Hospital
Edited by Chance Lai
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Despite affecting over one billion people worldwide, migraines have long been considered an “invisible disease”—difficult to diagnose and often misunderstood. Diagnosis has relied solely on patients ' subjective descriptions with no apparent abnormalities on brain scans and no objective biomarkers.

In a breakthrough, a Taiwanese research team has identified specific microRNAs in the blood that can objectively detect migraine episodes. Their five-year study, jointly conducted by Taipei Veterans General Hospital (TVGH), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), Academia Sinica, and the National Health Research Institutes (NHRI), has been published in Brain, one of the leading journals in the field of neuroscience.


A High-Impact, Underdiagnosed Disorder

Migraine is among the most prevalent neurological disorders globally, affecting approximately 15% of the population—three times more common in women than men. According to the Global Burden of Disease Study, migraine is the second leading cause of disability among people aged 15 to 49, significantly impairing work, education, and quality of life.
 

(Photo credit: Pexels)

Yet despite its widespread impact, migraine remains elusive in clinical settings. Brain imaging typically reveals no anomalies, and its alternating “attack” and “non-attack” phases make real-time blood sampling during episodes extremely challenging—hindering scientific progress and leaving millions undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.


Building a Predictive Blood Test for Migraine

Led by Dr. Shu-Chun Wang (Vice Superintendent of TVGH and Dean of the NYCU College of Medicine), the research team recruited 120 participants—including migraine patients in both attack and non-attack phases, chronic migraine sufferers, and healthy controls. Using next-generation sequencing (NGS) of blood samples, they identified microRNA expression patterns associated with migraine states. The findings were further validated in an independent cohort of 197 individuals.

Combining microRNA profiles with genetic risk scores, the team developed a composite predictive model capable of identifying both migraine presence and risk, with over 90% accuracy.


Capturing the Biological Signature of Migraine

MicroRNAs are short, non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression like molecular “dimmer switches.” Though small, they are crucial in controlling protein synthesis and are deeply involved in immune response, development, and pain perception processes. Their significance was recently recognized with the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine awarded to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun, who discovered microRNAs’ regulatory role in 1993.


 

 

The research team’s study found specific microRNAs—such as miR-183 and miR-1307-5p—significantly different between migraine patients and healthy individuals. Some markers served as indicators of disease status, while others fluctuated only during active migraine attacks, reflecting disease activity. Intriguingly, bioinformatics analysis revealed these microRNAs are linked to hormonal pathways involving estrogen and prolactin, suggesting a possible explanation for the disorder’s higher prevalence in women.

“This is the first time migraine has been made ‘visible’ through blood biomarkers,” the authors note. “It also opens the door for applying liquid biopsy—a minimally invasive blood-based method—to neurological conditions by detecting brain-related physiological changes through peripheral blood.”


Toward Objective and Personalized Migraine Care

“This study represents a major leap forward in migraine research,” said Dr. Shu-Chun Wang. “It deepens our understanding of the disease’s biological mechanisms and opens new possibilities for clinical application.”

Dr. Shih-Pin Chen (Director of Translational Research, TVGH; Director of Institute of Clinical Medicine, NYCU) emphasized the clinical significance: “Until now, migraine lacked objective diagnostics. Our study is one of the few worldwide to capture blood samples during active attacks and identify biomarkers. We hope this model can help clinicians detect high-risk individuals, monitor disease progression, and evaluate treatment response—realizing the promise of precision medicine.”

Dr. Hsuan-Yu Chen (Research Fellow, Academia Sinica) added: “By integrating high-throughput sequencing data with genetic risk profiles, we’ve demonstrated that even complex, highly variable neurological diseases can be predicted with high accuracy when multi-omics data is combined with clinical information.”

Dr. Ya-Hsuan Chang (Research Associate, NHRI) highlighted the gender-specific findings: “Our identification of microRNAs involved in estrogen and prolactin signaling not only sheds light on why women are more affected, but also provides important molecular insights into sex differences in neurological disease—laying the groundwork for personalized diagnostics and therapy.”

Dr. Yen-Feng Wang (Director, General Neurology, TVGH) concluded: “Many migraine patients are misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or dismissed. We hope this research provides doctors with more objective diagnostic tools and empowers patients with greater understanding and control over their condition.”


Taiwan’s Scientific Strength on the Global Stage

Beyond the scientific discovery, this research showcases Taiwan’s growing capacity in interdisciplinary, translational medicine—blending neuroscience, genomics, and data science. The team aims to accelerate clinical applications and expand cross-institutional collaboration to transform this innovation into real-world benefits for migraine patients in Taiwan and beyond.

Migraine Blood Prediction Model

 

 

Edited by Chance Lai
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In a groundbreaking study published in the prestigious journal Cell Stem Cell, researchers from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) and Harvard University have identified a critical gene that functions as a molecular “brake”—suppressing the liver’s innate ability to regenerate damaged tissue. The discovery may pave the way for innovative treatments in regenerative medicine, particularly for liver diseases with limited therapeutic options.

Turning Metabolic Cells into Repair Agents

The human liver is one of the few organs capable of self-repair. Among its regenerative feats is the ability to heal damaged bile ducts by reprogramming liver cells—originally responsible for metabolism—into bile duct epithelial cells. While this transformation is remarkable, the underlying molecular switch that enables or limits this ability has remained poorly understood.

Scientists have pinpointed a gene called HBO1 that prevents liver cells from making this identity shift. As a genetic brake, HBO1 blocks the reprogramming process, halting the transformation into bile duct cells. According to the research team, targeting HBO1 could unlock new possibilities for enhancing liver cell plasticity, potentially accelerating tissue repair and regeneration.

HBO1 serves as an epigenetic barrier that restricts liver cell fate conversion.

“HBO1 is recruited by the transcriptional co-activator YAP to specific DNA sites, where it epigenetically suppresses the genes required for cellular reprogramming,” explained Dr. Wei-Chien Yuan, Assistant Professor at NYCU’s Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences (DLSIGS). “Inhibiting HBO1 could remove this brake, enabling faster chromatin remodeling and boosting the conversion of liver cells into functional bile duct epithelial cells.”

The research team was led by Dr. Wei-Chien Yuan (front row, center), an assistant professor at NYCU DLSIGS.

The study highlights a new layer of epigenetic regulation in organ regeneration. By modulating this regulatory axis, future therapies could enhance the body’s natural healing capacity—offering hope to patients suffering from bile duct injuries and chronic liver conditions.

Building on this discovery, the NYCU-Harvard team is now conducting preclinical studies to translate the findings into therapeutic strategies to bring liver regeneration closer to clinical reality.

 

Edited by Chance Lai
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Could a common gut hormone be quietly sabotaging muscle regeneration? A groundbreaking study from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) and Taipei Veterans General Hospital (TVGH) has uncovered an unexpected culprit behind sarcopenia—a condition traditionally associated with aging and physical decline.

The study “Sarcopenia-related changes in serum GLP-1 level affect myogenic differentiation” was recently published in the international journal Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle. It reveals that GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1)—a gut hormone widely known for regulating blood sugar and used in diabetes and weight-loss treatments—directly impairs muscle regeneration, marking the first evidence of its negative impact on muscle formation.
 

The study found that, even in a fasting state, patients with sarcopenia had abnormally elevated levels of the gut hormone GLP-1 compared to non-sarcopenic individuals, suggesting that GLP-1 may play a role in suppressing muscle growth and repair.

A Surprising Link Between GLP-1 and Muscle Degeneration

GLP-1 is naturally released after eating and helps stimulate insulin secretion. However, the study’s clinical analysis of 145 emergency room patients over the age of 80 revealed a surprising pattern: sarcopenic patients had abnormally high levels of GLP-1 in their bloodstream—even while fasting. Their average concentration was 1021.5 pg/mL, nearly three times that of non-sarcopenic individuals.

To investigate further, the researchers conducted animal and cell-based experiments, revealing that GLP-1 inhibits key proteins involved in muscle fiber fusion and normal skeletal muscle development. It also disrupts mitochondrial function—the cell’s energy engine—leading to reduced kinesin activity and a breakdown in the body’s ability to regenerate muscle tissue.


Higher levels of GLP-1 were found to disrupt mitochondrial function, leading to a significant decline in kinesin activity.

Rethinking Sarcopenia: Not Just About Age and Exercise

“For years, sarcopenia has been viewed as a byproduct of aging, malnutrition, or inactivity,” said Prof. Jean-Cheng Kuo, principal investigator and professor at NYCU’s Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. “But this study challenges that narrative, showing that a hormone we thought of only as a metabolic regulator may interfere with muscle repair and growth.”

The findings also raise new questions about the long-term use of GLP-1–based drugs, such as those prescribed for type 2 diabetes and obesity. While effective for blood sugar control, could these treatments pose hidden risks to muscle health, particularly in older or already at-risk individuals?

A New Frontier for Diagnosis and Prevention

In addition to offering a novel explanation for the progression of sarcopenia, the study opens the door to potential biomarkers for early detection. If elevated GLP-1 levels prove to be a reliable indicator, clinicians may be able to identify at-risk patients before muscle loss becomes debilitating.

“This study not only expands our understanding of GLP-1 but also lays the foundation for rethinking how we approach sarcopenia and even diabetes treatment,” added Prof. Kuo. “It’s a reminder that biology is full of surprises—and sometimes the tools we use to heal one part of the body may be silently affecting another.”

Group photo of the research team. Front row, left: Prof. Jean-Cheng Kuo from NYCU’s Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Front row, right: Dr. Hsien-Hao Huang, Director of the Department of Emergency Medicine at TVGH.

 

Edited by Chance Lai
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When relationships end in betrayal, individuals are often left surrounded by mementos of the past—photographs, shared furniture, love letters—each carrying the emotional weight of what once was. What role do these objects play in our ability to forgive and move on?

A new study co-authored by Christopher Jude McCarroll, Associate Professor at the Institute of Philosophy of Mind and Cognition at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), in collaboration with Marta Caravà from Purdue University, sheds light on this question. Published in the prestigious international philosophy journal Synthese, the paper proposes a novel framework for understanding forgiveness—not as a purely internal act, but as an extended process involving memory, emotion, and our material surroundings.

Titled “Forgiving Unbound: Emotion, Memory, and Materiality in Extended Moral Processes,” the study challenges traditional views that frame forgiveness solely as a decision of the heart. Instead, it argues that cognition and emotion extend beyond the mind, shaped by our interaction with memory-laden environments.

“Forgiveness may not always begin in the heart—it can begin with the hands,” the authors write.

Objects as Emotional Catalysts

According to the paper, a key to forgiveness lies in reducing intense negative emotions toward the person who caused harm. This process often requires a selective reshaping of memory—retaining only the general outline of the event while allowing emotionally charged details to fade. Such memory regulation can create emotional distance, making it easier to reflect on the past without being overwhelmed.

The study argues that physical objects play a decisive role in this process. Certain items strongly evoke memories—both good and bad. By removing objects associated with painful experiences, individuals can reduce unwanted memory triggers, making space for emotional healing. This act of “cue-dependent forgetting” creates a more favorable environment for forgiveness to take root.

Forgiveness vs. Letting Go

The study also draws an important philosophical distinction between forgiveness and letting go. While both can bring emotional relief, their moral implications differ. Forgiveness is a deliberate moral decision to alter one’s attitude toward the wrongdoer, potentially even restoring the relationship. Letting go, on the other hand, focuses more on personal recovery and emotional detachment, often without the intention to reconcile.

This distinction is crucial in understanding how people navigate complex moral emotions—and how their choices are shaped by thought and the material world around them.

A New Perspective on Moral Healing

From a philosophical standpoint, the study contributes to growing research on embodied and extended cognition, suggesting that moral processes are not confined to mental deliberation alone. The authors encourage individuals and therapists to consider how managing the physical environment—from discarding painful mementos to curating comfort spaces—can meaningfully influence emotional and moral recovery.

In an age where emotional well-being is increasingly recognized as central to mental health, this research from NYCU reaffirms the profound link between mind, memory, and materiality—and how the simple act of letting go of an object can become a decisive step toward moving forward.

Christopher Jude McCarroll, Associate Professor at the Institute of Philosophy of Mind and Cognition at NYCU (Photo credit: Chih-Wei Chao)

 

Edited by Chance Lai
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Imagine cramming two meters of yarn into a space just 5–10 microns wide. That’s the extraordinary feat our DNA accomplishes—folding itself into a dense, dynamic structure inside the nucleus of every cell. Now, researchers from the Department of Computer Science at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) have developed a groundbreaking AI-powered tool to decode this mysterious “yarn-ball universe.”

Named EpiVerse, the new platform offers scientists an entirely new lens to explore how our genome is organized—and how that organization influences health and disease. The study “Unveiling chromatin dynamics with virtual epigenome” was recently published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications.

From Experiment-Heavy to AI-Driven Biology

“Traditionally, exploring chromatin structure required months of complex and costly experiments,” said Professor Jui-Hung Hung, lead researcher and faculty member in NYCU’s Department of Computer Science. “EpiVerse can simulate 3D chromatin folding in different cell states using only computational models. This saves time and resources and opens new paths for understanding gene regulation.”

EpiVerse enables the analysis of the entire human chromatin structure. Shown here is a dendrogram illustrating the hierarchical clustering of 39 different tissue types based on similarities in their Hi-C features, revealing potential functional or developmental relationships.

A New AI Frontier for Life Sciences

EpiVerse harnesses deep learning and virtual reconstruction to model chromatin dynamics across various tissues and cell types, even in sparse experimental data. At its core, the system combines HiConformer multi-task learning and MIRNet multi-scale image reconstruction, enabling more accurate, high-resolution simulations.

But EpiVerse goes beyond static models. One of its most powerful features is its ability to conduct in silico perturbation experiments, predicting how chromatin structures might shift in response to environmental stimuli, genetic mutations, drug treatments, or disease states like cancer. This capability allows scientists to map regulatory gene networks and explore potential therapeutic targets with unprecedented speed and scale.

Open-Source, Open Science

“Before EpiVerse, running a single perturbation experiment could take months and cost millions,” Prof. Hung explained. “Now, researchers can test hypotheses rapidly, iterate with flexibility, and design smarter follow-up experiments. This is AI’s true potential in transforming life sciences.”

The complete EpiVerse codebase is open-sourced and freely available, providing a powerful new toolset for scientists worldwide studying the epigenome and chromatin structure.

Prof. Hung led this pioneering work jointly developed by two graduate students, Yu-Cheng Lo and Ming-Yu Lin, from the Institute of Data Science and Engineering. The project highlights NYCU’s leadership in training next-generation talent at the intersection of AI, bioinformatics, and biomedical science.

Research team group photo

 

Edited by Chance Lai
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At the heart of every expecting parent lies a hope—to detect and address any health challenges their child may face as early as possible. Now, a pioneering collaboration between National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) and National Taiwan University Children’s Hospital (NTUCH) has taken a significant step toward that goal, developing an innovative diagnostic workflow to assess the severity of FOXG1 syndrome—a rare and complex neurological disorder. These breakthrough findings were published in the high-impact journal  Molecular Psychiatry.

Decoding a Rare Disease: From Genetic Mutation to Clinical Insight

FOXG1 syndrome is a rare neurodevelopmental condition caused by mutations in the FOXG1 gene, which plays a critical role in early fetal brain development. The condition manifests along a broad clinical spectrum, from severe epilepsy, motor dysfunction, feeding difficulties, and profound intellectual disability to milder forms associated with autism. Most patients are non-verbal and non-ambulatory, and symptoms vary significantly between individuals.

Previously classified as an atypical form of Rett syndrome, FOXG1 syndrome affects roughly one in every 30,000 newborns, with approximately 1,200 known cases worldwide.

While next-generation sequencing (NGS) can identify FOXG1 gene mutations, it provides limited insight into how different mutations translate into varying degrees of clinical severity. This diagnostic gap leaves parents overwhelmed and physicians uncertain about potential treatment interventions.

To address this challenge, Professor Jin-Wu Tsai of NYCU’s Institute of Brain Science and Dr. Wang-Tso Lee, Director of NTU Children’s Hospital (NTUCH), led an international study analyzing clinical and neuroimaging data from 14 FOXG1 patients across Europe, North America, Japan, and Taiwan.

Based on their findings, the team developed a novel three-tiered experimental approach—combining protein expression profiling, gene regulatory analysis, and mouse embryo neuronal migration assays—to assess the functional consequences of different FOXG1 mutations. The resulting diagnostic pipeline can predict brain abnormalities with over 90% accuracy.

Predicting Risk, Guiding Care: A Milestone in FOXG1 Diagnosis

“This approach enables clinicians to do more than simply identify a mutation—it helps them understand its clinical risk,” said Prof. Tsai. “For the first time, we can assess the pathogenicity of specific FOXG1 variants and predict the likely severity of symptoms. This is a crucial advancement for children and families affected by this devastating condition.”

“Families dealing with rare diseases often feel trapped in a maze of unanswered questions,” said Dr. Lee. “Our goal is to bridge that gap. By integrating NGS with our new predictive tools—ideally during prenatal or neonatal stages—we can better plan early interventions and offer more informed support to affected families.”

Although these experimental techniques are not yet part of routine clinical testing, the study offers compelling preliminary evidence for the future development of personalized diagnostic tools. The research team emphasized that further validation and creating more scalable testing platforms will be key to clinical adoption.

As research into rare genetic diseases advances, this collaboration between NYCU and NTUCH underscores the power of interdisciplinary innovation and brings new hope to families worldwide.

Group photo of the NYCU research team

 

Edited by Chance Lai
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Imagine flipping a molecular switch using nothing but light. A groundbreaking study led by Professor Jiun-Tai Chen from the Department of Applied Chemistry at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), in collaboration with Professor Patrick Théato from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany, has unveiled a novel class of “light-responsive nanopores.”

Titled “Illuminating Biomimetic Nanochannels: Unveiling Macroscopic Anticounterfeiting and Photoswitchable Ion Conductivity via Polymer Tailoring”, the research was published in the prestigious journal ACS Nano and opens exciting possibilities for future smart materials and anti-counterfeiting applications.
 

Inspired by green algae, NYCU researchers created light-responsive nanopores that switch between hydrophobic and hydrophilic states, enabling rewritable anti-counterfeiting surfaces and controlled ion transport.

Nature-Inspired Innovation: Lessons from Algae

The inspiration came from an unlikely source: algae. In aquatic environments, algae navigate toward light to optimize photosynthesis, guided by light-sensitive ion channels known as channelrhodopsins (ChRs) embedded in their cell membranes. These channels enable algae to regulate ion flow based on light cues, maintaining physiological balance in changing environments.

Mimicking this natural mechanism, the research team engineered nanoporous structures from anodic aluminum oxide (AAO), then coated the pores with a light-responsive polymer made of spiropyran—a molecule that changes structure when exposed to light. The result: a synthetic nanopore system that can open or close in response to UV light, effectively functioning as a controllable ion gate.

A Light Switch at the Nanoscale
 

“The key lies in spiropyran’s molecular transformation,” explained Professor Chen. “When exposed to ultraviolet light, the molecule shifts from a closed, non-polar form to an open, charged form. This alters the nanopore’s hydrophilicity and drastically impacts ion transport.” Accompanying this transformation is a visible color change from clear to deep violet, hinting at applications in optical anti-counterfeiting labels where authentication could be done with the naked eye.

Toward a Sustainable Smart Future

Beyond security features, this light-gated nanopore technology holds promise for cutting-edge uses in drug delivery, optical data storage, and biomedical engineering. The findings mark a significant step forward in both materials science and biomimetic design.
In the near future, a single beam of light may be all it takes to unlock the full potential of smart materials—one photon at a time.

Professor Jiun-Tai Chen and his research team.

 

Translated by Szu-Yung Huang
Edited by Chance Lai
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Forget what you thought you knew about fatty liver disease. It's not just a concern for your liver; it's intricately tied to your heart health. A groundbreaking study led by Professor Mei-Hsuan Lee of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU)'s Institute of Clinical Medicine has, for the first time, systematically quantified the strong link between fatty liver disease (formally known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, or MASLD) and major cardiovascular events like myocardial infarction (heart attack), ischemic stroke, and heart failure.

The study, titled “Attributable Burden of Steatotic Liver Disease on Cardiovascular Outcomes in Asia,” published recently in JHEP Reports, a journal of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), is one of its largest and longest follow-up studies. It tracked over 300,000 Taiwanese adults aged 30 and above, filling a crucial gap in evidence regarding the link between MASLD and cardiovascular risk in Asia. The findings offer vital insights for public health policy and clinical practice.

Abdominal ultrasound simulation, not a real patient. AI-generated illustration by ChatGPT.

Unraveling the Hidden Connection Between Heart and Liver

The results are stark: Individuals with MASLD face nearly a 30% increased risk of developing any cardiovascular disease compared to those without. The risk for myocardial infarction (heart attack) is even more pronounced, soaring by 46%.

The research team further estimated that effectively preventing and controlling fatty liver disease could reduce heart attack incidence by approximately 12% and cardiovascular disease events by 8%. This underscores that MASLD isn't just a marker for liver problems; it's a significant indicator of cardiovascular risk.

A Systemic Threat: More Than Just a MASLD

"With the successful implementation of hepatitis B vaccination policies and the widespread use of antiviral drugs for chronic hepatitis B and C, viral hepatitis's impact on liver cancer has gradually diminished," explains Professor Lee. "MASLD is now rapidly becoming the primary cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer."

She emphasizes that the liver acts as the body's metabolic hub, closely linked to cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and diabetes. This highlights that MASLD is a systemic condition, reflecting broader metabolic abnormalities.

The Silent Epidemic: Time to Take Action

Currently, the prevalence of MASLD in Taiwanese adults is around 30%, with a noticeable trend affecting younger populations. Many individuals who discover they have MASLD during health check-ups often overlook its potential risks due to a lack of apparent symptoms.

"MASLD can be detected early and reversed through lifestyle changes," Professor Lee stresses. "Through this research, we hope to raise public awareness about the systemic risks posed by MASLD, fostering a greater understanding of prevention and early screening to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular diseases ultimately."

Professor Mei-Hsuan Lee, Institute of Clinical Medicine, NYCU.

 

Translated by Szu-Yung Huang
Edited by Chance Lai
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Following a breakthrough in Alzheimer’s research, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) scientists have now made another leap forward in studying neurodegenerative diseases—this time focusing on Parkinson’s disease.

A research team led by Dr. Margaret S. Ho, Associate Professor at NYCU’s Institute of Neuroscience, has identified a novel cellular pathway that clears toxic proteins from the brain, preventing the death of dopamine-producing neurons, a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease. The study, titled “Drosophila aux orchestrates the phosphorylation-dependent assembly of the lysosomal V-ATPase in glia and contributes to SNCA/α-synuclein degradation,” was recently published in the prestigious international journal Autophagy.

Toxic Protein Buildup: A Shared Culprit in Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s

Like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s is characterized by the abnormal accumulation of toxic proteins. Dr. Ho’s team discovered that a gene known as GAK (in mice) or aux (in fruit flies) plays a critical role in regulating lysosomal acidification, a process essential for breaking down these proteins, especially alpha-synuclein (α-synuclein), the primary toxic agent in Parkinson’s.

Their findings show that this gene is predominantly expressed in glial cells, which regulate lysosomal pH and enzyme activity. Without this gene, the lysosomes lose their acidic environment, preventing them from degrading harmful proteins. As a result, these proteins accumulate and severely damage brain cells.

Animal Studies Reveal Striking Similarities to Human Parkinson’s

Experimental models confirmed the mechanism. Fruit flies lacking the aux gene showed impaired motor abilities and shortened lifespans, while mice without the GAK gene exhibited Parkinson’s-like symptoms such as unsteady gait and slowed movement. These findings closely mirror the degenerative symptoms seen in human patients.

A Molecular “Valve” for the Brain’s Waste Disposal System

Dr. Ho emphasized that her team had already flagged the GAK/aux gene as a potential player in Parkinson’s disease as early as 2017. This new study goes a step further, identifying the gene as a molecular valve for lysosomal acidification. By maintaining the proper environment inside lysosomes, this valve controls the brain’s ability to break down and clear toxic proteins, effectively powering the cell’s waste disposal system.

“When this switch fails,” Dr. Ho explained, “the entire system shuts down.”

A New Hope for Parkinson’s Treatment

“This discovery is significant,” said Dr. Ho. “It tells us that if we can reactivate this molecular switch, glial cells can once again clear toxic proteins. This opens the door to a promising new therapeutic target for Parkinson’s disease.”

As global populations continue to age, the urgency for innovative treatments for neurodegenerative diseases has never been higher. NYCU’s discovery not only advances our understanding of Parkinson’s but also brings renewed hope for effective therapies shortly.

Dr. Margaret S. Ho (center) and her research team at NYCU’s Institute of Neuroscience. From left to right: Yi-Hua Lee, Yu-Tung Lin, Yu-Ting Tsai, Yu-Hung Wang, and Chia-Ching Lin.

 

Translated by Szu-Yung Huang
Edited by Chance Lai
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Are you the type to proactively seek vaccine updates, or do you wait until someone reminds you to book your shot? A new study from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) finds that personality may play a far greater role in vaccine decisions than previously thought. The study, titled “Adopting the risk information seeking and processing model to examine the impact of personality on vaccination intentions in Taiwan,” was published in the international journal Social Science & Medicine.

Research Backed by Psychological Models

Professor Shu-Chu Sarrina Li of NYCU’s Institute of Communication Studies, together with Associate Professor Shih-Yu Lo, led a research team to investigate how personality influences vaccination decisions. Using the Risk Information Seeking and Processing (RISP) model, the team analyzed how 1,100 individuals in Taiwan sought information and made decisions regarding COVID-19 vaccination during the pandemic. The findings reveal significant behavioral differences based on personality traits when confronting public health risks.

The research team applied the widely accepted OCEAN model—Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism—to examine how different personality types process health risk information and act upon it.


The Big Five Personality Traits (photo credit: Getty Images)

The study shows that individuals high in conscientiousness and extraversion were the most likely to actively gather pandemic-related information and make clear decisions to get vaccinated. Conscientious individuals tend to be organized and diligent, investing effort into understanding vaccine science and taking action accordingly. Extroverts, on the other hand, may be driven by social influence or concern for family members, prompting them to stay informed and take preventive measures.

Influence from Others Matters More Than Fear

Those with agreeable traits, who value interpersonal relationships, were more likely to be influenced by friends and family when considering vaccination. Meanwhile, individuals high in neuroticism tended to seek information out of fear or anxiety but often absorbed the information in a fragmented and emotionally driven manner.

Surprisingly, openness—typically associated with curiosity and a willingness to explore new ideas—did not significantly predict whether individuals would engage with public health information. The researchers suggest that pandemic-related social restrictions may have stifled this group’s usual channels of engagement, dampening their motivation to seek information.

The study also found that simply perceiving COVID-19 as a serious risk or feeling fear was not enough to prompt information-seeking or vaccine uptake. Instead, social context proved to be a key driver. “When you notice that people around you are taking the issue seriously—or even expecting you to respond—you’re more likely to take action,” explained Professor Li, the study’s principal investigator.

“This research highlights that vaccine messaging should go beyond a binary ‘to jab or not to jab’ framework,” she explained. Understanding the varied motivations behind people’s health choices is essential. In an era of information overload and rampant misinformation, knowing why individuals choose to believe, act, or wait is the first step in designing effective public health strategies.

Professor Shu-Chu Sarrina Li (front row, right) and Associate Professor Shih-Yu Lo (front row, left) from NYCU’s Institute of Communication Studies with their research team.

 

Edited by Chance Lai
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A new study by National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) and Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital (SKH) suggests that sesamin, a natural lignan compound found in sesame oil, may possess anti-cancer properties against bladder cancer. Beyond its known cardiovascular and weight management benefits, sesame may soon be a powerful adjunct in oncology.

The study, titled “Antitumor Effects of Sesamin via the LincRNA-p21/STAT3 Axis in Human Bladder Cancer: Inhibition of Metastatic Progression and Enhanced Chemosensitivity,” and recently published in the International Journal of Biological Sciences, reveals that sesamin effectively inhibits key degradative enzymes responsible for breaking down the cellular matrix. This action reduces the invasiveness and metastatic potential of bladder cancer cells.

Uncovering the Molecular Pathway Behind Sesamin’s Anticancer Impact

Sesamin, a sesame-derived compound, demonstrates potential to suppress bladder cancer metastasis.

Dr. Chao-Yen Ho, attending physician in the Department of Urology at SKH and a doctoral candidate at NYCU’s Institute of Traditional Medicine, explained the breakthrough: “We have mapped a comprehensive molecular pathway showing how sesamin downregulates long non-coding RNA expression, thereby interrupting intracellular signaling and reducing the expression of matrix metalloproteinase MMP2—an enzyme critical to cancer cell spread. This offers a safer therapeutic avenue through natural compound intervention.”

The research team also discovered that sesamin enhances the sensitivity of bladder cancer cells to conventional chemotherapy drugs. This dual action boosts therapeutic efficacy and indicates potential for reducing the required dosage of chemotherapeutic agents, mitigating patient side effects.

Sesame in the Spotlight: From Classical Texts to Clinical Innovation

“This represents a novel and promising clinical strategy for bladder cancer treatment,” said Dr. I-Sheng Hwang, Director of the Department of Surgery and attending urologist at SKH, who led the study. “Natural products like sesamin could become valuable tools in integrative cancer therapy.” An-Chen Chang from the SKH’s Translational Medicine Center added, “Sesamin demonstrates excellent safety and biocompatibility. This is the first time its anti-metastatic potential in bladder cancer has been scientifically validated.”

The findings also resonate with long-standing principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which emphasize the role of food as medicine. Sesame has historically been valued for kidney nourishment and digestive health, as documented in ancient texts such as the Compendium of Materia Medica, which praises its ability to “replenish qi and blood, strengthen the brain, and prolong life.”

Professor Tung-Yi Lin, Director of NYCU’s Institute of Traditional Medicine, emphasized the broader significance of the research: “This study not only confirms the anti-tumor mechanism of sesamin using modern molecular biology but also helps bridge traditional medicine and evidence-based science. It adds empirical value to the modernization and clinical application of TCM.”

With further clinical trials on the horizon, sesamin’s evolution from kitchen staple to cancer-fighting ally marks a potential paradigm shift in integrative oncology.

Dr. Chao-Yen Ho (second from left), an attending urologist at Shin Kong Hospital, and Professor I-Sheng Hwang (center), Director of the Department of Surgery, are pictured with fellow research team members.

 

Edited by Chance Lai
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Scientists worldwide have long sought superconductors that carry electrical current without resistance or energy loss. A research team led by Professor Chung-Hou Chung from the Department of Electrophysics at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) has made a significant theoretical breakthrough in this pursuit. They have uncovered the formation mechanism of the “strange metal” quantum critical state in cuprates—a mysterious state first observed in 1986 that precedes the emergence of copper-based high-temperature superconductivity. This discovery marks a pivotal step toward solving a 40-year-old puzzle in physics.

The Strange Metal Phase: The Precursor to High-Temperature Superconductivity

Unlike conventional metals, where electrical resistance arises due to electron collisions and energy dissipation, superconductors exhibit zero electrical resistance and perfect diamagnetism, making them ideal for minimizing energy loss. However, superconductivity can only be achieved below a material’s critical temperature.

Theoretical Phase Diagram of High-Temperature Superconductivity

To unlock the potential for practical, everyday applications, scientists have sought ways to raise this critical temperature, hoping to discover superconductors that operate at room temperature and ambient pressure. Among all known materials, cuprates boast the highest superconducting transition temperatures under ambient pressure, positioning them as leading candidates for room-temperature superconductivity. Yet the underlying mechanism driving their superconducting behavior has remained one of physics’s most perplexing mysteries.

Professor Chung explained that before entering the superconducting phase, cuprates exhibit a peculiar “strange metal” state in which electrical resistance decreases linearly with temperature—behavior that sharply deviates from conventional metals. This strange metal phase transitions into a high-temperature superconducting state as the temperature drops. Many physicists now believe that decoding the origins of this peculiar metal state is the key to finally understanding high-temperature superconductivity.

Quantum Critical Entangled State: The Core of Strange Metal Behavior

The NYCU research team has proposed a groundbreaking theory that identifies the “quantum critical entangled state” as the essential nature of strange metals. This state emerges from intense competition between two internal quantum phases in the material: a magnetic spin liquid state and a conventional metallic state. When these two phases are finely balanced, quantum fluctuations drive electrons into a highly entangled state, forming a quantum critical point.

According to Professor Chung, the material experiences pronounced local charge fluctuations near this critical point. This leads to a unique phase—the Planckian strange metal—where the scattering rate between electrons is linearly proportional to temperature and inversely proportional to Planck’s constant. This highly entangled quantum state represents the final gateway before the onset of high-temperature superconductivity.

The team applied a similar theoretical framework two years ago to explain the superconducting mechanism in rare-earth-based materials. For the first time, they have successfully explained various experimental data and phenomena in cuprates related to strange metals, including resistivity, electron scattering rates, specific heat, and the interrelationships between strange metal, superconducting, spin liquid, and metallic phases. This offers the strongest theoretical evidence for how superconductivity may emerge from the peculiar metal state.

NYCU Earns Global Spotlight with Groundbreaking Research Advancing Room-Temperature Superconductivity

This original study, conducted independently by Professor Chung-Hou Chung, Dr. Yong-Yeh Zhang (Academia Sinica), Dr. Wen-Hao Ruan (NYCU), and Dr. Kim Remund, has garnered international attention. It was published in the prestigious journal Reports on Progress in Physics by the Institute of Physics (IOP) in the UK and featured prominently as one of the journal’s most-read articles.

Professor Chung believes that unraveling the mystery of strange metals sheds light on the conditions necessary to elevate superconducting temperatures and opens the door to designing new materials capable of sustaining superconductivity at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. Such advancements would represent a significant milestone in reducing energy consumption and promoting global environmental sustainability.

The research team includes Professor Chung-Hou Chung (center), Postdoctoral Researcher Dr. Wen-Hao Ruan (left), and Postdoctoral Researcher Dr. Kim Remund (right).

 

Translated by Szu-Yung Huang
Edited by Chance Lai
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In a groundbreaking study blending centuries-old tradition with modern science, researchers from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) have unveiled potent anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties in polysaccharides extracted from two popular Chinese medicinal herbs—Poria (茯苓) and Taiwan-native Antrodia cinnamomea (牛樟芝). This discovery marks a pivotal step toward the scientific modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

While polysaccharides have long been believed to play a crucial role in regulating physiological functions, most TCM research has historically focused on small-molecule compounds, leaving the biological potential of these complex carbohydrates largely unexplored. To bridge this critical gap, NYCU’s College of Medicine established Taiwan’s first-ever Traditional Chinese Medicine Glycomics Research Center (TCMGRC), following the founding of its School of Chinese Medicine. The center is dedicated to investigating the physicochemical properties of polysaccharides in traditional herbal remedies and accelerating their clinical applications.

Taiwan’s First TCMGRC Showcases Breakthrough Research Achievements

The center’s current research zeroes in on Poria and Antrodia cinnamomea, both highly valued in folk medicine. Under the leadership of Professor Mei-Kuang Lu, the research team successfully isolated a novel compound, Suc40 F3, from sulfated polysaccharides in Poria. Laboratory tests have confirmed that this compound exhibits dual functionality—effectively suppressing inflammation and inhibiting cancer cell proliferation. The team is now actively decoding its chemical structure to pave the way for clinical therapies based on Poria polysaccharides.

The research team is actively analyzing the chemical structure of Suc40 F3, advancing the clinical application of Poria polysaccharides through scientific innovation.

In parallel, Professor Tung-Yi Lin’s prior research on the use of Scutellaria baicalensis (黃芩) for oral treatments earned a prestigious gold medal at the 2025 Tokyo International Exhibition of Genius Inventions, showcasing Taiwan’s innovative edge in herbal medicine applications. Professor Lin continues to collaborate with Professor Lu to explore the untapped therapeutic potential of herbal polysaccharides.

Professor Tung-Yi Lin earned the WGC 2025 Gold Award.

Precision Agriculture Boosts Antrodia Cinnamomea’s Anti-Cancer Potential

Turning their focus to Antrodia cinnamomea, a rare medicinal fungus unique to Taiwan, Professors Lin and Lu are pioneering precision agriculture techniques to enhance the yield of its bioactive sulfated polysaccharides. Their experiments show that cultivating Antrodia cinnamomea with specific trace elements—particularly zinc sulfate—significantly increases the production of highly bioactive compounds. These compounds have demonstrated remarkable results in vitro, inhibiting lung cancer cell growth and activating macrophages, key components of the immune system, to further suppress cancer survival.

“This is a highly interdisciplinary initiative,” said Professor Dong-Yi Lin, Director of the Center and Head of the Institute of Traditional Medicine. “If we can successfully establish a comprehensive biochemical database for TCM polysaccharides, it will not only fill a longstanding research gap but also chart a new course for future drug development based on traditional medicine.”

Despite these promising advances, the research team cautions that polysaccharide studies remain in their early stages. They advise the public to consult qualified medical professionals before considering polysaccharide-based therapies.

As global interest in natural substances for biomedical applications continues to grow, Taiwan’s cutting-edge research into TCM polysaccharides could well become a shining beacon for the future of herbal medicine. These sustained research efforts underscore NYCU’s unwavering commitment to modernizing Chinese medicine and fulfilling the founding mission of its Department of Chinese Medicine.

Professors Tung-Yi Lin (front row, right) and Mei-Kuang Lu (front row, left) lead the research team in polysaccharide studies.

 

Edited by Chance Lai
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The era of discarding high-value functional clothing due to minor damage may soon be over. A breakthrough from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) promises to reshape the future of smart textiles and sustainable fashion.

A research team led by Distinguished Professor Jiun-Tai Chen, Dean of the College of Science and faculty member in the Department of Applied Chemistry at NYCU, has developed a pioneering material technology with self-healing properties. The innovation was granted a Republic of China (Taiwan) invention patent in January 2025 under the title “Repairable Substrate, Its Preparation Method, and Repair Method.”

A Game-Changer for the Textile, Medical, and Wearable Tech Industries

The team created a self-repairing “ion gel” that allows damaged fabrics to heal autonomously under specific conditions by integrating ionic liquids with specially engineered polymer materials. This groundbreaking advancement significantly extends the lifespan of functional materials and holds immense promise for applications across textile manufacturing, wearable electronics, and biomedical devices.

At the heart of the innovation lies a reversible physical cross-linking mechanism. The positive ions in the ionic liquid form stable ion-dipole interactions with fluorinated polymer chains, resulting in a network that can rapidly reassemble when damaged. When the material is coated and subjected to pressure, the damaged area heals efficiently, restoring structure and function.

Tackling Sustainability Challenges in High-Performance Apparel

With growing demand for durable and eco-conscious products, consumers increasingly expect their functional clothing and wearable devices to last longer and perform better. However, most high-end gear is prone to irreparable damage, such as scratches and tears, leading to early disposal. This causes economic loss and exacerbates environmental problems through increased waste and energy consumption.

Professor Chen’s innovation directly addresses this pain point—enabling materials to recover from damage autonomously and drastically extending product lifespans, thus contributing to cost savings and carbon reduction.

Toward a Greener Future: Circular Design Meets Advanced Materials

The patented technology offers broad commercialization potential and could soon be implemented across industries such as smart clothing, athletic performance wear, and advanced medical dressings. It represents a critical step toward circular material design, where products are made to last longer, consume fewer raw materials, and generate less waste.

By seamlessly aligning with Taiwan’s push for green transformation and technological innovation, this advancement reinforces NYCU’s commitment to sustainable development and high-impact academic research. The university will continue to foster academia-industry collaboration, bridging market needs with cutting-edge science to support Taiwan’s 2050 Net-Zero Emissions goals and promote a circular resource economy.

At the core of the technology is the combination of polymers with varying degrees of crystallinity and ionic liquids to form a self-healing ion gel.

 

Edited by Chance Lai
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Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) often experience the accumulation of uremic toxins, which increases oxidative stress and inflammation, subsequently leading to cardiovascular diseases.

A research team from Taoyuan General Hospital (TYGH), Ministry of Health and Welfare, and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) has discovered that Febuxostat, a drug clinically used to treat hyperuricemia, can improve kidney function in animal models by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, offering a promising new avenue for clinical treatment. The findings were published in the internationally renowned journal Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy in April 2025.

Oxidative Stress and Inflammation: Key Drivers of Cardiovascular Complications in CKD

The study was jointly led by Professor Chih-Hung Chiang of the Department of Urology at Taoyuan General Hospital and Associate Professor Ting-Ting Chang of the Institute of Pharmacology at NYCU.

Professor Chiang explained that clinically, patients with CKD are found to have a significantly increased risk of developing cardiovascular complications and higher mortality rates. One possible cause is the accumulation of uremic toxins in the bloodstream, which elevates oxidative stress and inflammation, impairs vascular function, and consequently contributes to cardiovascular complications and deaths. Thus, oxidative stress and inflammation are considered key drivers behind the rising incidence of cardiovascular complications among CKD patients.

 

Focusing on counteracting oxidative stress and inflammation, Chiang and Chang’s research team explored new therapeutic avenues for CKD-related vascular complications. Their findings highlight Febuxostat’s dual role: It not only preserves kidney function in CKD mice through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects but also promotes faster wound healing and enhanced vascular regeneration.

In summary, Febuxostat offers kidney-protective and pro-angiogenic benefits in CKD, representing a rare ray of hope for patients suffering from vascular complications. However, the researchers emphasized that further clinical trials must confirm whether Febuxostat can reduce cardiovascular complications in CKD patients.

Professor Chih-Hung Chiang (fourth from the left in the back row) of the Department of Urology at Taoyuan General Hospital, Associate Professor Ting-Ting Chang (third from the left in the back row) of the Institute of Pharmacology at NYCU, and other research team members pose for a group photo.

 

Translated by Szu-Yung Huang
Edited by Chance Lai
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Researchers from the Institute of Electronics at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) have developed innovative deep-ultraviolet metalens, significantly advancing compact, lightweight optical components. This cutting-edge lens, boasting a thickness of just 380 nanometers—less than a human hair—delivers exceptional performance by focusing deep-ultraviolet (DUV) light with unparalleled precision.

Featured as the cover story in Nano Letters under the title ‘Deep-Ultraviolet AlN Metalens with Imaging and Ultrafast Laser Microfabrication Applications,’ this breakthrough opens new doors in fields ranging from semiconductor manufacturing to biomedical imaging and diagnostics.

Advancing DUV Technology: A Metalens Innovation

Deep-ultraviolet light, with a wavelength shorter than UVA and UVB, has long been integral to semiconductor processing and advanced imaging applications. However, the high costs and complexities of DUV components have limited their widespread use.

The NYCU Institute of Electronics team’s metalens addresses these challenges and achieves a remarkable milestone in DUV optical control. The lens demonstrates extraordinary capabilities by employing aluminum nitride—a material known for its high thermal resistance, chemical stability, and transparency to DUV light. For instance, it can produce nanoscale images and perform ultrafast laser engraving, both firsts in the field.

Assistant Professor Ming-Lun Tseng, who has dedicated years to developing metalens technology, highlights the transformative potential of this invention. “Deep-ultraviolet technologies are vital to basic research and industrial applications,” Tseng explains.

“Traditional DUV lenses used for precision laser machining can cost millions of NT dollars. Our approach using metasurfaces—consisting of intricately engineered semiconductor nanoantennas—enables precise light manipulation at a fraction of the cost, paving the way for broader adoption.”

Metasurfaces: Shaping the Next Generation of Optical Innovation

Metasurfaces, made of custom-designed nanostructures, allow engineers to manipulate light in ways conventional optics cannot. The DUV metalens functions like a traditional lens, yet it delivers enhanced capabilities, making it ideal for high-accuracy and efficiency applications.

In recent years, such metasurfaces have been helpful in full-color imaging, quantum optics, and biomedical diagnostics. There are rumors that major tech companies like Apple may incorporate this novel optical technology into next-generation devices.

Tseng’s team is optimistic about the metalens’ potential for mass production and commercialization. The lens’s compact size, versatility, and high performance position it as a game-changer in key areas such as silicon photonic device fabrication, biomedical imaging, and semiconductor inspection.

As the field of metasurface technology evolves, its ability to bridge scientific innovation and industrial application continues to grow, offering unprecedented opportunities for research and industry alike.

Assistant Professor Ming-Lun Tseng (center) led the team in developing the deep-ultraviolet metalens.

 

Translated by Szu-Yung Huang
Edited by Hsiu-Cheng Faina Chang
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Psychiatric diagnosis has long relied on clinical interviews and patient history, often lacking objective and quantifiable evaluation standards. To tackle this challenge, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) and Taipei Veterans General Hospital (TVGH) have made groundbreaking advancements in brain imaging and artificial intelligence.

Since 2019, Professor Chih-Chieh Yang—Chair of the NYCU School of Medicine and Director of the Digital Medicine and Smart Healthcare Center—has led the development of a cutting-edge brain imaging analysis technology capable of accurately localizing brain degeneration across different ages and stages of psychiatric illness. By harnessing AI to detect abnormalities invisible to the human eye, this technology significantly enhances the objectivity and precision of psychiatric diagnoses.

Now successfully implemented in clinical services at TVGH, this innovation has not only transformed diagnostic practices but also earned international recognition with the prestigious 2025 Edison Awards in the United States—underscoring its global impact on psychiatric research and clinical care.
 

Professor Chih-Chieh Yang, Chair of the NYCU School of Medicine, received the 2025 Edison Award for his groundbreaking contributions to psychiatric diagnosis and global mental health care.

At the core of this technology is a precise quantitative method for assessing brain degeneration across various regions. Based on long-term observations of brain aging and disease progression, the research team has established a degeneration trajectory model covering 138 gray and white matter regions. This model predicts the deterioration trends of specific brain regions based on the patient's age and disease stage, enabling targeted diagnosis and more precise treatments.

Professor Yang explains that the brain undergoes continuous degeneration in psychiatric disorders, but the patterns vary across different regions. Previous AI-based brain imaging technologies had struggled to establish causal relationships and track disease progression. However, the new technology overcomes these limitations by accurately predicting brain degeneration based on a patient's age and disease stage.

Professor Chih-Chieh Yang, Chair of the NYCU School of Medicine, led the development of an AI-powered brain imaging technology now implemented at TVGH—an innovation that earned international acclaim with the 2025 Edison Awards for its transformative impact on psychiatric diagnosis and global mental health care.

The technology has already been applied to research and clinical evaluations of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder. Findings indicate that patients with schizophrenia experience significant brain volume shrinkage over 22 years post-onset, with abnormalities in cortical thickness observed in the early stages, particularly affecting the frontal, temporal, and insular lobes. The patients with bipolar disorder and major depression show distinct abnormalities in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex, respectively. These discoveries offer important insights for enhancing treatments such as transcranial magnetic stimulation and deep brain stimulation, allowing for more precise targeting of affected brain regions.

This groundbreaking technology not only overcomes the limitations of existing deep learning systems in brain imaging analysis but also provides psychiatry with a scientific and quantifiable diagnostic tool. In the future, it is expected to be expanded for the early diagnosis and assessment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.


Brain imaging technology reveals disease-specific brain degeneration in psychiatric disorders, enabling targeted treatments and paving the way for early diagnosis of conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

 

Translated by Szu-Yung Huang
Edited by Hsiu-Cheng Faina Chang
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National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) has showcased a fiber-optic microphone as thin as a human hair. Despite its minimal size, this microphone can accurately capture sound signals, making it highly valuable for use in mobile phones, wearable devices, cochlear implants, hearing aids, and various other electronic products.

Traditional microphones are highly susceptible to electromagnetic interference, which leads to unclear sound signals due to added noise. To address this issue, Professor Cheng-Yang Liu's research team from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at NYCU, in collaboration with Dr. Po-Hung Li, the director of the Otolaryngology at Cheng Hsin General Hospital, and the Taiwan Instrument Research Institute (TIRI), has successfully developed a fiber-optic microphone.

Unlike traditional microphones, this innovative microphone utilizes optical fibers to transmit signals, effectively avoiding electromagnetic interference from mental components. It maintains stable and precise sound transmission, even in environments with strong electromagnetic fields.

The research team integrated cut single-mode optical fibers with capillaries and hydrogel films to fabricate and evaluate thin films composed of polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) and graphene oxide. They evaluated the effects of various hydrogel concentrations on the thickness and mechanical properties of the microphone, leading to the development of this fiber-optic microphone.

NYCU's fiber-optic microphone eliminates electromagnetic interference, ensuring clear and stable sound transmission.

 

Due to its tiny size, this microphone is ideal for use in hearing aids, cochlear implants, mobile phones, and other medical and consumer electronics. It has significant commercial potential in fields such as photoacoustic imaging, health monitoring, nondestructive testing, and medical clinical applications.

Professor Liu stated that this microphone effectively covers a wide range of human hearing frequencies, accurately capturing sounds between 100 to 10,000 Hz while minimizing background noise—almost completely eliminating the "hiss" often heard with traditional headphones. Even after continuous eight-hour signal measurements, the deviation remained stable. He emphasized that the primary advantages of the fiber-optic microphone are its simple structure, low cost, and reliable signal transmission. Additionally, since it contains no metal components, it is immune to electromagnetic interference, making it suitable for mass production.

The fiber-optic microphone represents a technological breakthrough and offers a new solution to the issue of electromagnetic interference found in traditional microphones. The research findings have been published in the prestigious optics journal Optics & Laser Technology.


The research findings have been published in the journal Optics & Laser Technology, presenting a breakthrough solution to electromagnetic interference and ensuring clear, stable sound for medical and consumer applications.

 

 

Translated by Szu-Yung Huang
Edited by Chance Lai
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While air pollution is widely known to contribute to lung cancer, recent research suggests it may also impact brain health, potentially increasing the risk of dementia.

A recent epidemiological study conducted by National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) has found that improved air quality is closely linked to enhanced attention and better structural integrity of brain white matter in older adults. Published in Environment International under the title “Yearly Change in Air Pollution and Brain Aging Among Older Adults: A Community-Based Study in Taiwan”, the study provides valuable insights into the potential mechanisms connecting air pollution and brain health.

Tracking Pollution’s Impact: A Decade-Long Study on Air Quality and Brain Health

The research analyzed data from 412 healthy individuals aged 60 and above residing in rural and urban communities. Using spatial models, researchers estimated the participants’ exposure to air pollutants over 10 years, including delicate particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), and suspended particles (PM10). Participants also underwent cognitive function tests and MRI scans to assess brain structure changes.
 

Medical students are attending a biochemistry lab class.

The finding revealed that reduced PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations were positively associated with improved attention in elderly participants. MRI scans further indicated decreased pollutant levels correlated with better structural integrity in several white matter regions responsible for attention and memory.

Bridging the Knowledge Gap: NYCU Study Unveils Air Quality’s Role in Brain Health

Although the exact mechanisms by which air pollution affects the brain remain unclear, scientists widely believe that pollutants may stimulate the immune system through olfactory pathways, triggering systemic inflammation. This process may damage the blood-brain barrier, inflame cerebral blood vessels, and ultimately impair neurological health.

Dr. Yi-Fang Chuang, Associate Professor at NYCU’s Institute of Public Health and lead author of the research, emphasized that air pollution has long been considered a significant risk factor for cognitive decline. However, research exploring the structural impact of air pollution on the brain has been limited. “Our study fills this scientific gap, demonstrating the potential benefits of improved air quality for attention and white matter integrity in older adults,” Chuang stated.

 

Professor Chuang further highlighted that while genetic factors are unavoidable in brain aging, lifestyle choices and environmental factors can be adjusted to slow cognitive decline. “Improving air quality not only protects the environment but also enhances brain health and cognitive function in the elderly,” she added.

Uniting Expertise: Collaborative Efforts Unlock Key Findings

Dr. Wen-Chi Pan, Associate Professor at NYCU’s Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, was key in interpreting the study’s data. He noted that this research is particularly significant in environmental health, as previous studies from Western countries have primarily focused on air pollution’s links to cardiovascular disease and lung cancer. Studies investigating air pollution’s impact on brain health, especially in Asian populations, have been relatively rare.

The study also benefited from the expertise of Professor Chih-Da Wu from National Cheng Kung University’s Department of Geomatics, who provided air pollution exposure estimates for participants over the past decade. His contributions were pivotal in enabling the team to identify these significant findings.

A Call for Change: Improving Air Quality for a Healthier Future

The research team stressed that improving air quality is crucial for environmental protection and a vital strategy for promoting public health, particularly in aging societies. As populations worldwide grow older, safeguarding cognitive well-being through better environmental policies becomes increasingly urgent.

By shedding light on the connection between air pollution and brain health, the NYCU study underscores the need for collective efforts — from policymakers to community members — to reduce pollutant exposure. With targeted actions to improve air quality, societies can foster healthier aging, preserve cognitive function, and enhance overall quality of life.

The study was led by Associate Professor Yi-Fang Chuang (second from right), with Associate Professor Wen-Chi Pan (second from left) responsible for data interpretation and analysis. The research team also included medical graduate Ying-Cen Lin (first from left) and sixth-year medical student Kang-Chen Fan (first from right).

 

Translated by Szu-Yung Huang
Edited by Chance Lai
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Have you ever noticed your smartphone or laptop screen gradually losing brightness and color after a few years? A research team led by Professor Paul C.-P. Chao from the Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) has tackled this long-standing issue.

By integrating embedded AI technology, the team developed the world’s first intelligent AI model that dynamically compensates for screen brightness degradation based on user behavior and environmental temperature, ensuring optimal display performance. The team’s findings were published in the prestigious IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics journal.
 

The world’s first AI intelligent model that dynamically compensates for display brightness degradation in real-time, ensuring optimal screen performance.

Solving OLED Dimming at Its Root

Professor Chao explained that OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) brightness degradation is a recognized technical challenge in the industry. Most manufacturers perform burn-in tests before shipment and apply uniform compensation based on average data. However, individual product variations and differing user habits make this one-size-fits-all approach insufficient to meet every consumer’s needs.

Professor Chao’s team dedicated two years to developing an innovative compensation system to address this issue. The research involved building a model to precisely estimate the internal temperature distribution of displays, collecting data on OLED brightness decay, and incorporating environmental temperature information.

 

Restoring Brightness with AI Precision

The AI compensation technology can restore the brightness of red, green, and blue primary colors to approximately 90%.

“Research thrives on challenges, and that’s where we head,” Professor Chao remarked. Having successfully addressed display brightness degradation, his team aims to tackle even more complex challenges, such as color compensation for Micro OLED displays in AR/VR glasses and bidirectional photoelectric conversion in optical sensors. The team envisions advancing light-to-energy conversion technology to minimize performance degradation caused by brightness and color decay.

This groundbreaking AI compensation technology resolves the persistent issue of display degradation and opens new possibilities for next-generation display technologies and optoelectronic applications. Additionally, the technology is now being integrated into products by Taiwan’s largest display manufacturer, promising an enhanced visual experience for consumers worldwide.


Professor Paul C.-P. Chao specializes in AI sensing, chip design, and biomedical sensing technologies, dedicating his efforts to advancing smart technology innovation.

 

Translated by Yi-Chen Emily Li
Edited by Chance Lai
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In a significant breakthrough for global sustainability efforts, an international study team at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) has developed the world's first "triazole organic molecular catalyst" capable of efficiently converting carbon dioxide into methane. The revolutionary technology opens new possibilities for negative carbon technologies as the world moves toward 2050 net-zero carbon emission goals.

The groundbreaking research, titled "Electroreduction of CO2 to methane with triazole molecular catalysts," was published in the prestigious journal Nature Energy, attracting significant attention and recognition from academic and industrial sectors worldwide.
 

The study team confirmed that the amino groups in the triazole molecules efficiently adsorb carbon dioxide and promote subsequent catalytic reactions.

Methane Conversion Offers Path to Carbon Neutrality

Methane, the primary component of natural gas, represents an important target for carbon dioxide conversion. Successfully transforming CO2 into methane offers a potential natural gas supply and contributes to net-zero emissions through carbon recycling. However, cost factors and catalyst materials have long presented bottlenecks for negative carbon technologies.

The international research team featured Assistant Professor Sung-Fu Hung from the Department of Applied Chemistry at NYCU, who holds prestigious appointments as a Ministry of Education Yushan Young Scholar and National Science Council 2030 Cross-Generation Young Scholar. Collaborating with Hung were Assistant Professor Ying Wang from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Senior Lecturer Ziyun Wang from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, forming a cross-institutional partnership spanning multiple regions.

 

"Traditional negative carbon technologies can effectively convert carbon dioxide into useful carbon compounds like methane, but most rely on high-cost metal catalysts, limiting possibilities for large-scale application," explained Professor Hung. "Organic molecular catalysts have gradually gained attention in recent years due to their low cost and material availability. However, improving their catalytic efficiency and stability has remained a major technical challenge."

To address this challenge, the research team innovatively designed triazole organic molecules that significantly enhanced CO2 conversion efficiency and operational stability. Studies showed the catalyst could operate stably in a membrane electrode assembly with a current of 10 amperes, achieving a methane production rate of 23.0 millimoles (mmol) per hour with a 52 ± 4% conversion rate. Furthermore, the technology can directly regulate the generation of usable town gas, achieving sustainable carbon cycling goals.

This discovery provides new principles for designing organic molecular catalysts, advancing negative carbon technology development, and strengthening its crucial role in achieving net-zero emissions.

Moving Toward Net-Zero

Professor Hung stated that this research not only breaks through the auxiliary role of organic molecular catalysts in negative carbon technology but also improves their cost-effectiveness and application potential. "The research team has proposed design principles for organic small-molecule materials, establishing a solid foundation for expanding their industrial applications. We hope this technology will help address the 2050 net-zero carbon emission challenge and lead to rapid global development of carbon cycling technologies."


The Study Team: Professor Sung-Fu Hung and students posing for a group photo.

 

Edited by Chance Lai
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping our world at an unprecedented pace, driving innovations from autonomous vehicles to medical diagnostics. However, as the demand for AI applications soars, the energy consumption associated with traditional AI computation has become a pressing concern.

A research team from the International College of Semiconductor Technology at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) has achieved a key technological breakthrough, paving the way for a more efficient and energy-saving computing paradigm. The study, now published in the prestigious journal Nano Letters, represents a significant step forward in neuromorphic computing—an approach that emulates the human brain’s ability to learn and adapt.

Advancing Neuromorphic Computing through Low-Energy AI Models

The team’s innovation centers around “field-free switching” (FFS), accomplished through a heterostructure device based on magnetic materials (W/Pt/Co/NiO/Pt), utilizing spintronics technology. This design eliminates the need for an external magnetic field, enabling magnetic switching with dramatically reduced energy consumption and enhanced efficiency.

Based on this foundation, the researchers developed low-energy artificial synapses and neurons, applying them to a three-layer artificial neural network (ANN). Their neural networks demonstrated high-accuracy performance on the MNIST and Fashion MNIST datasets, showcasing a human-brain-like operational model. These advancements open new doors for rapid processing in AI applications such as autonomous driving, intelligent surveillance, and medical imaging diagnostics.

 

 

Dual-PhD Student Overcomes Challenges, Pioneers AI Research

Durgesh Kumar Ojha, a dual-PhD student at NYCU and the Indian Institute of Technology, led the research. Despite personal challenges that once caused a temporary pause in his studies, Ojha returned to Taiwan and overcame these difficulties, ultimately publishing his findings in a top-tier journal.

After graduation, he desired to contribute to Taiwan’s high-tech industry, hoping this research would elevate smart device technologies to new heights. The project’s supervising professor, Dr. Yuan-Chieh Tseng, noted that the achievement has garnered significant international academic attention and lays a critical foundation for the future of smart electronics.

As energy-efficient computing becomes an essential goal for next-generation electronics, NYCU’s breakthrough highlights the transformative potential of AI and neuromorphic computing. The team’s dedication is reshaping global perceptions of intelligent computing, promising safer and more convenient lives for all.


An illustration shows right-handed spin-orbit torque magnetic memory in a neuromorphic computing approach to MNIST and Fashion MNIST.

 

Edited by Chance Lai
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The digital era has brought unprecedented convenience but has also introduced new cybersecurity challenges. Quantum communication, with its unique physical properties, offers a crucial solution for secure data transmission in the future. In collaboration with top domestic and international teams, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) researchers have made a significant breakthrough in quantum key distribution (QKD) technology, enhancing communication stability and resistance to interference.

Their findings, published in the international journal APL Photonics, lay a solid foundation for cybersecurity protection. This breakthrough accelerates the practical application of quantum encryption and paves the way for advancements in network security, financial transactions, and national defense.

Advancing Quantum Communication Stability for Secure Encryption
 

A research team led by Dr. Hao-Chung Kuo, Director of the Semiconductor Research Center at Hon Hai Research Institute (HHRI) and Chair Professor at NYCU, has achieved a significant breakthrough in QKD technology.

Partnering with NYCU, National Taiwan University (NTU), and Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), the team developed an innovative asynchronous bit-rate encoding and decoding technique, which significantly enhances quantum key stability and interference resistance while reducing the error rate. This breakthrough sets the stage for the next generation of quantum encryption applications.

By employing asynchronous encoding and decoding techniques, the team successfully minimized optical path discrepancies in the delay-line interferometer (DLI), expanding the free spectral range (FSR) and dramatically improving the system’s resilience to thermal disturbances. Experimental results demonstrated that extending the FSR to 1 GHz reduced the quantum bit error rate (QBER) to 2.2% while increasing the secure key rate (SKR) to 77.32 kbps—marking a significant leap toward stable quantum communication.

 

Additionally, the team adopted high-stability distributed feedback laser diodes (DFBLDs) as the light source, controlling wavelength fluctuations within ±0.05 pm. This advancement significantly reduced long-term decoding errors and improved overall system stability.

Compared to conventional synchronous techniques, this asynchronous DPS-QKD technology greatly enhances interference resistance, reduces reliance on high-precision temperature and current control equipment, lowers operational costs, and offers a more flexible solution for real-world quantum communication applications.

Ushering in the Era of Quantum Security with Expansive Applications

This breakthrough paves the way for the practical implementation of QKD in network security, finance, and military applications, bringing quantum communication technology closer to real-world adoption. The research team emphasized that they will continue refining decoding algorithms and expanding large-scale quantum communication system deployments, accelerating the development of next-generation secure communication networks.

The decoding performance of the asynchronous-bit-rate DPS QKD streams when using different fiberized DLIs with the corresponding FSRs of 40, 192 MHz, and 1 GHz. (a) QBER and (b) SKR obtained at DLI’s visibility of 91.76%; (c) QBER and (d) SKR obtained at DLI’s visibility of maximum (∼96%); (e) the simulated visibility vs temperature fluctuation; and (f) the zoom-in plots showing the slope of the visibility vs temperature gradient suppressed with increasing FSR.

 

Edited by Chance Lai
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In a groundbreaking advancement, researchers at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) have significantly improved the performance of near-infrared (NIR) photodetectors, paving the way for innovations in cancer detection and biomedical treatments.

This cutting-edge technology enhances the sensitivity of photodetectors to faint light, enabling precise measurement of tumor size, location, and composition, which can aid medical professionals in devising accurate diagnostic and treatment plans. The findings were published in the prestigious journal Small in December 2024.

Tackling Material Challenges with Innovative Solutions
 

The study, led by Associate Professor Chih-Shan Tan from the Institute of Electronics—ranked among the top 2% of global scientists—focused on enhancing NIR photodetectors. These devices absorb near-infrared light (wavelengths between 700 nm and 2500 nm) and convert it into electrical signals. NIR light’s longer wavelength and lower energy allow it to penetrate deeper into biological tissues with minimal damage, making it an ideal tool for medical diagnostics, surgery, and treatment.

Moreover, NIR light is less affected by autofluorescence from biological systems, ensuring high-precision imaging. However, the stability of existing materials has posed a significant challenge in advancing this technology.

Revolutionary Material Enhancements
 

Graduate student Yu-Hsuan Lai spearheaded a revolutionary solution targeting tin-based perovskite, a lead-free, eco-friendly material with great potential. Lai introduced a protective layer of large alkylammonium ions, employing a dual-surface passivation technique that effectively stabilized the material, dramatically improving its photodetection capabilities and durability.

 

 

 

This innovation also significantly reduced material defect density, enabling the photodetector to detect faint signals with unprecedented precision—a major leap forward for NIR photodetection.

According to Associate Professor Tan, this technology is particularly effective for wavelengths in the 650-900 nm range. It combines deep tissue penetration with minimal damage, making it exceptionally suited for medical imaging and diagnostic applications.
 

Implications for Cancer Detection and Sustainable Technology

This breakthrough not only elevates cancer detection and biomedical diagnostics to new heights but also serves as a valuable reference for research into environmentally friendly optoelectronic materials. It showcases NYCU’s commitment to technological innovation and highlights Taiwan’s growing influence in the fields of semiconductors and sensor technologies.


Laboratory Group Photo: The first author of the article, Yu-Hsuan Lai (fourth from the right in the front row), and the corresponding author, Associate Professor Chih-Shan Tan (fifth from the right in the front row), capture this significant moment with their research team.

 

Translated by Chance Lai
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Can proteins assemble in response to a call like superheroes? A research team at the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) has uncovered how proteins with intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs), despite their lack of fixed structure, aggregate in a highly regulated manner.

Driven by changes in environmental pH, this process reveals new molecular mechanisms with promising implications for neurodegenerative disease treatments. This study, published in the prestigious journal Advanced Science, opens the door to potential drug targets and therapeutic strategies.

Proteins with IDRs: Dynamic Executors of Cellular Functions

The research highlights Galectin-3, a protein pivotal in lysosome repair and a key marker of cellular damage. Abnormal aggregation of Galectin-3 has been closely linked to neurodegenerative diseases, but its underlying mechanisms were not well understood until now.

The team, led by Professor Jie-Rong Huang, demonstrated that Galectin-3 adjusts its aggregation behavior based on intracellular pH levels. Specific interactions within the protein structure mediate this regulation: positively charged residues in the protein’s folded domain interact with aromatic residues in its IDR via cation–π interactions, while π–π interactions occur between IDRs. Additionally, two negatively charged residues in Galectin-3’s IDR serve as pH-sensitive “safety valves,” fine-tuning the protein’s tendency to condense and preventing excessive aggregation.

These findings offer new insights into how electrostatic and molecular interactions regulate the delicate balance between disordered and structured regions of proteins, shedding light on previously unrecognized mechanisms.

The aggregation patterns of proteins with intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) in a pH 7 environment were observed under an optical microscope.

 

Balancing Aggregation: From Cellular Harmony to Disease

Despite their lack of fixed structure, proteins with IDRs display remarkable functional flexibility. Under normal conditions, they form regulated assemblies to collaborate with other proteins and perform essential cellular tasks. However, abnormal aggregation can disrupt this balance, leading to disease. For example, Galectin-3’s unregulated aggregation may contribute to amyloid plaque formation, accelerating the progression of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s.

By identifying the charge-driven mechanisms governing protein aggregation, this research advances the understanding of IDR-associated proteins and reveals potential therapeutic strategies. Future treatments may exploit these regulatory pathways to prevent harmful protein aggregation in neurodegenerative diseases.

Young Scholars Pioneering Breakthroughs

Professor Jie-Rong Huang (left) with his research team: PhD student Yung-Chen Sun (center) and Master’s student Tzung-Lun Hsieh (right).

The study was co-authored by NYCU graduates Yung-Chen Sun and Tzung-Lun Hsieh, who contributed as joint first authors. Both researchers began their journeys as undergraduates in Professor Huang’s lab, gaining significant experience in cutting-edge molecular biology. Their work highlights the innovative power of young scientists and underscores the importance of fostering early research opportunities.

This study illuminates the intricate order hidden within the “disordered” realm of proteins with IDRs. As superheroes assemble to protect the world, these proteins respond to specific cues to maintain cellular function and stability. Their ability to aggregate and disaggregate in response to environmental changes highlights their essential role in cellular health.

Looking ahead, these “disordered heroes” may unlock transformative advancements in medicine, offering new hope for combating devastating diseases through innovative therapeutic interventions.

 

Translated by Szu-Yung Huang
Edited by Chance Lai
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A mathematical model developed years ago to analyze the authenticity of Shakespeare’s works and Dream of the Red Chamber has now been found applicable to detecting structural changes in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. This technology reveals differences between the brain structures of Alzheimer’s patients and healthy individuals, improving diagnostic efficiency and introducing a novel diagnostic method.

The study, “Exploring morphological similarity and randomness in Alzheimer’s disease using adjacent grey matter voxel-based structural analysis,” has been published in Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy.

Breakthrough in Mathematical Applications: Distinguishing Healthy and Diseased Brain Structures

Professor Albert Chih-Chieh Yang, Chair of the Department of Medicine at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), developed this mathematical model years ago. It was initially used for analyzing heart rate sequences, genetic nucleotide sequences, and even literary authenticity. Professor Yang once employed the model to identify potential forgeries in Shakespeare’s works and to suggest that Xue-Qin Cao may not have authored the last 40 chapters of Dream of the Red Chamber.

In this latest research, Professor Yang’s model was successfully applied to MRI images, transforming neuron density data into quantitative insights that distinguish Alzheimer ’s-affected brains from healthy ones, thus accelerating the diagnostic process.

A New Diagnostic Avenue for Alzheimer’s: From Symptom Observation to Structural Analysis

Current Alzheimer’s diagnoses primarily rely on symptom observation, with Amyloid PET scans as the only option for early detection. This research introduces a novel pathway, enabling scientists to diagnose Alzheimer’s more effectively.

 

“Just like a house, once you understand the structure, you can compare and identify differences,” Professor Yang explains. He notes that Alzheimer’s brains exhibit structural disarray, potentially due to the irregular deposition of amyloid proteins disrupting neuronal alignment.

New Hope for Brain Disease Diagnosis

Professor Yang emphasizes that this approach may extend beyond Alzheimer’s to other brain disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and Parkinson’s disease. While these are often diagnosed through functional assessments, this new structural data could facilitate earlier detection and treatment.

With these advancements in Alzheimer’s diagnostics, this mathematical model is set to revolutionize traditional brain disease diagnosis, paving the way for more accurate and early medical assessments and ultimately offering patients more effective treatment options.


Chair of the Department of Medicine, Professor Albert C Yang (center), with the study’s first and second authors, Master’s student in Neuroscience Ting-Yu Chen (right) and Dr. Jun-Ding Zhu (left).
 

 

Translated by Chance Lai
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A research team from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) and Taipei Veterans General Hospital (TVGH) has made a groundbreaking discovery in the fight against lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The team identified a key mechanism behind tumor growth and metastasis, which could potentially lead to strategies that overcome drug resistance—an issue that has plagued the treatment of lung cancer despite advancements in medical technology.

Unveiling the Tumor’s Immune Evasion Tactics

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Taiwan, with NSCLC accounting for approximately 85% of cases. Among them, adenocarcinoma is the most prevalent subtype. One of the significant challenges in treating lung adenocarcinoma is its tendency to metastasize and develop resistance to therapies. Researchers discovered that a transcription factor known as NKX2-1, crucial for lung tissue differentiation, plays a pivotal role in the tumor microenvironment.

The team found that reduced expression of NKX2-1 is closely associated with tumor progression and poor prognosis. This decrease triggers tumor cells to manipulate the immune system, particularly neutrophils—white blood cells that typically serve as the body’s first line of defense. Instead of attacking the tumor, these cells are recruited to support its growth and spread.

In the animal model, the infiltration of neutrophils into the tumor cells can be observed, with higher levels of red indicating more severe infiltration.

The Switch: Why Do White Blood Cells Aid Tumor Growth?

While the scientific community has long known that NKX2-1 is a key regulator in lung tissue differentiation, its downstream mechanisms have remained elusive—until now. The research, led by Professor Shih-Hwa Chiou from NYCU’s Institute of Pharmacology, found that when NKX2-1 expression decreases, cancer cells secrete CXCL chemokines. These chemokines interact with CXCR2 receptors on neutrophils, persuading them to enter the tumor microenvironment and inadvertently assist in tumor growth and metastasis.

 

“Neutrophils are the most abundant white blood cells and form the first line of innate immune defense,” explained Professor Chiou. “However, more and more studies confirm that in the tumor microenvironment, these immune cells can be subverted by cancer cells, supporting tumor growth instead of fighting it and contributing to drug resistance.”

Validating the Mechanism in Animal Models

The research team validated this mechanism in animal models, successfully reducing tumor growth by targeting the CXCR2 receptor with an antagonist. This suggests that CXCR2-targeted therapies may hold promise as a future treatment strategy for lung adenocarcinoma patients, offering a way to overcome drug resistance and improve outcomes.

“This study further highlights the potential of NKX2-1 as a clinical biomarker for lung adenocarcinoma,” said Professor Chiou. “Understanding the role of NKX2-1 in shaping the immune microenvironment provides valuable insights into the complex interactions between cancer cells and the immune system, opening up new avenues for therapeutic interventions.”

A Collaborative Effort with Global Impact

The research was a collaborative effort between Professor Chiou and Dr. Mong-Lien Wang, Associate Research Fellow at TVGH’s Department of Medical Research. The project was executed by Anita S. La’ah, a Nigerian Ph.D. student in the Taiwan International Graduate Program (TIGP) of Academia Sinica. The findings were published in the prestigious journal Advanced Science. La’ah’s groundbreaking contributions earned her a Ph.D. in Molecular Medicine from NYCU College of Life Sciences this July. She now has the opportunity to continue her research in the United States.

These findings mark a significant step forward in the fight against lung cancer, offering hope for more effective treatments and highlighting the potential of immunotherapy in overcoming one of the most challenging aspects of cancer treatment: drug resistance.

Professor Shih-Hwa Chiou (left), Dr. Mong-Lien Wang (right), and Dr. Anita S. La’ah (center).

 

Translated by Szu-Yung Huang
Edited by Chance Lai
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In a significant advancement for security technology, a research team led by Assistant Professor Yao-Wei Huang from the Department of Photonics at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) has unveiled a novel metasurface interface technology. This breakthrough promises to significantly enhance the color performance of anti-counterfeiting labels, addressing current issues of limited color diversity and suboptimal chromatic dispersion. The innovation dramatically bolsters the security of critical identification documents such as credit cards and passports.

The research, titled “Topology Optimization Enables High-Q Metasurface for Color Selectivity,” was featured as the cover story in the August edition of Nano Letters, drawing significant attention from academic and industrial sectors worldwide.

High-Q Metasurface Technology Elevates Color Purity and Efficiency in Anti-Counterfeiting Labels

This innovative anti-counterfeiting label was developed under the leadership of Assistant Professor Yao-Wei Huang, a Yushan Young Scholar. Traditional anti-counterfeiting technologies, like the holograms found on credit cards or Japan’s new currency, primarily rely on grating structures for light dispersion, which results in limited color presentation.
 

The team fabricated the metasurface samples using advanced semiconductor processing equipment at the Nano Facility Center. Electron microscope images reveal the structural morphology of portions of the sample.

Assistant Professor Huang explained that the newly developed narrowband metasurface technology operates within four narrow wavebands, displaying vivid red, yellow, green, and blue colors with exceptionally high purity. This level of color purity and angle-specific color rendering holds tremendous potential for applications in anti-counterfeiting labels.

The key to this innovation lies in a high-Q (high-quality factor) nonlocal metasurface, which resolves the inefficiencies associated with traditional techniques. Using a proprietary topology optimization inverse design method, the team designed a metasurface with an unprecedented quality factor of 1362. Experimental results showed a 15-fold increase in efficiency, reaching an experimental efficiency of 59%—a significant milestone in nonlocal metasurfaces.

 

A Fusion of Science and Art: A New Perspective on Optical Innovation


The metasurface samples display ultra-Q colors in red, yellow, cyan, and blue, resembling musical notes scattered across a spectral melody.

During the experiments, the research paper's team member and first author, Huan-Teng Su, captured a striking visual of the color transitions—red, yellow, cyan, and blue—within the metasurface. He aptly named this image "The Melody of Colors in High-Q Metasurfaces" and entered it into the 11th Tin Ka-ping Academic Digital Imaging Competition, where it earned recognition.

Su remarked that the image resembled musical notes decorating a spectral melody, with the vibrant colors resembling macarons, blending science, visual art, and optics into an inspiring exploration of light and color.

This research marks a breakthrough in anti-counterfeiting technology and showcases the harmonious intersection of science and art. Through precise technical development and innovative artistic presentation, Assistant Professor Huang and his team have enhanced the practical value of anti-counterfeiting labels and invited us to appreciate the intricate beauty of the optical world from a fresh perspective. This achievement will spark further exploration and discussion in academic and industrial circles, paving the way for limitless possibilities in future technological innovation.

A group photo of the research team.

 

Translated by Hsuchuan
Edited by Chance Lai
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Inspired by the process of spider silk production, Associate Professor Ming-Chia Li from the Department of Biological Science & Technology at the College of Engineering Bioscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), has developed a groundbreaking nanocomposite hydrogel with self-healing capabilities. Using biomimetic 3D printing, Professor Li successfully fabricated Gyroid cell scaffolds and human outer ears.

Featured as the cover story for the 25th-anniversary issue of Biomacromolecules, this innovative material overcomes the limitations of traditional cell culture methods. By leveraging new biomaterials and 3D printing technology, scientists can replicate the three-dimensional structures and environments of real-world tissues and organs, reducing the need for animal testing and thereby enhancing animal welfare.

Operating biomimetic 3D printing

Innovative Biomimicry: The Process of Spider Silk Inspires Advanced Hydrogel Development

Professor Li explains that spider silk is known for its remarkable strength and elasticity, making it an ideal model for biomimicry. Hydrogels, which contain a high water content similar to human tissues, can mimic the natural extracellular matrix of target tissues. The research team set out to replicate the properties of spider silk in hydrogels, leading to the design of a nanocomposite hydrogel that enhances stretchability and self-healing capabilities.

 

To develop this hydrogel, the team utilized the non-crystallizing properties of G-polymer, which, through random physical entanglement within the hydrogel system, increased the material’s elasticity. Additionally, the researchers incorporated boronate ester bonds, formed between boric acid and the -OH groups of the G-polymer side chains, to endow the material with self-healing characteristics.

The hydrogel also contains Laponite, a charged nanoscale disc, which forms a “house-of-cards” structure in solution due to electrostatic interactions. When a specific shear force is applied to the hydrogel, these electrostatic forces are temporarily disrupted, causing the material to transition from a gel state to a solution state—a phenomenon known as shear thinning. This property is crucial for evaluating the printability of hydrogel materials.

Drawing on the salting-out phenomenon observed in spider silk production, the hydrogel’s protein molecules are enhanced in mechanical strength by the presence of high concentrations of inorganic salt ions. This has enabled the successful printing of Gyroid cell scaffolds and human outer ears without the need for support materials.

This technique can be applied to digital twin biological 3D printing, where biomedical imaging scans bring real-world data into a computer platform to construct digital models. These models can be used for biomechanical studies through fluid dynamics simulations, and then returned to the real world through 3D printing technology. The excellent biocompatibility of this material paves the way for clinical treatment and related research applications.

Associate Professor Ming-Chia Li’s lab team
 

 

News and Photo by Science Media Center Taiwan
Translated by Hsuchuan
Edited by Chance Lai
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In a groundbreaking study, Professor Cheng-Chang Lien from the College of Life Sciences at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), in collaboration with research teams from Denmark and Austria, have discovered a new brain mechanism involved in the formation of fear memories in mice. This discovery could pave the way for reducing the negative impact of fear and potentially offer new treatment methods for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

International Collaboration Sheds Light on Neural Mechanisms of Fear Memory Formation

Professor Lien’s team joined forces with Professor Marco Capogna from Aarhus University in Denmark and Professor Francesco Ferraguti from the Medical University of Innsbruck in Austria. Their study revealed that fearful experiences activate a small group of inhibitory neurons in the amygdala of mice, preventing an overreaction to fear memories.

These findings provide deeper insights into the neural basis of fear memory formation and suggest potential solutions for treating PTSD. The study was published this month (August 5) in Cell Reports.

Dr. Wen-Hsien Hou, Assistant Professor at Aarhus University’s Department of Biomedicine and the study’s first author, explained that fear helps humans remember dangers, enabling quicker responses when facing similar threats in the future. For example, earthquakes are a common fear among Taiwanese people. When an earthquake alert sounds on a mobile phone, it triggers memories of terrifying earthquake experiences, driving protective and evasive actions.

Professor Lien pointed out that recent literature indicates a region beneath the brain’s outer cortex, which regulates fear-related emotions, the central amygdala. However, it was previously unclear whether specific neurons within this region form fear memories and modulate behavioral responses when recalling fearful experiences.

 

Unveiling Complex Mechanisms: Inhibitory Neurons Key to Fear Memory

The research team discovered that fearful experiences lead to the long-term enhancement of a small group of neurons in the lateral central amygdala, which is responsible for inhibiting fear memory. Using genetically modified mice, the team labeled these neurons, primarily somatostatin neurons, activated by different fearful experiences. Professor Lien noted that inhibiting these labeled neurons caused the mice to exhibit even more fear.

Professor Lien emphasized that while most neuroscientists focus on how excitatory neurons in the brain process memory storage and response, this study demonstrates that inhibitory neurons also play a crucial role in modulating fear memory responses in mice, revealing a more complex neural mechanism. This small group of inhibitory neurons in the lateral central amygdala acts like a brake, preventing mice from overreacting.

However, Professor Lien also cautioned that although the brain structures of mice and humans are similar, there are differences in neural circuits and connections between the two species. Further research is needed to determine whether the central amygdala’s neurons regulate fear memory and behavior in PTSD patients. Developing methods to modulate specific neurons for treating PTSD remains a significant clinical challenge for the future.


 

 

Translated by Chance Lai
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Fifteen years ago, Typhoon Morakot caused the most significant rainfall in Taiwan’s history, devastating numerous communities and forcing many survivors to relocate. A recent follow-up study, "The Impact of Relocation Patterns on Psychological Stress,” published in the international journal Psychological Science, found that those who quickly relocated to permanent housing did not necessarily experience better psychological recovery.

Study Highlights Importance of Preparation Time in Post-Disaster Relocation for Long-Term Psychological Recovery

The study, conducted by the College of Nursing at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) in collaboration with the National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction, surveyed 1,236 households severely damaged by Typhoon Morakot. Over a decade of tracking, researchers discovered that while those who quickly relocated to stable housing initially experienced lower psychological stress, their stress levels gradually increased, surpassing those with more time to prepare for relocation.

In contrast, survivors who did not immediately move into permanent housing—often taking years to find stable homes—underwent multiple relocations. Despite the upheaval, their long-term psychological recovery was notably better, likely because they had more time to prepare and adapt before moving.

The research team categorized survivors’ relocation experiences into six patterns: immediate return to original residences, long-distance relocation years later, immediate move to permanent housing, preparation time before a major relocation, no buffer time between two major relocations, and buffer time between two major relocations. The results underscore the importance of giving survivors ample time to discuss and decide during the post-disaster reconstruction. This could lead to more effective responses in future natural disasters.

Assistant Professor Lu-Yen Chen from the Institute of Clinical Nursing at NYCU, who participated in the study, stated that disaster survivors who had more time to prepare or adapt before relocation demonstrated better long-term psychological recovery than those with less time. This trend held regardless of whether the survivors experienced one major relocation or two.

 

Survivor-Centered Relocation Planning: Key to Reducing Long-Term Psychological Stress After Disasters

The findings suggest that providing disaster survivors more time to discuss and decide on their relocation timing and location could be a key factor in alleviating long-term psychological stress following a natural disaster.

Previous studies and reports have also highlighted the adverse effects of permanent housing on community cohesion and cultural preservation, as well as the emergence of land and housing rights disputes, making it challenging to help survivors rebuild their lives.

Amid increasing threats from extreme weather in Taiwan and globally, the research team believes this study offers crucial guidance for disaster risk management and building societal resilience. Assistant Professor Chen advises that future disaster response measures should prioritize the psychological needs of survivors, providing sufficient time and resources to help them make relocation decisions that suit their circumstances and to facilitate psychological adjustment, ultimately promoting better post-disaster psychological recovery.

Assistant Professor Lu-Yen Chen (center, front row) and her research team.

 

Translated by Hsuchuan
Edited by Chance Lai
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In a groundbreaking study, scientists have observed brain cells forming groups and working together, akin to friendships, using advanced microscopy techniques.

Published in this month’s issue of Neuron, the study from the Institute of Neuroscience at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) reveals how neurons exhibit collective behavior. Assistant Professors Tsai-Wen Chen and Bei-Jung Lin led the research team that discovered neurons activating synchronously, indicating a preference for specific cells to ‘team up’ during activation.
 

Interneurons prefer to activate together at the same time. This marks the first time scientists have captured interneurons’ group behavior in a living animal’s brain.

Rare Interneurons Unveil Group Dynamics, Facilitating Brainwave Formation

Interneurons, rare and previously studied through sporadic electrical signals from implanted electrodes, were likened to “finding a needle in a haystack,” according to Bei-Jung Lin. “Recording even a single cell could take a month, making interaction studies challenging.” The team used voltage imaging with fluorescent proteins to record up to 26 interneurons, unveiling their interaction patterns.

The study found that interneurons do not activate randomly but tend to fire together, suggesting they find ‘like-minded friends’ to transmit electrical signals.

“Much like an orchestra following a conductor,” Tsai-Wen Chen explained, “interneurons are crucial for inhibitory neurotransmission in the brain and play a key role in brainwave formation.”

 

Brainwaves arise from synchronized electrical activity across numerous neurons, detectable from the scalp. Interestingly, even without reaching the activation threshold, neurons displayed group activity under the microscope.

Innovative Imaging Technology Sheds Light on Neural Activity and Brain Function

To overcome the challenge of directly observing voltage with a microscope, the research team led by Tsai-Wen Chen and Bei-Jung Lin collaborated internationally to develop voltage-sensitive fluorescent proteins. These proteins, delivered to neurons using adenoviruses as carriers, allow the cells to glow upon activation.

Additionally, to capture the highly brief neural impulses, the research team designed and set up an ultra-high-speed imaging system capable of capturing 2,000 frames per second. These technologies and facilities are now established at NYCU.

Brainwaves are critical signals in perception and memory functions. This new technology allows scientists to observe collective neural operations in living animals, revealing the intricate coordination essential for understanding brain functionality.

The paper's first author, Yi-Chieh Huang, graduated from the Institute of Neuroscience and is now a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard University.

 

Translated by Hsuchuan
Edited by Chance Lai
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Overheating phones drag down system performance and affect users’ moods. The Cerebral and Reliable SoC Laboratory (CERES Lab) at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) has developed a temperature prediction and control technology for multi-core chip networks, which enhances heat dissipation and alleviates overheating issues. This research achievement has been awarded the Best Paper Award by the international journal IEEE TVLSI (IEEE Transactions on Very Large Scale Integration Systems), marking the first time in 30 years that a team from Taiwan has received this honor.
 

Led by Associate Professor Kun-Chih Chen (front row, right), the CERES Lab research team has made breakthroughs in multi-core chip thermal management technology.

Multi-Core Chips Essential for Computers and Phones, Temperature Management Key to Enhancing Performance

In recent years, multi-core chips have been widely used in computers, smartphones, servers, and other devices. As the number of processor cores increases, the Network on Chip (NoC) connectivity structure has become a widespread technical issue. Additionally, the rise in the clock frequency of computing cores poses significant temperature challenges, significantly affecting chip performance and reliability.

Associate Professor Kun-Chih Chen of the Institute of Electronics led the CERES Lab research team, which included graduate students Yuan-Hao Liao, Cheng-Ting Chen, and Lei-Chi Wang. They proposed a low-cost online learning mechanism for accurate temperature prediction in NoC systems. Using adaptive reinforcement learning technology, they implemented dynamic, proactive temperature management to address the temperature challenges of multi-core chips, significantly enhancing the system’s temperature management performance.

The research team explained that the thermal issues in NoC systems require real-time system temperature monitoring. Dynamic thermal management mechanisms are triggered when the system temperature reaches dangerous levels to prevent overheating. Proactive Dynamic Thermal Management (PDTM) controls the system temperature in advance based on temperature prediction information. Using partial throttling schemes, PDTM reduces performance impact during temperature control, making it more effective than traditional reactive dynamic thermal management.

 

Machine Learning Helps NoC Systems Overcome Temperature Prediction Challenges

The temperature behavior of NoC systems varies with different workload distributions, making it difficult to accurately capture physical parameters such as capacitance, resistance, and power during operation, leading to significant temperature prediction errors. In recent years, machine learning prediction methods have dynamically accommodated the hyperplane of physical system behavior. However, machine learning methods depend highly on the quality of training data, resulting in considerable errors in NoC systems.

Associate Professor Kun-Chih Chen stated that the research team’s machine learning-based proactive temperature management employs the least mean squares adaptive filtering theory to optimize the model. This approach dynamically adjusts temperature predictions, enhancing accuracy to cope with varying workloads and temperature changes.

The method introduces adaptive reinforcement learning, using real-time feedback on current temperature, predicted temperature, and system throughput to dynamically adjust throttling ratios, achieving optimal thermal management while maximizing system performance. The research results show that, compared to traditional methods, the proposed adaptive reinforcement learning method significantly reduces temperature prediction errors and improves system performance.

This innovative research achievement was selected for the 2024 IEEE TVLSI Best Paper Award, representing the highest recognition for the research team and highlighting NYCU’s exceptional research contributions and advanced technology development capabilities.

The research achievement was selected for this year’s Best Paper Award by the international journal IEEE TVLSI.

Paper Title: Adaptive Machine Learning-Based Proactive Thermal Management for NoC Systems

 

Translated by Hsuchuan
Edited by Chance Lai
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Many people aim to lose weight through exercise but sometimes consume more calories post-workout. A research team from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) found that consuming high-protein foods within 30 minutes of exercise can suppress appetite, slow muscle degradation, and improve cardiovascular metabolism. The study results were published in the 273rd issue of the scientific journal "Physiology & Behavior" earlier this year.

The Importance of Protein Intake and Exercise for Weight Control in Middle-Age

Professor Chiao-Nan Chen from the Department of Physical Therapy and Assistive Technology at NYCU, along with his research team, conducted a study on middle-aged obese individuals with an average age of nearly 60. The participants underwent three months of high-intensity interval spinning exercises.

The study found that although appetite significantly increased after exercise, consuming a high-protein drink within 30 minutes post-exercise reduced hunger and decreased the likelihood of late-night snacking. The research team also found that combining exercise with a high-protein diet can improve cardiovascular risk factors and prevent sarcopenia in middle-aged obese individuals.

During the three-month study, participants who followed a high-protein diet in addition to exercising showed significant reductions in cholesterol and triglycerides, decreased fat mass, improved insulin sensitivity, better glucose tolerance, and reduced inflammation. Moreover, muscle strength and exercise capacity were enhanced.

Professor Chiao-Nan Chen stated that previous data suggests a daily protein intake of 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight to maintain muscle mass, and the research team used this as the dietary target for the experimental group.

 

"Big heart, fat body" is a common issue among middle-aged and older adults, often leading to cardiovascular diseases. Reduced physical activity further accelerates muscle loss. The research findings provide valuable insights for middle-aged and older obese individuals and offer new strategies and approaches for obesity management.

However, Professor Chiao-Nan Chen also cautioned that the study validates the physiological performance of high-protein diets in middle-aged and older populations, but it does not imply that solely consuming a high-protein diet is a good weight management method. Exercise remains fundamental; managing physical fitness (activity capacity) and the risks of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases is more crucial than focusing solely on weight.

The cross-university research team includes Professor Kuei-Yu Chien (right) from the Graduate Institute of Sports Science at National Taiwan Sport University, Professor Chiao-Nan Chen (center) from the Department of Physical Therapy and Assistive Technology at NYCU, and Dr. Kuo-Chen Hsu (left).

 

By NYCU Elite
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Professor Guan-Yu Chen, from the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), is at the forefront of research in the field of bionic organ-on-a-chips (OoCs). This innovative work combines biomedical research with semiconductor and Information and Communication Technology, known as BioICT. Prof. Chen has successfully developed a bionic lung-on-a-chip system replicating the human body’s microenvironment. His efforts have garnered media recognition, earning him the reputation of being “a pioneer in organ-on-chip (OoC) technology.” Prof. Chen has expressed his hope that Taiwan’s contributions to this field will receive global attention.

In 2023, Prof. Chen received multiple awards, including the Moderna Taiwan mRNA Innovation Awards. He was also honored with the Awarded Lush Prize Young Researcher Award-Asia and was elected as the candidate for the Lush Prize “Fighting Animal Testing” alongside Emulate, a leading OoC company this year (2024), suggesting that not only Prof. Chen’s groundbreaking research in bionic lung-on-a-chip technology but also Taiwan’s international leadership in OoC research.

Bionic OoCs involve growing human cells on microfluidic channel chips and replicating the complex microphysiological changes in the human body using a dynamic circulatory system. By leveraging bionic organ-on-a-chip (OoC) technology to emulate pathological conditions for conducting various drug trials, it is possible to significantly lessen the reliance on animal testing during clinical phases, leading to reduce the cost and time required. “This is a destructive innovation,” emphasized Prof. Chen. Bionic lung-on-a-chip, the most mature technology developed by Prof. Chen’s team, can mimic human lung tissue in the human body and the response to the inhalation test through the “aerosol dynamic mode,” assisting researchers in evaluating data for the solubility of the inhaled drugs, organs analysis, etc.

During his tenure as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research in 2015, Prof. Chen received an academic offer from the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at the College of Electrical and Computer Engineering of NYCU. Despite numerous other opportunities, Prof. Chen chose to bring back what he had learned in the U.S., the most novel technology, to Taiwan. With his academic background spanning chemical engineering, biology, and biomedical science, along with an unrestricted approach to himself, Prof. Chen aligns perfectly with the open and autonomous research environment and the abundant interdisciplinary resources at NYCU, providing him with a solid foundation to venture into the then-nascent field of OoC technology in Taiwan, demonstrating remarkable courage and ambition.

In 2021, Anivance AI was officially teamed under Prof. Chen’s leadership. The core concept is composed of three words, “Animal,” “Advanced,” and “AI,” representing the mission of the team. Therefore, in early 2024, the team transitioned into a technological start-up company with the goal of building a complete and profitable industrial ecosystem for processing, standardization, and validation of the bionic OoCs.
 

Bionic organ-on-chips (OoCs) are considered “Compassion technology” as they preserve animal welfare, enhance precision medicine, and reduce patient risks by leveraging big data and AI to streamline drug development and minimize animal testing. (Photo from ZDunemployed studio)

Some consider bionic OoCs to be a “Compassion technology.” For this statement, Prof. Chen believes that the OoCs can not only assist in preserving animal welfare but also advance precision medicine and show mercy to human life. Using the example of lungs, drug research often used mice and rats as test subjects, with up to 100 million of these animals used in experiments each year. Nevertheless, mice have a respiratory rate five to seven times higher than humans, and their pulmonary immune system functions differently from that of humans. For this reason, many drugs that showed promise in animal experiments failed in human clinical trials, with a failure rate of up to 90 percent. As the development of the bionic lung-on-a-chip becomes more mature, with the combination of technology such as big data and AI, researchers can streamline their development schedules, accelerate the research and development of new drugs, and simultaneously reduce potential risks for patients.

 

Ten years ago, Prof. Chen made the strategic decision to focus on bionic lung-on-a-chip in order to get ahead in the field. At that time, research in OoC technology, including tumor chips, hearts, gastrointestinal tracts, livers, and nerves, was thriving in the U.S. and Europe, but lung-on-a-chip research needed to receive more attention. “By establishing a leading figure in the global lung-on-a-chip field, our team and Taiwan would naturally gain recognition worldwide,” Prof. Chen pointed out. This prospective decision now appears to be exactly right. Today, Prof. Chen has become the cream of the crop and is at the forefront of the bionic lung-on-a-chip field, attracting attention in Taiwan and internationally.

Indeed, devoting to start-up research is not always plain sailing. However, the team calmly confronts failure, extracting critical technology and experience from it, strengthening their foundation. Prof. Chen believes that “Actions speak louder than words.” and that being equipped with actual capability is essential. The team has collaborated with nearly ten medical and research institutes at home and aboard, including Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF), Molecular Devices, Moderna Taiwan, and Taichung Veterans General Hospital, and continuously optimized their collaboration mode. Customized solutions will be available whenever the pharmaceutical companies list their needs online. “When we validate our results in different places, we begin to validate our success,” Prof. Chen explains.

How will the next generation organ-on-a-chips (OoCs) develop?

The interdisciplinary environment at NYCU enabled Prof. Chen to pioneer OoC technology in Taiwan, leading to the formation of his research team and Anivance AI. (Photo from ZDunemployed studio)

Prof. Chen asserts that the value of the future organ-on-a-chips (OoCs) not only lies in whether the chip can stimulate the body environment to get the same test result as in the human body but, more importantly, by continuously expanding the data quantity, it can integrate with semiconductor sensing and AI technology to provide the pharmaceutical companies with more precise drug treatment and development strategy. By analyzing high-content images with algorithms to promptly detect changes in organs and pairing this with personal wearable devices, everyone may have their exclusive organ database in the future.

Prof. Chen indicates that the team plans to roll out the 3rd generation bionic lung-on-a-chips at the end of this year, and its accuracy is up to 85%. The team dares to announce that 80% of the organ chips module for respiratory diseases will be completed by the end of 2030. “If our technology can cover 80% of the study scope, it means that every team worldwide working on respiratory drug development will, in some way, need us.” Prof. Chen said with full confidence.

What is the most important thing to devote to start-up research?

Prof. Chen revealed confidence in his eyes and said, “People matter most.” He replied that it is because he is fortunate to be able to utilize his strengths in NYCU, where there are many talents from diverse fields such as biomedical, information, electronics, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, medicine, etc., as well as the university’s encouragement of industry-academia cooperation and investment in the start-up fields, which allows him to stand the steadiest and look the furthest in his field. With such perfect timing, location, supportive people, and efforts, one must believe that his development blueprints will be realized one after one in the near future.

 

Translated by Hsuchuan
Edited by Chance Lai
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The research team from Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (KCGMH) and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) has discovered a new causative gene, NDEL1, for lissencephaly. This follows their 2020 discovery of the CEP85L gene. The team has collectively identified four genes associated with lissencephaly, with this latest finding published in the prestigious neuroscience journal Acta Neuropathologica in January 2024.

Lissencephaly: Rare but Severe, 300 Patients in Taiwan Face Significant Challenges

Lissencephaly is an infrequent brain developmental disorder, with only about 300 patients in Taiwan. In a normal brain, the surface has many folds called Gyrus, which is crucial for developing higher cognitive functions. However, in patients with lissencephaly, the gyrus is either underdeveloped or absent, resulting in a smoother brain surface.
 

MRI of Lissencephaly and Normal brain (photo from Chang Gung Memorial Hospital)

Dr. Meng-Han Tsai, Director of the Medical Research Department at KCGMH, stated that approximately 12 out of every million newborns are diagnosed with lissencephaly. These patients usually do not survive to adulthood and those who do have intellectual development comparable to that of an infant. They often suffer from severe developmental delays and intractable epilepsy. In the most severe cases, they cannot speak, swallow, or walk.

About 20 genes are known to cause lissencephaly, but approximately 20% of cases still have unidentified causes. During brain development, nerve cells must migrate to the cortex, which requires regulation by multiple genes. If these genes are abnormal, the nerve cells cannot move to the correct locations, leading to improper development of brain folds and lissencephaly.

 

NDEL1 Mutation Identified for the First Time, Advancing Brain Development Disorder Research

KCGMH has conducted long-term research on lissencephaly in Taiwan and discovered a patient with refractory epilepsy combined with lissencephaly. The patient exhibited abnormal development of the gyri in the posterior brain region, indicative of lissencephaly. Research revealed that the causative gene for this patient’s lissencephaly is NDEL1, a spontaneous mutation in the patient that was not inherited from either parent. This gene has never been previously associated with any human disease worldwide.

KCGMH collaborated with Professor Jin-Wu Tsai’s team at the Institute of Brain Science of NYCU. They confirmed that this gene affects brain development in mice using advanced genomic sequencing technology. The protein produced by this gene impacts the motor proteins within cells, leading to abnormal brain development.

Professor Jin-Wu Tsai stated that the discovery of new genes involved in human brain development disorders not only helps to elucidate the fundamental regulatory mechanisms in brain development but also provides further insights into children’s cognitive development and the functioning of the nervous system. This research finding will aid in speeding up the diagnosis of brain development disorders by physicians in the future and offer scientists a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying brain development.

This vital research will help accelerate the diagnosis of brain development disorders by physicians and explain why individuals without a family history may develop these conditions. In the future, it may also become a genetic marker for prenatal screening, reducing the incidence of these diseases. Scientifically, this discovery provides a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of human brain development and holds promise for developing drugs or gene therapies in the future.

Translated by Chance Lai
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How are human preferences formed? How do they change under the influence of external factors? These have long been focal points of scientific inquiry. The latest research, conducted by a team led by National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), Taipei Veterans General Hospital (TVGH), and New York University, has observed neural activities in different brain regions at the micrometer scale, unveiling the neural mechanisms behind preference formation and contextual influences. This groundbreaking research was published in the top international journal "Nature Communications."

Unprecedented Insight: Observing Human Brain Neuron Activity at Micrometer Scale

Professor Shih-Wei Wu from the Institute of Neuroscience at NYCU elucidates the groundbreaking nature of recent research, which has transcended the limitations of past studies by observing neural activities in the human brain at the micrometer scale. Unlike previous methodologies restricted to millimeter-scale observations, this study provides scientists with unparalleled detail of neural activity.

Traditionally, micrometer-scale neural activities could only be observed in the brains of laboratory animals through techniques such as neural electrophysiological recordings or calcium ion imaging.

The research team identified that preferences and the factors influencing them are governed by neural activities in regions like the brain's orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), insula, and hippocampus. Within these brain areas, different neural populations react differently, some solely reflecting current preference strengths, others exclusively responding to external contextual factors.

Moreover, a minority of neural populations exhibit simultaneous responses to both, indicating that the influence of contextual factors on preferences arises from the coordinated actions of functionally complementary neural populations adjacent to space.

Among the 166 different electrode points within the OFC, approximately 15% exhibited responses to current preferences, 9% responded to contextual preferences, and 5% simultaneously responded to both.
 

 

The research team utilized stereotactic electroencephalogram recordings of intracranial brain signals in treating epilepsy patients. The illustration depicts the electrode locations within the OFC 166, correlated with preference responses.

Deciphering Brain Activity: Insights from Stereotactic EEG

Dr. Hsiang-Yu Yu, a leading physician in the epilepsy team at TVGH, underscores the pivotal role of stereo electroencephalogram (sEEG) in diagnosing lesions in patients with refractory epilepsy. This method assists clinicians in delineating lesioned brain regions, enhancing surgical precision, and holds significant clinical and research implications.

Professor Shih-Wei Wu from the Institute of Neuroscience highlights the importance of understanding human preferences and decision-making across disciplines such as economics and psychology. Preferences reflect subjective experiences towards different stimuli, emphasizing the need to study individual uniqueness and laying the groundwork for interdisciplinary dialogues in neuroscience, economics, and psychology.

This study enhances our comprehension of human behavior and decision-making and provides a crucial foundation for future neuroscience research, promising to unravel more mysteries surrounding brain activity.
 

Translated by Hsuchuan
Edited by Chance Lai
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The powerful magnitude 7.2 earthquake on April 3 caused severe damage in Hualien and affected several tech plant buildings. However, some facilities quickly resumed operations, mainly due to the assistance provided by the Department of Civil Engineering and the Disaster Prevention and Water Environment Research Center (DPWE) at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU).

Since 2016, they have assisted semiconductor factories in developing and installing seismic-resistant devices for furnace pipes and warehouse systems. With years of promotion and implementation, these measures have demonstrated seismic resilience during this earthquake, effectively reducing damage and losses.

How Vibratory-Sensitive Process Equipment in Technology Factories Confront Earthquakes

Taiwan is in a seismic zone, rendering earthquakes an inevitable natural disaster. Consequently, seismic resilience becomes a critical issue for technology factories. The powerful magnitude 6.6 earthquake that struck Meinong, Kaohsiung, on February 6, 2016, severely impacted the high-tech industry in southern Taiwan, resulting in losses exceeding one hundred billion New Taiwan Dollars.

At that time, semiconductor factories commissioned the Department of Civil Engineering and the DPWE at NYCU to develop seismic-resistant technologies for vulnerable equipment, including vertical furnaces, automated warehousing systems, ceilings/floors, and carts/racks, which suffered significant damage during the earthquake. Through full-scale seismic simulation tests conducted in the Department's large-scale structural laboratory, the feasibility of these technologies was confirmed, gaining recognition from both tech plants and insurance companies and gradually being implemented throughout the facilities.

Professor Yen-Po Wang from the Department of Civil Engineering pointed out that many vibration-sensitive process equipment in tech plants are highly susceptible to damage during earthquakes. Among them, the protective measures for automated warehousing systems must be revised. The fully loaded wafer boxes on the racks can fall off when the earthquake intensity reaches a certain threshold.

"During the strong earthquake in 2016, the proportion of items falling was very high. It is estimated that sixty to seventy percent of the losses were due to items falling from the automated warehousing system."

However, installing energy dissipation and vibration control systems in automated warehousing systems can significantly reduce vibration responses, effectively preventing wafer boxes from falling off. This damping effect was fully validated during the earthquake on April 3rd.

In fact, after the earthquake in 2016, many manufacturers strengthened the seismic resilience of their factories. For example, the factory of Innolux Display Corp. is constructed with earthquake-resistant architecture, and once the shaking exceeds magnitude 3 to 4, the machines will automatically shut down. TSMC has also been gradually installing dampers. However, in addition to earthquake-resistant buildings, falling ceilings can also cause damage to equipment.

 

The Vulnerability and Seismic Improvement of Cleanroom Ceilings in Technology Factories

Professor Yen-Po Wang stated that wafer fabs rely on these enclosed systems for cleanliness. The ceilings of cleanrooms are part of a suspended system, swinging independently during earthquakes without synchronizing with the structural deformations of the building. This can lead to collisions and compressions around the perimeter, causing the displacement and deformation of the overhead crane rails and equipment. In severe cases, it may even collapse, contaminating the cleanroom. This not only delays the resumption of operations but also adds to the losses incurred due to operational interruptions.

In response to the seismic demands of cleanroom ceilings, the NYCU team assisted technology factories in installing energy dissipation and vibration control devices. They also completed seismic reinforcement projects for the cleanroom ceilings of a 12-inch wafer fab in the Hsinchu Science Park. These efforts demonstrated excellent seismic performance during the recent earthquake.

Looking back, the seismic damage patterns of technology factories in Taiwan have been remarkably similar over the years, and related vibration reduction technologies have matured and been rigorously tested by earthquakes. Professor Yen-Po Wang stated that given limited resources and time, it is possible to control significant sources of seismic damage and complement them with strategically planned industrial insurance coverage. This approach can significantly reduce the seismic risk of tech plants and enhance their seismic resilience.

The semiconductor industry has made Taiwan a globally renowned tech island. NYCU adapts to local conditions and tailors earthquake-resistant techniques according to different needs, aiming to improve seismic engineering in high-tech factories and become the most reliable support for safeguarding the Semiconductor industry.
 

In response to the seismic demands of cleanroom ceilings, the NYCU team assisted technology factories in installing energy dissipation and vibration control devices.

Translated by Elaine Chuang
Edited by Chance Lai
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The Semiconductor Division at Hon Hai Research Institute (HHRI) and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) have collaborated to develop a groundbreaking technology successfully - the "Novel Depth Sensing and Facial Recognition System." This achievement was recently published in the prestigious global journal ’Nano Letters.’ It was selected as the cover story for the February issue, highlighting the outstanding performance of NYCU's research on the international stage.

Innovative Depth Sensing and Facial Recognition Technology Ushers in a New Era of Smartphones
 

Comparisons were made between depth information generated by the research team's system (top row) and depth information obtained through the iPhone dot projector (bottom row).

Assistant Professor Yao-Wei Huang stated that this research achievement combines novel nanophotonic technology with human-machine interaction sensing techniques. It enables the miniaturization of depth sensing and facial recognition systems to approximately the width of three hair strands. In the future, it is expected that smartphone notches will be eliminated, facial unlocking will be more energy-efficient, and real technological challenges will be addressed.
 

Furthermore, the research also demonstrated the potential applications of effective small-scale, low-power imaging solutions in areas such as facial recognition, robotics, augmented reality, and mixed reality.
 

HHRI stated that the era of spatial computing has arrived. The future demand for depth sensing systems is expected to significantly increase compared to the common facial depth perception and recognition unlocking seen in today's smartphones. The system developed at this time is expected to become mainstream.

 

Research Achievements Garner High Attention and Global Recognition

The significant research achievement, titled "Metasurface- and PCSEL-Based Structured Light for Monocular Depth Perception and Facial Recognition," was published in the top global journal Nano Letters. It was also selected as the cover story for the February issue. Furthermore, it was chosen as a highlighted topic by the American Chemical Society (ACS) in February and featured in a spotlight news interview. These recognitions highlight the considerable attention and praise garnered by this achievement, marking a significant advancement in facial recognition technology.

Corresponding patent applications have been granted in Taiwan and China, with the United States patent application currently in progress. The successful outcome of this significant research underscores NYCU's leading position in technological innovation and injects new momentum into the development of Taiwan's technology industry.

This research was supported by Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., the Forward-looking Cooperation Project of the National Science and Technology Commission (Principal Investigator: Prof. Edward Yi Chang, Chair Professor of the International Semiconductor Industry College at NYCU; Co-Principal Investigators: Prof. Tien-Chang Lu, Chair Professor of the Department of Photonics at NYCU, and Prof. Chun-Hsiung Lin, International Semiconductor Industry College at NYCU), and the Youth Project Grant from the Ministry of Education.

The research team members include Assistant Professor Yao-Wei Huang (back row, left), Dr. Yu-Heng Hong (back row, right), and the first author, doctoral candidate Wen-Cheng Hsu.
 

 

Translated by Yen-Chien Lai
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Professor Ming-Chia Li's research team from the Department of Biological Science and Technology at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) collaborates with a multinational research team involving Associate Professor Tomoyasu HIRAI from Osaka University and Professor Teruaki Hayakawa from Tokyo Institute of Technology.

Together, they have successfully developed circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) technology, allowing control of light emission from green to blue by placing fluorescent molecules and solvents into spiral-shaped nano-glass containers. This innovative technology finds applications in 3D displays and quantum computing.

Building on Innovation: Advancements in Nano-Glass Technology through Molecular Design Synthesis and Helical Structures

Prof. Ming-Chia Li stated that this research is a continuation based on the findings from 2021. The team employed molecular design synthesis techniques, utilizing anionic polymerization reactions with active ions. This led to the development of three-dimensional regular polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) materials with side chains containing polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS). The team successfully produced quartz glass containers with nanoscale helical structures through high-temperature firing.

The study involves incorporating achiral fluorescent molecules and solvents into nano-glass containers. Mixing and adjusting the solvent ratios enables the free generation of circularly polarized luminescence from green to blue. This successful establishment of control over molecular ground states and the regulation of optical activity can serve as a technological foundation for applications in stereoscopic 3D displays, nano-drug carriers, and the field of quantum computing.

 

Shaping the Future: 'Controlling Circularly Polarized Luminescence' Emerges as a Global Scientific Sensation in JACS Au

This significant research achievement, titled 'Controlling Circularly Polarized Luminescence Using Helically Structured Chiral Silica as a Nanosized Fused Quartz Cell,' has been published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society ‘JACS Au.’

The innovative perspectives and breakthroughs in the study have garnered numerous views and downloads from researchers in the global scientific community over the past month. Not only has it become a highly-read article in the journal (MOST Read), but it was also selected as the cover story for the November issue of JACS Au.
 

Professor Ming-Chia Li's research team

By NYCU Elite
Edited by Elaine Chuang
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National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) has been deeply committed to advanced transistor technology research. The research team, led by Professor Po-Tsun Liu from the Department of Photonics at NYCU, has developed “Ultra High-Density Heterogeneous Complementary Field-Effect Transistor Technology” this year to challenge the next-generation technology goal of angstrom-scale integrated circuits. This achievement offers hope for the continuous improvement of the density of integration of chip circuits, and the research results have been published in the internationally renowned academic journal Advanced Science in 2023.

NYCU Leads the Way in Cutting-Edge Integrated Circuit Chip Technology with Ultra-High-Density Integration
 

This research is part of the 'Angstrom Semiconductor Initiative,' led by Professor Po-Tsun Liu in collaboration with Yushan Fellow of the Ministry of Education, Professor Yue Kuo from Texas A&M. The focus of the research encompasses three key areas: materials, electronic devices, and circuits. More specifically, the study has pioneered the development of complementary field-effect transistor technology (CFET), designed for the application of monolithic three-dimensional integrated circuits (M3D-ICs).

According to Prof. Liu, the exponential growth of the semiconductor industry has led to an increasing demand for high-performance chips with features such as high speed, high density of integration, and low power consumption. To address the challenges posed by the physical limits of miniaturization, the concept of M3D-ICs was proposed. This involves vertically stacking multiple layers of transistor devices within a limited area, potentially surpassing Moore’s Law.

In a recent project, a team of researchers from NYCU developed a novel nanometer-thick amorphous indium tungsten oxide (a-IWO) semiconductor channel layer. They successfully implemented a complementary inverter logic circuit by combining a novel N-type amorphous indium tungsten oxide transistor with a P-type polycrystalline silicon thin-film transistor (poly-Si TFT).
 

Professor Po-Tsun Liu discussed experimental data with the laboratory team.
 

The inverter circuit is renowned for its high voltage gain, low power consumption, and high noise margin. By employing a three-dimensional stacking structure, this circuit substantially reduces the area occupied by devices, thereby effectively enhancing the integration density of transistor devices and circuits.

In a recent study, the research team successfully integrated heterogeneous semiconductor channel materials, low-temperature polycrystalline silicon, and indium tungsten oxide channel transistors to create a CFET-based inverter circuit. This innovative development showcases the technology's potential applications in M3D-ICs.

"If we integrate this atomically thin oxide transistor with front-end-of-line devices for three-dimensional integrated circuit technology, it could boost the transistor density on the chip and enhance chip functionality to meet a variety of product applications. Additionally, it has the potential to advance semiconductor technology and further the trajectory of Moore’s Law," said Prof. Liu.

The three-dimensional integration technology of heterogeneous semiconductor devices enables CFET to achieve high voltage gain under low operating voltage. It is well-suited for various low-power consumption applications, such as AIoT intelligent networks, driver ICs, wearable electronics, display panels, and the metaverse-related industry chain. The CFET technology boasts higher energy efficiency, contributing to a low-carbon emission production chain, anticipating its future application in the semiconductor industry to realize the goal of a green semiconductor production chain.

Intensive Collaboration with Domestic and International Scholars and Industry

The NYCU faculty collaborates extensively with domestic and international scholars, industry partners, and government agencies to enhance research and development resources. Since 2020, Prof. Liu’s team has engaged in a forward-looking collaboration with TSMC, actively participating in the Joint Development Project (JDP) focused on advancing three-dimensional transistor technology. Additionally, they are involved in international collaborations with Professor Yue Kuo from Texas A&M University, Professor Peide Ye from Purdue University, and Academician Chenming Hu from the Academia Sinica.

Currently, a cross-university team, under the guidance of Prof. Liu, is executing two phases of the 'Angstrom Semiconductor Initiative.' This team primarily focuses on developing critical technologies for high-density integrated circuits in forward-looking Monolithic Three-dimensional Integrated Circuit (M3D-IC) technologies. The initiative aims to address pressing challenges in the production technology of angstrom-scale devices and circuits, striving to achieve the performance equivalent to the 2030 1-nm node in integration density and the cost of logic and memory circuits.

Professor Po-Tsun Liu from the Department of Photonics at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
 
International Research Collaboration: Bridging Students’ Gap Between Theory and Practice

Collaboration between on-campus faculty and industry is pivotal in advancing research and technology within the field. Moreover, it offers students valuable insights into the latest technological developments in the industry, effectively bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. Prof. Liu emphasizes, "This is why almost all graduate students from NYCU College of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) secure job opportunities with Taiwan’s semiconductor industry giants even before graduation."

Furthermore, he highlighted the university’s provision of financial support and diverse international exchange programs, encouraging students to capitalize on these opportunities. Participation in such programs, he noted, not only allows students to refine their communication skills and boost their confidence but also provides them with fresh knowledge that can inspire innovative ideas.

In his closing statements, Prof. Liu reiterated the profound significance of perseverance in research. Overcoming the inclination to 'give up' forms a sturdy foundation in academic pursuits and is the singular path to success in one’s studies.

Professor Po-Tsun Liu and the laboratory team

Translated by Yue-Ting, Luo
Edited by Elaine Chuang
National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
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Last week, Taiwan experienced continuous heavy rainfall across the island, leading to the risk of landslides, road erosion, and slope failures in mountainous regions. The fragmented geological conditions in Taiwan have made slope-related disasters increasingly frequent. Among these, rockfall disasters have garnered significant attention due to their high-speed impact on mountain roads, resulting in casualties and road closures.

In order to elucidate the impact of these disasters, a multidisciplinary research team consisting of Professor Meng-Chia Weng, Associate Professor Terry Y.P. Yuen, and Associate Professor Weian Chao from the Department of Civil Engineering, along with the collaboration from National Taiwan University, National Taipei University of Technology, National United University, and Sinotech Engineering Consultants Inc., has made significant breakthroughs in the analysis and prevention of rockfall disasters.

Significant Breakthroughs in the Analysis and Prevention of Rockfall Disasters

Their research provides valuable insights into the damage caused by fragmented geology and extreme weather in Taiwan. These research findings not only serve as a reference for the Second Maintenance Office of the Highway Bureau, MOTC but have also been published in the prestigious journal “Engineering Geology,” receiving high acclaim.

Professor Meng-Chia Weng stated that the rapid acquisition of disaster information regarding crucial transportation routes after slope disasters is an urgent research priority. This information is crucial for devising disaster rescue strategies and regulatory project designs. With support from the National Science and Technology Council’s “Disaster Prevention and Rescue Technology Innovation Service Project,” the research team has developed a system called the “Slope Disaster Information Integration and Assessment System” (GeoPORT System).

This system can swiftly integrate disaster data, including landslide locations, areas, scales, rainfall, and seismic intensity, and subsequently simulate the post-disaster impacts. It aims to offer rapid assessments for disaster prevention and rescue units and recommendations for subsequent remediation by supervisory authorities, ultimately reducing the societal and economic impacts.

The Analytical Approach can be Tailored to Specific Rockfall-prone Locations, Customizing Protective Measures to Align with the Type of Rockfall Encountered

Associate Professor Terry Y.P. Yuen expressed that following the massive boulder impact on the Tayun Bridge of the Central Cross-Island Highway in February 2022, the research team collaborated with highway authorities to conduct an exhaustive investigation at the disaster site. The research team utilized technology, including optical radar and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to collect geological and rockfall data on-site, proposing an innovative high-fidelity simulation analysis and method known as the Hybrid Discrete Element-Finite Element Method (Hybrid DEM-FEM).

This method enables a comprehensive reconstruction of the causes of rockfall disasters, the three-dimensional trajectories of falling rocks, and the impact energy on the bridges. The simulation results closely matched the observed rockfall paths and bridge damage patterns on-site. The entire process seems to resemble a detective’s meticulous process of reconstructing the incident based on on-site evidence.

Associate Professor Weian Chao further explained that unlike conventional rockfall impact force design methods, this analytical approach can be tailored to specific rockfall-prone locations, customizing protective measures to align with the type of rockfall encountered.

 

In Feb 2022 Tayun Bridge on the Central Cross-Island Highway was struck by massive boulder impactheavy rocks causing significant damage to the bridge and a complete traffic blockade. structure. This rare and significant disaster garnered public attention.

The Laser Systems Research Center of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) has been dedicated to laser technology research. With a focus on developing medical laser systems, our team leverages solid engineering techniques to deepen and broaden the application of laser systems in the field of healthcare. By creating innovative medical laser systems with a forward-looking approach, we strive to nurture postgraduate talents who possess a visionary perspective on laser technology in the industry, and have the capability to develop laser technology products. Our goal is to lead Taiwan’s laser technology industry into the international arena of medical laser technology, thereby establishing a mutually beneficial model of collaboration between the medical device industry and academia.

Artificial intelligence enabled electrocardiogram interpretation system

 

Artificial intelligence enabled electrocardiogram interpretation system

 

NYCU Laser System Research Center has pioneered an ophthalmic laser system using Stimulated-Raman-Scattering (SRS) technology. We inventively developed a top-efficient high-power dual-wavelength Nd:YVO4 self-Raman laser by using two different lithium triborate (LBO) crystals. Based on the same cavity configuration, a highly efficient NdYVO4/KGW cavity was also developed to generate Raman laser at 579 nm.In this cavity design, the Np-cut potassium gadolinium tungstate (KGW) crystal is specially coated to prevent the Stokes wave from propagating through the gain medium, and new output coupler with double-sided dichroic coating was to exterminate the leakage power of the Stokes wave to lead to a remarkable improvement for the output efficiency.

Laser System Research Center also provides regulatory supports to ensure the quality of the commercialization; ISO13485 design control process is in place; technical data is complete and sufficient for regulatory submissions; and animal study is to ensure the clinical evaluation. The goal is to bring the Multi-wavelengths Pattern Scanning Ophthalmic Laser System to be ready for sales with leading edge laser technology, revolutionary clinical innovation, and rigorous quality management control.

Did you know that precise control over light sources can open up new possibilities for scientific research and engineering applications? National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) develops world’s first device for continuous adjustment of spectral peaks and bandwidth, which can be widely applied in various pulsed laser systems.
 

 

Accurately manipulate the generation of light sources creates new possibilities for scientific research and engineering applications.
 

Research and Discovery

Assistant Professor Shih-Hsuan Chia from the Institute of Biophotonics, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), has developed a laser source device that can concurrently adjust the spectral location and bandwidth of pulsed light. This innovation greatly enhances the understanding of the interaction between light and matter and facilitates the practical application of this knowledge. Mr. Chia developed a device measuring approximately 2.5 cm3. The device can individually and continuously adjust the spectral peak and bandwidth by controlling the nonlinear effects (self-phase modulation) of optical fibers. It is the world’s first device to enable the arbitrary, individual, and continuous manipulation of spectral peaks and bandwidth. With this device, scientists can freely adjust the center frequency and bandwidth of short pulsed light sources and achieve pulse widths as short as 14 femtosecond (10−15 seconds).

Assistant Professor Shih-Hsuan Chia from the Institute of Biophotonics, NYCU, has developed a laser source device that can concurrently adjust the spectral location and bandwidth of pulsed light.

Limitations and Breakthrough

The application of optical technology in various fields provides numerous advantages. The ability to accurately manipulate the generation of light sources creates new possibilities for scientific research and engineering applications. In particular, a key aspect of this ability is the control of spectral locations and bandwidth. Nevertheless, this capability is limited by the types of luminescent materials that are used. Typically, spectral locations and bandwidth cannot be adjusted freely, and this limits the effect and potential of subsequent applications. This research achievement will have a positive influence on nonlinear spectral analysis and microscopy technology. The research team believes that this breakthrough will assist scientists in conducting more efficient studies of material properties and lead to further advancements in the practical application of light sources. 

Led by Liu Po-tsun, a Chair Professor from the Department of Photonics at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, a team conduct the National Science and Technology Council’s Angstrom Semiconductor Initiative in an international collaboration with Professor Kuo Yu at Texas A&M University in the U.S., who is also a Yushan Fellow. The team focused on innovations in materials, transistor devices, and circuits, leading to the development of a complementary field-effect transistor (CFET; Figure 1) specifically designed for use in M3D-ICs. They employed a novel semiconductor material called amorphous indium tungsten oxide (a-IWO) to achieve exceptional current performance in the channel with a thickness of only a few atomic layers. The CFET also exhibited high voltage gains in logic circuits, low static power at the pico-watt level, and a highly symmetric noise margin (see Figure 2). By successfully addressing the technological challenges associated with M3D-IC, the team’s novel material and technology proved comparable to the silicon-based transistor commonly used in the semiconductor industry today.

The technological advancements achieved through this research hold significant application value for next-generation Angstrom-level integrated circuits; it facilitates the integration of heterogeneous semiconductor chips that contain high densities of transistors, while achieving high device performance with low power consumption. This milestone represents a significant breakthrough for the semiconductor industry beyond the scope of Moore’s law. The research finding has also been published in the prestigious journal Advanced Science (p. 2205481, Jan. 2023. Impact Factor: 17.52, FWCI: 3.32).

Figure 1. The vertically stacked CFET structure for use in M3D-ICs to facilitate the manufacturing of advanced semiconductor chips with ultra-high densities of circuits.

Figure 2. The performance of an inverter comprised of three-dimensional vertically stacked CFET at various operating bias voltages: (a) low-bias-voltage transfer characteristics, (b) high-voltage gains (~ 152V/V), (c) ultralow static power consumption at the pico-watt level, and (d) highly symmetric noise margin (~80%).

Professor Sheu stated that reverse osmosis is currently the mainstream seawater desalination technology, which requires a motor to pressurize seawater to pass through the reverse osmosis membrane, thereby separating salt from seawater. Although the technology is feasible, it requires a large amount of electricity and equipment, rendering it difficult to achieve economies of scale. Using amyloid to filter seawater demonstrates a new direction for effective and energy-saving seawater desalination using biomimetic nanomaterials.
 

The research team theoretically estimated that a filtering membrane composed of a 10 ×10 cm2 amyloid nanotube could produce 2.5 tons of fresh water per day, which is 200 times more than the amount of fresh water produced using the existing reverse osmosis method.

Professor Sheu stated that the sheet-like structure formed by amyloid can automatically guide water molecules. In addition, by changing one amino acid in the structure to a charged one and increasing the nanotube’s hydrophilic potential, the efficiency of separating water molecules and salt ions can be enhanced. The experimental results allow the scientific field to understand the automatic transmission mechanism of biomimetic materials and an effective and energy-saving method of seawater desalination.

Professor Sheu pointed out that climate change has intensified the crisis of water resource shortage. This biomimetic nanomaterial not only demonstrates that the one-way diffusion of water molecules can occur on the nanoscale protein surface but also provides a new candidate material and research direction for future development of a seawater desalination mechanism that features high-yield, low-energy consumption, and low-carbon emission.

Among the top 20 most influential compounds identified by Dr. Wang, more than half were associated with agriculture. The research team further examined propyzamide, a type of herbicide commonly used to remove weeds in sports venues and gardens, by conducting in vitro and in vivo experiments. They confirmed that this compound disturbs dioxin receptors that maintain intestinal stability and induces immune responses associated with T cells and dendritic cells, causing the deterioration of IBD.

Propyzamide decomposes slowly when used on plants; after 50 days, 60% of the compound can remain on plants. Consequently, individuals who frequent grass sports fields or gardens are at risk of being exposed to propyzamide. Dr. Wang stated that the research team is currently developing nanoparticles and probiotics to alleviate IBD caused by herbicides.

This research project involves interdisciplinary efforts between dry labs and wet labs. In general, dry labs focus on the use of computer simulation, whereas wet labs mainly conduct conventional biochemistry analysis. In the current research collaboration between Taiwan and the United States, the NYCU research team mainly uses big data from relevant databases to create disease prediction models. The Harvard research team, led by Dr. Francisco Quintana, then verifies the models by using conventional laboratory techniques and large samples.

Dr. Wang noted that interdisciplinary research is a common and crucial approach in biomedicine. It has been prevalently applied in the research of various diseases. Bioinformatics involves the use of big data analysis to quickly identify potential treatment methods, which are then verified through laboratory experiments. This in turn reduces the substantial human resources, time consumption, and costs that are otherwise needed in conventional biological research. The finding of the research team received the attention of Nature because it identified an environmental factor of IBD and demonstrated the viability of combining bioinformatics with in vitro and in vivo experiments through interdisciplinary collaboration.

 

 

 

The speed of aging can be altered by environmental factors and is an inevitable part of our lives. Hsu said that an appropriate practice of dietary restriction promotes cellular repair because under a condition with insufficient resources (e.g., dietary restriction), cells prioritize repair over reproduction regarding the use of resources for survival.

In Hsu’s laboratory, nematodes are the main animal used for testing. They are the top choice of animal for aging research because they are nonparasitic, live in soil, have a shorter lifespan compared with mammal animals such as mice, reproduce in large numbers within their limited lifespan, and have similar key genes to humans. This research is a joint effort between NYCU and Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute. The research team also includes Tsui-Ting Ching, an associate professor at NYCU Institute of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, and Chiao-Yin Lim, the first author and a PhD student at NYCU Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The research is published on Autophagy, an international journal.

[1] A histone is a protein that provides structural support for a chromosome.
[2] Methylation is a biochemical reaction. The methylation of proteins inhibits or affects gene expression and is the foundation of epigenetics.

Professor Yi-Hsuan Lee of Institute of Physiology, NYCU—a leading researcher of this project—said that inflammation activates the HPA, enabling the Fkbp51 protein transcribed from the Fkbp5 gene to overexpress, initiating a series of molecular mechanisms including more GABA-synthesizing enzyme-GAD65 in ventral hippocampus neurons to inhibit neural activity, which stabilizes emotions. However, knockout of the Fkbp gene prevents the molecular pathway to function normally as a mood stabilizer, leading to anxiety. 

Dr. Ming-Chyi Huang from the Department of Psychiatry of Taipei City Hospital, Songde Branch, who is also a research team member of this project, said that ventral hippocampus neurons have been proven to exhibit more GABA nerve conduction, which is helpful in the combat against inflammation-induced anxiety, but ineffective in treating other types of anxiety. This study provides a new rationale for the diagnosis and treatment of mood disorders after recovery from inflammation-related diseases.

Cytokine storm caused by COVID-19 infection are one of the reasons for the inflammatory response. Although the relationship between Fkbp5 gene and long COVID-induced anxiety requires further investigation, the study has initially revealed the molecular mechanism of Fkbp5 gene in inflammation-induced anxiety.

Research team members are Ph.D. student Yu-Ling Gan, master’s student Rong-Heng He, postdoctoral research fellow Chen-Yu Wang, and Professor Hui-Ching Lin of the Institute of Physiology, as well as Professor Hsin-Hsien Yeh of the Brain Research Center and Professor Jiuan-Jeng Chung of the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology. The findings have been published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation.

 

Ta-Chih Hsiao, the leading researcher of this project and a professor at NTU Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, suggested that pm is harmful to the human body because human cells can be damaged when an excessive amount of active oxygen species from such matter accumulates in the cells, which is commonly known as free radical accumulation. According to the research, secondary inorganic aerosols, black carbon, and metals in pm were all possible causes of oxygen oxidative potential increase.

Kai-Hsien Chi, who was responsible for analyzing the components and toxicity of pm in the research and a professor at NYCU Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, pointed out that the measured mass concentration of pm failed to reveal the holistic picture of its risks and that the correlation between the mass concentration and cellular oxidative potential was weak. PM may exhibit the same mass concentration across regions, but the components can vary. A further investigation into the cellular oxidative potential of pm components is required to provide more air quality information. 

NTU and NYCU research team will introduce the concept of cellular oxidative potential into the current monitor system and try to establish a next-generation air quality evaluation method which is expected to understand the real air quality for citizens and help the government develop precise and effective pollution control policy.

The feces of patients with HCC mainly consist of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes at phylum level. In the feces of patients whose tumor worsened by immunotherapy, Professor Huang’s research team found mostly Prevotella 9 (under phylum Bacteroidetes ). By contrast, in the feces of patients who responded favorably to immunotherapy, the research team found mostly Lachnoclostridium and Veillonella (under the phylum Firmicutes). In addition, the research team discovered that the abundance of the Lachnoclostridium in the feces was correlated with their secondary bile acid concentration.

Overall, in patients with good gut microbiota, their liver tumors responded significantly more favorably to immunotherapy, and the patients had higher survival rates. Statistical predictions indicated that in the best-case scenario, patients with more Lachnoclostridium and less Prevotella 9 in their feces had a median overall survival of 22.8 months.

Professor Huang noted that the human gut contains trillions of bacteria. These bacteria are closely related to nutrition, metabolism, immunity, and other bodily functions. Studies have reported that in addition to predicting the treatment response of immunotherapy on liver cancer, gut microbiota can regulate the effects of immunotherapy on melanoma, certain lung cancers, and kidney cancer.

Although the effects of gut microbiota on cancer therapy remain inconclusive, some studies have discovered that Lachnoclostridium features anti-inflammatory potential, and that Prevotella 9 is associated with inflammatory imbalances. These reasons may attribute to why gut microbiota have an effect on immunotherapy effectiveness.

Doctor Pei-Chang Lee, a member of Professor Huang’s research team and an attending physician of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, remarked that both Taiwan and the Asia-Pacific region have high HCC prevalence rates. Thus, the results of this study will help clinicians predict, using a noninvasive method, the tumor responses and survival prognoses of patients with liver cancer during immunotherapy. This enables clinicians to provide patients with more precise HCC treatment and lower their mortality rates. 

Although the correlation between gut microbiota and cancer treatment has already been discovered in the field of science, such as the effects of Bifidobacterium and Ruminococcaceae on the immunotherapy treatment results of melanoma (as confirmed in animal and human experiments), the present study is the first made on the correlation between gut microbiota and HCC immunotherapy. The study has won the recognition as the best study in the 2022 European Association for the Study of the Liver (category: liver cancer) and been published in Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, an internationally renowned journal.

Different from the traditional glass or plastic fiber optics, spider silk exhibits a high tensile strength, transmits light waves, and, for its high biocompatibility, is suitable for the human body. The research and development team led by professor Liu collaborated with Taipei Medical University and the Taiwan Instrument Research Institute of National Applied Research Institute to obtain natural spider silk from living spiders. Photocurable resin was used to stabilize the structure of the spider silk before a thin gold nanolayer was deposited on the surface of cured silk by using glancing-angle sputtering to enhance the spider silk fiber optic’s sensitivity to sugar. Finally, a visible fiber optic sensor with a diameter similar to that of human hair was fabricated.

Based on the optical physical principles of surface plasmon resonance, scientists can calculate the refractive index of different types of sugar on metals, thereby determining changes in the sugar concentration. This fiber optic sensor developed by Liu has been verified through experiments to maintain its sensitivity at the same level within one year and to function normally at room temperature and human body temperature.

In fact, the research and development team have tried using two or three spider breeds and also spiders they found on the campus in their experiments in order to obtain suitable materials. However, silks from these spiders all exhibit substandard quality. They had experimented with different spider silks before they settled on N. pilipes as the source of silk. To ensure the quality of spider silk, the team also learned to keep spiders and designed an appropriate silk collection method.  

Ms. E said that she was afraid of N. pilipes because of its large size and the human face–like pattern on its back and that the silk collection process was frightening to the team because the spider was not easy to keep under control and was always running around during the process. For the making of spider silk fiber optics, the team experimented with various types of resins and metals, including gold, silver, and copper. The team also had a chance to meet owners of a reptile shop and resin businesses during the process, which was an unexpected reward to them.

Liu indicated that patients with diabetes need to measure their glucose before and after every meal; therefore, a glucose sensor that is suitable for long-term use in the human body and offers real-time, accurate glucose measurement can obviate the hustle the patients face and achieve the goal of precision medicine; consequently, this sensor can benefit an even wider population of patients with chronic diseases.
 

This achievement is owed to the joint effort of NYCU, researchers Chen Wei-chun and Chen Che-chin at the Taiwan Instrument Research Institute of National Applied Research Institute, and professor Cheng Chia-hsiung at Taipei Medical University. The research outcome will be published in the September issue of Biomedical Optics Express this year as the editor’s pick.

Prof. Lin explained that cerebral white matter deteriorates with age, and as it degenerates, it becomes diseased, which can lead to cognitive impairment, dementia, and other diseases in older adults. If the degree of brain nerve aging can be measured, potential cerebrovascular lesions and risks can be effectively identified.

Prof. Lin reported that a person’s age is not completely equivalent to their brain’s biological age because each person’s genes, diet, education, and living habits are different. This results in differential aging processes; two people of the same age may have different degrees of brain aging. Prof. Lin also reported that because cerebral neuropathy is most often associated with cerebrovascular diseases, people whose cerebrovascular age is higher than their actual age are usually at a higher risk of the diseases that accompany old age.

Prof. Lin’s research team also analyzed the risk of cardiovascular disease after 10 years by using the Flemingheim Cardiovascular Disease Risk Assessment System, which has been applied in various countries. Prof. Lin reported in the study that the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the following 10 years is 5% higher in older adults whose white matter age is higher than their actual age. However, Prof. Lin specified that the inferences of his study were based on a healthy population. For populations with cardiovascular disease or a risk of hypertension, hyperglycaemia, and hyperlipidaemia, further model correction and evaluation may be required. He added that the trained artificial intelligence models are relatively new, and longer-term geriatric tracking data would lead to more accurate inferences in the future.

Dr. Chung reported that cerebral white matter hyperintensity is the most common symptom of cerebral small vessel disease, which is responsible for 30% of strokes and 45% of dementia cases in the older population. The incidence and severity of cerebral white matter hyperintensity are proportional to a person’s age. However, in clinical practice, clinicians lack a set of objective clinical assessment criteria independent of actual age. For middle-aged and older adults who have not yet developed obvious symptoms, making objective clinical judgments regarding white matter lesion severity and future prognoses is difficult. Dr. Chung reported that the research team’s study can assist in understanding the correlation between cerebrovascular physiological age and cognitive function as well as reveal the associations between cardiovascular risk indicators—such as diastolic blood pressure, systolic blood pressure, and pulse pressure—and glycated hemoglobin. In addition to enabling effective prediction of the risk of cardiovascular disease and mental deterioration associated with cerebrovascular aging, the results of the study have clinical value in that they can be used in predicting cerebrovascular physiological age.

Prof. Lin reported that in previous estimations of brain aging and brain age, brain volume was used as a basis for assessing brain tissue atrophy and related cognitive deterioration. However, assessments of cerebrovascular disease risk were deficient. Prof. Lin believes that his research team’s breakthrough findings can be applied to more than simple assessments of people’s current cerebrovascular health. For Taiwan, which is moving toward a super-aged society, the research findings can be used to assess the risk of cardiovascular disease in Taiwanese individuals or applied in clinical practice as a means of evaluating the effectiveness of treatment for aging diseases.

Figure 1: a. Crystal structure of CePdAl. b. Upper left:  schematic representation for generating a composite holon (χ): a holon χ is generated by creating a spinon (f, orange arrow) and annihilating a conduction electron (ψ) through the Kondo interaction vertex. Upper right: schematic plot of a RVB spin-singlet bond. Bottom: Schematic plot of the gapless strange metal spin-liquid phase. c. Schematic phase diagram in terms of g, 𝜅, and T of our model, where g = JK/JH is defined as the ratio of the Kondo coupling JK and the Heisenberg coupling JH. d. Schematic representations of the Kondo effect and the RKKY interaction with TK being Kondo scale. e. T-matrix (proportional to electron scattering rate and electrical resistivity) as a function of dimensionless temperature T/TK (TK being the Kondo temperature). Inset shows scaling of T-matrix. f. Specific heat coefficient as a function of T/TK.

[1] Jiangfan Wang, Yung-Yeh Chang and Chung-Hou Chung, A mechanism for the strange metal phase in rare-earth intermetallic compounds, (PNAS), Volume 119(10) e2116980119 March 1, 2022. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2116980119  (2022).
[2] H. Zhao et al., Quantum-critical phase from frustrated magnetism in a strongly correlated metal. Nat. Phys. 15, 1261–1266 (2019).

In addition, Prof. Lin thinks that virus infects the host cells through the respiratory system. Using GMI to directly protect the respiratory tract could be more effective to prevent the virus infection. Therefore, GMI was inhaled to the lung respiratory tract of mice by a “nebulized inhalator (霧化吸氣性)”. The findings showed that the aerosol treatment could reduce the expression of ACE2 in the lung of mice, suggesting that the aerosol treatment of GMI could provide a novel strategy to prevent the COVID-19.

The research team found that GMI not only interfered with the virus binding to the host cells but also reduced the virus infection. This finding has won the gold medallion award of the Moscow International Salon of Inventions and Innovative Technologies ARCHIMEDES competition. Currently, the SARS-CoV-2 virus is still mutating continuously. Using the scientific-based evidence to identify the safe ingredients by Chinese pharmacopoeia could be a complementary epidemic prevention strategy.

The research team also emphasized that during the epidemic outbreak, GMI could be used for daily health care as a dietary supplement, while more clinical and basic research are still required to confirm its efficacy. Therefore, it is recommended that people should follow the government policies or consult doctors to prevent COVID-19.

 

 

 

To investigate the scientific mechanisms of this concoction, ITM Professor Fu Shu-ling, ITM Associate Professor Lin Tung-yi, and Department and Institute of Pharmacology Associate Professor Ping Yueh-hsin formed a research team and conducted animal experiments. The experimental results showed that by feeding the animals the concoction for two days, their in vivo ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expressions dropped significantly. Because the proteins on the membranes of the two cells are receptors where coronaviruses and cells bond, decreasing such expressions reduces the opportunities for coronaviruses to successfully bond with cells, effectively preventing infection of host cells.
Medication via steam where drugs are absorbed by nasal cavities via steam is a common practice in traditional Chinese medicine. Such a practice allows drugs to be quickly transferred to nasal cavities and lungs, ameliorating cold symptoms. Accordingly, the research team administered the concoction to lab rats via steam. The results showed that said medication method also lowered the ACE2 protein expression significantly in the rats’ lungs, confirming the feasibility of inhalation dosing.

During the cell experiments, the research team also found that in addition to decreasing the opportunities for coronaviruses to bond with cells, the concoction inhibited coronavirus replication.

The research team stated that despite COVID-19 continuing to mutate, the use of traditional Chinese medicine to reduce and weaken the virus may serve as an auxiliary infection-prevention method. Said medicine, which is safe and effective, offers the public a novel COVID-19-prevention strategy.

However, the research team emphasized that the concoction cannot replace COVID-19 vaccines. Professor Hsu Chung-hua said that the concoction is used to weaken and attenuate the virus, serving as an auxiliary means of protection and an additional COVID-19-prevention strategy. He further underlined that the concoction requires a medical prescription by traditional Chinese medicine doctors, that more clinical and basic research is needed to verify the effectiveness of the concoction, and that people should consult professional doctors if they would like to learn more about the concoction.

This research was made possible because of the NYCU team and support from the Ministry of Science and Technology, confirming the feasibility of traditional Chinese medicine and allowing the “coronavirus-clearing concoction” to be published in the renowned pharmacology journal Frontiers in Pharmacology.

Subsequently, the research team used CRISPR/Cas13a RNA editing technology to reduce the expression of C190 and found that it reduced the differentiation and migration of cancer cells, and even inhibited their growth, either in vivo or in vitro. The discovery reconfirms the role of the C190 gene in lung cancer and shows that gene therapy combined with RNA editing technology can be used as an innovative cancer treatment worthy of further development.

Professor Shih-Hwa Chiou, the principal investigator of this study, noted that circRNA is a type of RNA that was deemed as a by-product of RNA transcription with no main function, a view that has been overturned by recent research. Professor Chiou stated that the TVGH–NYCU team has detected, in their past research, more C190 manifestations in the blood of patients with terminal lung cancer; the presence of C190 implies poor treatment outcomes. C190 is closely related to tumor size, depth of invasion, metabolism, and survival rate.

This study unprecedentedly combined gene therapy with RNA editing technology to eliminate oncogenic circRNA C190. Unlike targeted drugs that block EGFR, RNA editing can directly target key genes to block cancer cell signaling.

This study was published in Cancer Research in February of 2022. The first author, Afeez Adekunle Ishola, a student in the Taiwan International Graduate Program organized by Academia Sinica, obtained a Ph.D. in Molecular Medicine from NYCU and Academia Sinica earlier this year. This shows that the TVGH–NYCU team highly values international research talent. The research team has received support from the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Education through the Higher Education Sprout Project and has worked with National Institutes of Health and other agencies in the United States to achieve multinational research cooperation, thereby increasing the international visibility of Taiwan’s research results.

 

 

Researchers in the System-on-Chip (SoC) Research Center and Institute of Electronics at NYCU have recently announced a programmable biochip based on standard CMOS process. Different from conventional approaches, this innovative semiconductor biochip provides basic functional modules, such as location sensing, microfluidic operations, temperature control, etc. As a result, bioprotocols for any target sample tests can be derived to achieve automation with less test time and test cost, making this biochip very suitable for emerging applications, such as fast polymerse chain reaction (PCR) tests and cell quality assurance in cell therapy.

Based on the experience in smart sensing circuit designs, the capacitive sensing mechanism has been exploited in this biochip to identify and locate both sample and reagent are placed on top of the biochip. In addition, permittivity difference from different materials can be easily identified by this biochip by adjusting sampling phase. As a result, this biochip can be used for anti-body and anti-gen tests in a very efficient way. In addition, bit-plane images collected from different sampling phases can be acculumated to form 3D profiling of samples. This technique, named cell tomography, can be applied for cells’ quality check to idendify which cell or cell cluster are qualified for further cultivation in cell production. Both spatial resolution and temperal resolution can be further enhanced with the proposed biochip to cover more cell-biology applications.

 

 

Microfluidic operations play key important role in bio-experiments using conventional lab-on-a-chip solutions. Researchers at NYCU have also integrated several microfluidic operations (e.g. cutting, mixing, merging, moving, etc) into this biochip based on electrowetting on dieletric (EWOD) mechanism. Thanks to the novel micro-electrode-dot-array (MEDA) architecture, microchannels demanded for different sample tests can be easily programmed on top of the biochip. Combining with the location sensing capability mentioned above, feedback loop control can be applied to monitor the droplet test procedure. Since the biochip can be programmed to meet the requirements of different sample tests, not only bio experiments can be speed up but also contamination failure can be largely reduced. Part of the design automation of this biochip has been in collaboration with Prof. Krishnendu Chakrabarty from Duke University since 2015.

 

 

Temperature or thermal cycle control is another important factor for medical tests, especially in PCR applications. Researchers at NYCU have integrated heating sources using digital control patterns to control temperature profile in a very efficient way with the same CMOS process technology. Preliminary measurement results demonstrate that temperature change rate can be higher than 50C/sec. Combining with location sensing and microfluidic operations mentioned above, both single sample and multi-sample can be easily handled on top of the biochip. Note that precise heating regions can be well identified to meet thermal cycle requirement and achieve better energy-efficiency when batttery-operated devices are considered.

 

 

The above mentioned functions can be programmed via 2D digital patterns on the biochip, leading to a possibility of test automation based on bioprotocols dervied from target sample test procedures in the very near future. Prof. Chen-Yi Lee, the team leader, highlights that there will be more research opportunities ahead when multi-diciplinary teams are working tightly togeter. Of course, the research outcome will benefit our soceity and pave a way to better life with the current/on-going invention and solutions.

(For more information, please contact the author via cylee@nycu.edu.tw)

Solar Tracking PV system

 

 

We have been investigating solar tracking photovoltaic system for the house, especially from the manufacture in Taiwan. Among many companies, we have paid attention to Neo Solar Power Corporation, the industry leading PV manufacturer in Taiwan. The highest efficiency panel from Neo Solar Power, Black19+, archives 19.4% efficiency, which allows fewer panels for meeting energy harvesting requirement for the competition. Combining with solar tracking system, we focus our research and development on low energy consumption system type to produce the maximum electricity during the day.

Apart from this, Delta Electronics offers the most energy efficient PV inverters which is up to 98.7% efficiency. Based on our experience in SDME 2018, Delta’s BESS system works well during competition. Our design team will work with Neo Solar Power and Delta Electronics research team closely to develop the most efficient solar tracking PV system for the house. The PV system is not only the prime power generator, but also the key element for the architectural aesthetic.

After the SDME 2018 competition, we continually develop the solar tracking PV system. Scale down our prototype in to a container size. Located in several space such as park, plaza, for public as a living lab.

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Vertical Farming

 

 

 

 

We have seen the realization of vertical farms among high rise buildings. If this type of vertical agricultural productions come to be materialized, perhaps it would be able to provide human beings with sufficient amount of food, bringing land back to nature and enabling the health of city dwellers.

We improve our Orchid House project after the competition in SDE 2014. A modularized green wall, form into cross-shape units by durable material. Combine with the Drip Irrigation System, which reuse the reclaimed water and raindrop, and consider the penetration of air and light. The soil is mixture of eco-friendly artificial soil and Taiwan’s latest developed glass soil.

Microclimate Controlling Core

 

 

 

 

Through Peltier technology, MCC Core can collect water from the air without using batteries or current inverter. By using photovoltaic panels, MCC Core can cool downs the aluminum blocks’ temperature below ambient dew point, making water condense on its surface. Also, if the air is relatively clean, the water generated from MCC Core can be used as drinking water as well.

The Peltier element has a regular temperature difference between the outer “hot” side and the inner “cool” side. The more the hot side releases its heat – the more cooling potential is realized in the cool side.

The MCC Core can provide hot and cool water to Hydronic Radiant System. It refers to temperature-controlled surfaces that exchange heat with their surrounding environment through convection and radiation. It’s useful to reduce the household energy demand.

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Eco-friendly Tectonics

We have rich experiences in the latest eco-friendly materials research and construction design. In our recently project: Taiwan Exhibition in Venice Biennale Architecture Exhibition 2016, we used a new eco-friendly material nPulp, which is made from stalks, to build our exhibition space. We will use it in SDE21 project, is a great opportunity for us to further test our researches in a new house. This increases the chances of these materials being commercialized in the coming future, allowing more people to adopt eco-friendly materials in their constructions.

Different metal elements and their association with gallstone and gallbladder cancer

 

 

A research team led by Professor Kung-Hwa Wei, in the Materials Science & Engineering Department of NYCU had used a novel approach involving controlling molecule diffusion at the interface of sequentially deposited (SD) p-type and n-type materials layers to achieving a pseudo p-i-n, as opposed to conventional bulk heterojunction (BHJ), active layer for semitransparent organic photovoltaics (St-OPVs); the objectives are (i) providing St-OPVs with both high power conversion efficiency (PCE) and high visible light transmission (VLT) for simultaneous power generation and photosynthesis that are difficult to achieve with devices having conventional BHJ active layers because of severe trade-off occurring between PCE and VLT and (ii) flexible and light St-OPVs that can be incorporated into green houses and building without requiring large land uses, particularly favorable for high population-densities countries.

For example, semitransparent organic photovoltaics were fabricated having the structure of glass/ITO/PEDOT:PSS/(D:A for BHJ; D/A for SD)/ZnO nanoparticles (NP)/Au/Ag. For the SD architecture, a solution of the PBDB-T-2F was spin-coated on the PEDOT:PSS layer to form the front layer, and then a solution of the Y6 was spin-coated onto the surface of the donor layer, followed by thermal deposition of a 1- and a 15-nm thick Au and Ag layer as the anode.

Semitransparent organic photovoltaics of polymer (PBDB-T-2F)/small molecule (Y6) with active layer thickness of 115, 100 and 85nm were prepared. The results show the SD device and BHJ device provide (i) the champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 12.91% (visible light transmission (VLT) of 14.5%) and 12.77% (VLT of 13.4%), respectively, at 115 nm; (ii) the champion PCE of 12.73% (VLT of 18.3%) and 12.17% (VLT of 15.2%), respectively, at 100 nm; (iii) the champion PCE of 12.22% (VLT of 22.2%) and 11.23% (VLT of 16.6%), respectively, at 85 nm. The slopes for the visible light transmissions (VLTs) vs. active layer thickness (T) curves for the cases of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) and sequential deposition (SD) devices are 0.11 and 0.26, respectively, indicating the increase in VLTs of the SD devices are more sensitive to the reduction in the active layer thickness. The ratios of dPCEBHJ/dVLTBHJ and dPCESD/dVLTSD are 0.45 and 0.08, respectively, implying a larger trade-off between the power conversion efficiencies and the visible light transmissions for the devices with bulk heterojunction active layer than that for the devices with pseudo p-i-n active layer structure. (Adv. Energy Mater., 2021, 11, (13), 2003576). The direct evidence of p-i-n active layers be found in the (a) Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectra and (b) X-ray Photoelectron spectra (XPS) that show a gradient concentration distribution of a n-type material across the layer, while the BHJ structure having an almost constant concentration of a n-type material. The detailed structure of the active layer was determined with small angle X-ray scattering as shown in the Front cover inside figure (Adv. Energy Mater., 2021, 11, (13), 2003576).
 

 

 

The impacts of this study in the field are (i) a first psuedo p-i-n active layer structure with tunable light absorption for semitransparent organic photovoltaics having both high power conversion efficiency and high visible light transmission and (ii) low-weight and flexible devices being developed; these contributions are important for the green houses and buildings applications that require visible light transmission for photosynthesis and infrared light absorption for suitable power generation. As opposed to conventional silicon solar cells that require large land areas for installations and wirings for electric transport, flexible and light semitransparent organic photovoltaics not only can be fitted into green houses or existing buildings that allows power generation and enough visible light transmission for photosynthesis for agriculture purposes that will also reduce CO2 emission.

 

 

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Precision Farming by AgriTalk

 

 

AgriTalk provides precision farming by allowing the farmer to automatically and remotely manage the irrigation and the pest control systems. AgriTalk includes several agriculture IoT devices (Fig. 2 (1) and (2)) connected to the control boards called “AgriCtls” (Fig. 2 (3) and (4)). An AgriCtl board is an Arduino microcontroller board that controls the connected IoT devices. An AgriCtl board connected to the sensors is called SensrCtl (sensor control board; Fig. 2 (3)). In the cloud, the AgriTalk server (Fig. 2 (5)) including the IoTtalk engine (Fig. 2 (6)) and the AgriGUI (Fig. 2 (7)) is deployed to configure the IoT devices with analytical capabilities, in-built accounting/reporting features, and powerful dashboards/controls that can be accessed remotely through smartphones (Fig. 2 (8) and (9)). To develop IoT-based precision farming, it is essential to select appropriate sensors and actuators. Depending on the crops to be grown, the types of information to be collected determine the IoT devices to be deployed. The quality of the IoT devices is critical to the accuracy of the collected data and its reliability. Several IoT devices are utilized in AgriTalk, including the weather station and the soil sensors for precision monitoring, and the cultivation actuators for irrigation, pest control and fertilization. Although we have developed these IoT devices, AgriTalk can flexibly accommodate commercial IoT devices if they have better performance and/or lower prices.

Biomedical Electronics Translational Research Center (BETRC)

Biomedical Electronics Translational Research Center (BETRC) at NYCU established in 2004 focuses on researches and developments of implantable medical electronic systems using System-on-a-Chip (SoC) technology and biocompatible materials, especially for close-loop neuromodulation for the treatment of neurological diseases through electrical voltage/current stimulations. The mission and vision of this BETRC include (1) to treat the intractable neurological disorders by conducting inter-disciplinary researches to develop multi-disciplinary technology platform, (2) to explore the frontier of neural sciences, and (3) to incubate the start-up companies on neural prosthetic devices. The technologies for biomedical devices and diagnosis equipment require many semiconductor chips and biomaterials can be developed or manufactured in Taiwan with strong industrial support. Fig. 1 illustrates the relationship of medical applications and technology platforms in the BETRC. The group photo of research team in BETRC is shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 1. Integration of medical applications and technology platforms in BETRC.
 

There were five project teams in BETRC working on the following topics: (1) Photovoltaic – powered subretinal prostheses for patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), (2) Closed-loop epileptic seizure control systems for patients with epilepsy or dementia , (3) Bone-guided cochlear prostheses for patients with high-frequency hearing loss, (4) Closed-loop Parkinson deep brain stimulation (DBS) system for Parkinson’s disease (PD), and (5) EEG(electroencephalogram)-tDCS(transcranial direct-current stimulation) system for neurological rehabilitation of stroke patients. Moreover, the BETRC invites partner universities to form the integrated engineering-biomedical joint research platform in Taiwan. The BETRC center also promotes international collaborations with worldwide top research centers, institutions, and enterprises.
 

The research projects have been partially supported by “the Aim for Top University Project” of the Ministry of Education (MoE), Taiwan from 2006-2015 and “the Featured Areas Research Center Program within the framework of the Higher Education Sprout Project” of MoE since 2015. Moreover, partial long-term supports are also from the National Science Council (NSC) and later the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), as well as the National Chiao Tung University (Now the National Yang-Ming Chiao-Tung University).

In 2013, the research work on the closed-loop epileptic seizure control SoC was published at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) and awarded by the ISSCC 2013 Distinguished Technical Paper Award. In 2016, a start-up company called A-Neuron Electronic Corp. was established by transferring the technologies of BETRC on Photovoltaic-powered subretinal prostheses and closed-loop epileptic seizure control systems. The teams at A-Neuron Electronic Corp. will commercialize the technologies into two major medical products.

Fig. 3 shows the chip photographs of both closed-loop epileptic seizure control SoC and its external control system fabricated by 0.18-µm CMOS process technology [3]. The highlighted key achievements of SoC includes a low-noise ECoG (Electrocorticography) acquisition unit with input protection circuit to share electrodes with stimulators, a bio-signal processor for accurate and fast human seizure detection, a biphasic CCS up to 3mA with adaptive power supply, and a wireless power and bi-directional data telemetry in single pair of coils. When the epileptic seizure onset is detected, the biphasic CCS is enabled to stimulate the onset site of brain to stop the onset seizure before it spreads out to cause a large seizure. The wireless power transfer is used for battery charging and the bi-directional data telemetry is used to transfer ECoG out and control signal in. This is the first SoC for human closed-loop epileptic seizure control.

Fig. 3. Chip photographs of both closed-loop epileptic seizure control SoC and its external control system fabricated by a
0.18-µm CMOS process technology [3].
 

Intelligent Adaptive Closed-Loop DBS System for Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease of the motor nervous system. It is estimated that the prevalence of the PD is about 1% in the population over 60 years old. The pathological evidences showed that degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra is the essential feature of the PD. Substantia nigra is a part of the basal ganglia, which plays a crucial role in motor control of voluntary movement. When the dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra degenerated, the balance between the direct and indirect pathways of the basal ganglia is disrupted, leading to symptoms of the PD. Patients may experience symptoms such as resting tremor, rigidity, and bradykinesia [5]. Medical treatment can alleviate related symptoms; however, long-term medication is susceptible to levodopa-induced dyskinesia, motor fluctuation, or other side effects.

For patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease, they may choose deep brain stimulation (DBS) to treat the drug-induced adverse effects. The conventional DBS (cDBS) is an open-loop system. When the power of medical device is turned on, the stimulator provides continuous electrical stimulation in the brain until the power is exhausted; usually about ~5 years later, the patient must undergo another surgery to replace the stimulator. Continuous electrical stimulation may cause some adverse effects, such as gait instability, dysarthria, or stimulation-induced dyskinesia. Because continuous electrical stimulation not only inhibits abnormal neural function, but also interferes normal neural function. Can it be possible to detect unique disease biomarker as feedback control signal for electrical stimulation? This is the concept of closed-loop system, in which physicians and scientists are highly interested.

The local field potential (LFP) is the ensemble activity of the synaptic potentials surrounded the lead contacts and can reflect the synchronized activity of a population of neurons. LFP can be recorded in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) of the PD patients when DBS leads were implanted in the operating room [6]. After the spectral analysis, abnormal beta-band oscillations (13-35 Hz) were observed in the STN of the patients [7]. This finding was similar to the recording in the internal globus pallidus (GPi) of the parkinsonian rhesus monkey [8]. When patients received medical treatment or cDBS on the STN, the beta oscillations were significantly inhibited and the symptoms of PD were also improved. Therefore, abnormal LFP of the STN can be used as a biomarker for the symptoms of PD, which has been widely recognized by experts.

If this unique beta oscillation is used as a feedback control signal for electrical stimulation, a proposed threshold can be set according to the suitable signal power. Professor Brown’s group first demonstrated that using beta oscillation as a feedback control signal for electrical stimulation within one week after DBS surgery in PD patients, their motor symptoms improvement score was significantly better than that of continuous electrical stimulation (50 % vs. 29%, p = 0.005), and the overall required electrical stimulation time was only 44% of the continuous electrical stimulation [9]. Custom-built device was used to design different algorithms of beta oscillation for closed-loop stimulation. According to the dynamic power change of beta oscillation, the stimulation intensity of the stimulator was adjusted. The motor symptoms were significantly improved compared with those in fixed-intensity electrical stimulation [10]. Such a closed-loop DBS, also known as the adaptive DBS (aDBS), has passed clinical trials for proof of principle.
 

The conventional devices used in adaptive DBS technology were implemented by system-on-board design. The latest aDBS device (Medtronic Summit RC+S) also adopts system-on-board design with several integrated circuit components of differential functions via connections through PCB board. In our work, the SoC-based design can improve the performance of detection, computing, and stimulation functions. Moreover, it can effectively reduce the operating power consumption of the implanted medical device. The microphotography of SoC developed with adaptive deep-brain detection and stimulation for implantable medical devices is shown in Fig. 4. Through integration co-design with the neural-signal acquisition analog frond-end circuit and the high-voltage tolerance stimulator circuit, the artifact interference during electrical stimulation can be successfully blocked from the acquired neural signals. In this SoC, it can simultaneously record the LFP signals from 16 channels within the implanted electrodes, converted them to digital signals, and then processed by bio-signal processor. The algorithm to evaluate the symptoms of PD, that co-developed with medical doctors, can be real-time processed by the bio-signal processor to judge whether the electrical stimulation will be applied, or not. Therefore, the closed-loop/adaptive deep brain stimulation can be efficiently executed by this developed SoC. The adaptive DBS implemented with SoC chip can increase the service life and therapeutic effect of the implanted stimulators.
 

A biomedical device built with the fabricated SoC chip has been prepared for pre-clinical tests, including animal experiments, electrical safety, recognized medical-device standards tests, and algorithm/software validation. After the safety certification and in vivo safety tests have been completed, clinical trials on human will be executed.
 

Fig. 4. The microphotography of SoC with adaptive deep-brain detection and
stimulation for implantable medical devices, which is fabricated by TSMC
0.18-µm CMOS process.

Prospective

Both implantable closed-loop epileptic seizure control systems and intelligent adaptive closed-loop DBS System for Parkinson’s disease in this article are physics-based circuits and systems. The essential design is on CMOS SoCs or integrated circuits. In the future development of bioelectronic medicines, it is believed that more and more advanced CMOS nano-electronics technologies, innovative circuit/system designs, and nano-bioelectronics technologies will be applied. These advancements will greatly benefit patients and lead to progress in neural science and engineering.

Headache and pain

 

 

The Headache and Pain Research Group has been one of the leading groups internationally that have targeted both clinical headache services and research.

The research group has become renowned for contributing to Taiwanese epidemiological studies, implementing cutting edge technologies and equipment in migraine pathophysiological research, taking the leading role in studies related to reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS), spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) and other rare primary headache disorders in the world. Our research also has been focusing on the neuroimaging-based chronic pain disorders and the development of non-invasive neurotechnology (e.g., neuromodulation) for clinical applications.
 

Neurodevelopmental disorders

 

 

Many neurological and psychological disorders result from abnormalities in neural development. The Brain Research Center focuses on a wide range of brain diseases and via the research carried out by the Neural Development Group, it targets the mechanistic aspects of brain diseases. Over the past few years, members of the Neural Development Group have established various different models, including mouse, fruit fly and human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) models and these have been used to study brain diseases. Importantly, the Neural Development Group’s collaboration with clinical researchers has been able to reveal in detail the molecular mechanisms of a number of brain diseases. These findings help with the discovery of novel therapeutic targets that can be used to treat brain diseases.
 

Neurodegeneration

 

 

This group aims, using in vitro and in vivo models, to understand the pathogenic mechanisms behind Alzheimer disease (AD), the pathogenic mechanisms underlying the depositing amyloid protein, and to develop/test novel treatment/prevention approaches for AD.

We are using the largest cohort study of Alzheimer’s disease in Taiwan to explore blood-based and neuroimaging-based biomarkers for AD.

We are also investigating the role of SUPT4H nucleotide expansion in neurological disorders. Furthermore, his group is investigating the genetic mechanisms behind inherited neurological diseases, with an an emphasis on cerebral small vessel disease, inherited peripheral neuropathy, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Finally, this group is also analyzing the effects of cerebral ischemia and inflammation on brain injury and how neurodegeneration progression interacts with susceptible genes.
 

Psychiatric disorders

 

 

This research group has used randomized-control trials and neuroimaging methods to explore effective treatments for major depression disorder. The treatment approaches have included theta burst stimulation over the prefrontal cortex by repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and low-dose ketamine. We have also established a rat model aimed at helping our understanding of the mechanisms behind how ketamine and rTMS can help relieve treatment-resistant depression. The group has used also used electroencephalographic event-related potentials (that is mismatch negativity regarding emotional syllables and error-related negativity in moral scenarios, linked to functional/structural neuroimaging, that is guilt-related neural activation), as well as other neurocognitive tasks, to explore the potential neural signatures associated with major depression disorder.
 

Mormal and disease-associated cognition

 

 

Understanding how the human brain performs complex cognitive computations is a key question in cognitive and systems neuroscience. To help answer this question, the Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience group (CSN) consists of an interdisciplinary group of psychologists, neuroscientists, and clinicians who aim to unravel the mysteries of human cognition by combining behavioral, computational, neurophysiological and neuroimaging approaches. This unique combined approach of the CSN group involves using intracranial stereo-EEG (SEEG) recordings obtained from epilepsy patients that record more than a hundred neurophysiological signals across many brain regions of humans.
 

Neurotechnology

 

 

Sydney Brenner (2002 Nobel laureate in Physiology/Medicine) asserted, “Progress in science depends on new techniques, new discoveries and new ideas, probably in that order.” In keeping with that spirit, an important domain of this research group is to develop new techniques that will allow us to study brain function at the single neuron level. We are developing a variety of tools for labeling, tracing, recording, imaging and manipulating single neurons. By synergizing our talents with other BRC resources, we aim to provide unprecedented opportunities for scientists to use these cutting-edge techniques on the NYMU campus. This will increase the momentum of brain research, and thus promote our international competitive edge.

Tumor Microenvironments

 

 

The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of a heterogeneous group of tumor cells together with a variety of other host cells, all of which actively participate within the tumor-host interface as part of disease aggression/progression. The extracellular structural and cellular molecular patterning of these many types of cell not only dictate the niche configuration of the tumor, but also contribute to anti-tumor immunity, which in turn leads to therapeutic heterogeneity. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and it has high cancer-related mortality. The disease progression of CRC is tightly associated with an aberrant activation of an intestinal stem cell (ISC) signature and the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs). We have found that colorectal cancer stem cells (CRCSCs) undergo the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) with Snail being the predominant EMT regulator; this results in cancer stemness and allows symmetrical cell division (SCD) to expand the CSC pool. Tumor-infiltrating neutrophils are initially educated by the CSC-exosomes and then are recruited by CSC-chemokines; this subsequently allows the development of a permissive tumor and an immunosuppressive TME.
 

Cancer Cell Movement

 

 

The acquisition of the ability of cancer cells to migrate in a complex three-dimension environment is one of important characteristics of tumor malignancy. Different types of cancer cells are able to migrate via different modalities; these include mesenchymal cell migration, amoeboid cell migration, and collective cell migration. However, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. The goal of this subproject is to understand the molecular mechanisms behind cancer cell migration via a multidisciplinary approach, including an in vitro 3D culture platform, advanced microscope technology, ‘omics approaches, animal models, and clinical studies. Understanding how cancer cells migrate in vivo should provide new ways of intervening in the disease as part of cancer therapy. Cell migration in a complex three-dimension environments is a complicated process that requires the coordinated regulation of many cellular activities, including gene regulation, post-translational modification, cytoskeletal dynamics, cell adhesion, cell contractility, extracellular matrix remodeling, and other systems. To better understand these alterations in the biophysical properties of cancer cells during cell migration, advanced live-cell microscopy is being developed to analyze cell rigidity, cellular deformability, cellular contractility, and the ability of cells to remodel extracellular collagen fibers.
 

Cancer Stem Cell

 

 

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) and cancer initiating cells make up only a small part of the cancer cell population within heterogeneous tumors, but, nevertheless, they are considered to play a central role in the development of drug resistance and thence cancer relapse. Researchers at NYCU has applied the concept of reprogramming to cancer cells and has identified several key pathways that are directly involved in cancer malignancy and relapse, as well as identifying various key regulators of cancer stemness that are suitable therapeutic targets. One such is miR-142-3p, which regulates the properties of CSCs and the cancer reprogramming step. Suppression of the expression of miR-142-3p leads to the recurrence and progression of glioblastoma (GBM); while a reactivation of miR142-3p expression blocks the protein synthesis pathways for IL-6, HMGA2, and Sox2 during GBM-reprogramming, and prevents GBM recurrence. NYCU scientists has discovered an IL-6-dependent positive-feedback loop that is active in GBM and this suggests that the IL-6/miR-142-3p signaling pathway is a prospective therapeutic target for the treatment of GBM. His discovery, with its prospect of clinical applications, is a step forward in terms of GBM therapy.

Compound Semiconductor Device Research Center (CSD Research Lab) at NYCU is dedicated to the development of world class III–V electronics technologies for academic excellency as well as to support the III–V community with the frontier technologies for industrial applications. As the global leader in the semiconductor industry, Taiwan must actively invest in the development of its innovative technologies to maintain the competitive advantages. CSD Lab will serve as a research platform for the integrated III–V technology for Taiwanese industry from materials, devices, processes, equipments, package, and testing up to pilot line production.
 

 

 

CSD is the only university laboratory worldwide that provides 3 – 6 inch III–V MMIC fabrication service with process capability down to 60–nm. The Lab provides the GaAs and GaN foundry services to offer unique solutions for III-V MMIC and III-V/Si integration for future high frequency communication and terahertz imaging applications, and GaN based high power high frequency devices for 5G and EV applications. CSD Research Lab cooperates closely not only with the industry through the execution of industry – university cooperative research projects but also with the international research institutions through innovative, pioneer joint research projects.

In 2010, the research team from NYCU led by Prof. Edward Yi Chang have successfully developed the world’s highest cut-off frequency (ft) of 710 GHz InAs high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). The output performance of the world-class high frequency InAs HEMTs has reached terahertz (THz) band. It is potential for the future submillimeter-wave applications such as space telemetry, imaging radar, and biomedical detection.
 

 

 

From 2013 – 2017, the center in NYCU started a research project “International Center of Excellence in Advanced Heterogeneous Integration of Green Electronics Research – iRICE” funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology in Taiwan. It aimed at developing advanced semiconductor-related technologies for the post – Silicon and More – Moore era technology demands in the future. To enhance the global competitiveness, this center was established between the NYCU – Taiwan and UC Berkeley EECS – USA, based on their long-term solid foundations of research and strength in the semiconductor field. The goal was to establish a world-class nanoelectronics research center in Taiwan. In addition, companies such as TSMC, Applied Materials, Integris, and Panasonic have joined and co-sponsored the research activities.

Since 2018, the Center for Semiconductor Technology Research has been established at NYCU to integrate the cross-disciplinary talents of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, combined with the Taiwan Semiconductor Research Institute and the Synchrotron Radiation Center, closely cooperated with TSMC to jointly solve the technical bottlenecks facing the extreme scaling of semiconductor devices. The research topics are divided into five major topics, namely monolithic stacked devices and circuits, negative capacitance transistor technology, two-dimensional semiconductor devices and materials, low-impedance interconnect and contact resistance technology, and III–V based transistor technology for high speed and high frequency applications. In this program, CSD Lab will develop InGaAs FinFET for high frequency applications with high cut-off frequency ft up to terahertz to meet future IoT and 5G with high-bandwidth communication applications. In addition, an integrated process of GaN drain FinFETs is under development targeting at high frequency FinFET with high breakdown voltage.

nother project in progress for CSD Lab is to develop a lighter, longer-distance, faster and safer LiDAR for EV application. This project is in cooperation with Foxconn corporation, to develop LiDAR system with high reliability and low cost for self-driving cars. In order to achieve the targets of longer range and faster plan, the team intends to develop a new high frequency, high current gallium nitride high electron mobility transistors (GaN HEMTs) laser drive to integrate with the aforementioned new surface emitting laser chip using flip-chip technique into a new LiDAR laser light source chip assembly. By using GaN HEMTs to generate high current and high speed pulses, the LiDAR can achieve higher resolution and longer distance. The ultra-small size of GaN HEMT also make it the best driving element for lightweight LiDAR applications. In this research project, CSD team will demonstrate a high-quality beam with a narrow exit angle. This LiDAR light source chipset can also be used in optical digital instruments and electronic optical switches developing by CSD – NYCU to integrate optical, electronic and mechanical components to ensure good optical and electronic characteristics to meet the needs of extremely light, longer distance, and more fast and safer requirements.
 

 

 

Prof. Edward Yi Chang has been very active in cooperating with international leading institutes, the cooperation partners include labs from UC Berkeley (USA), Virginia Tech (USA), MIT (USA), TIT (Japan), NTT (Japan), IMEC (Belgium), and Chalmers University (Sweden). The results have been disseminated in the form of high quality publications. The important findings from these collaborations have resulted in successful technology transfer, which acts as another driving force for developing advanced III-V semiconductor devices in the 5G/6G and EV application. CSD Research Lab is very well equipped with all the necessary tools for III–V hetero-structure product development and has very good relationship and records with government agencies and industrial partners through successful product development and technology transfers. The reseachers in CSD Research Lab look forward to continued co-operation with pioneer semiconductor industries and top universities around the world.

NYCU-TSMC Research Center Scholarship

In 2013, NYCU and TSMC established the TSMC Joint R&D Center with the purpose of promoting forward-looking semiconductor technology-related research and cultivating semiconductor industry talents. In order to recruit outstanding students to participate in research projects and encourage high-level research, TSMC has established a scholarship system for university departments and assistants in master’s and doctoral research. From 2013 to 2021, TSMC’s joint R&D Center provided a total of NTD34.418 million yuan in scholarships, and a total of 364 students received scholarships.
 

TSMC PhD student scholarship

 

 

In order to encourage outstanding students to invest in semiconductor-related fields to pursue doctoral degrees, in order to promote the quality of key talents and R&D energy of Taiwan’s overall semiconductor industry, and continue to promote the development of advanced technologies. During the doctoral studies, the annual award is NT$500,000, and the award is limited to 5 years. Senior TSMC executives serve as industry teachers to help understand the stages and challenges of industry and technology development; during the school period, he will be arranged to TSMC for internship, and after graduation, he will be given priority after review, and those who perform well will enjoy differentiated salary treatment. Since 2020, TSMC has provided doctoral scholarships for three years, and a total of 15 students have received TSMC doctoral scholarships (annually/ 500,000 yuan, up to 5 years of scholarships).
 

International/ex situ training

 

 

 

The Center breaks the restrictions of the Ministry of Science and Technology that only students who publish papers can receive the overseas subsidy, regardless of the publication of the paper, they can apply for important foreign seminars such as IEDM and VLSI. In addition, funding is also provided for students to go abroad such as UCB and UCLA for ex-situ training. From 2013 to 2021, TSMC R&D Center will provide nearly NTD5.5 million yuan to send professors and students abroad to participate in international seminars and the University of Berkeley, Stanford University and Oxford University in the United Kingdom for one year of ex-situ training. Under the learning of different research fields and environments, it is of great help to stimulate students’ research ability and thinking logic.
 

TSMC participates in research programs for master’s and doctoral students

Since the establishment of TSMC in 2013, many outstanding graduate students have followed professors to conduct research every year, and so far 517 graduate students and 206 doctoral students have graduated from the R&D Center, and nearly 85% of them have held engineer positions at TSMC.
 

Win-win between industry and academia/ research publication and industrial chain knot

The industry asks questions, and the academics find answers to win-win goals. By pooling ideas and resources, industry and academia closely integrate with each other to share know-how, stimulate cutting-edge technologies, enhance the academic status of NYCU in the field of semiconductors, and consolidate the international competitiveness of Taiwan’s semiconductor industry. In terms of academic achievements and technological breakthroughs, TSMC Joint R&D Center has made significant progress and growth in international journal publications, IEDM, VLSI, and U.S. patent grants every year from 2013 to 2020.
 

Recreate three win-wins, enhance national competitiveness, and closely integrate industries with enterprises

 

 

The establishment of TSMC’s joint R&D center will strengthen the R&D capabilities of the academic and industry alliance teams. In the Intelligent Semiconductor Nanosystem Technology Research Center led by Academician Hu Chengming (Chief Technology CEO of Front Desk Accumulated Electricity and Inventor of FinFET Technology) and the School of Industry-University Innovation and Research led by Dean Sun Yuancheng (Chief Technology Chief and Vice President of R&D), Professor Chang Yi and Professor Tang Zhenhuan, under the cooperation of both sides, we strive to enhance the core competitiveness of China’s nanoelectronics technology and the top R&D of semiconductors, and make good use of the huge and rich resources provided by the R&D center and the government to develop key semiconductor technologies for the next decade. Become a semiconductor technology leader, enhance and cultivate key semiconductor technologies, accelerate the cultivation of more international industry elites with the concept of “co-creation” between industry and academia, build a World Cup-level top talent and research team, and become a leader in the global fierce semiconductor competition.

Ultra-low threshold laser with bound state in the continuum (BIC)

 

In addition, we also successfully developed the world’s first silicon nitride metasurfaces with R6G dye for the ultra-low threshold lasing. This research was mainly conducted by the Ph.D. student from NYCU, Dr. Jhen-Hong Yang. The research results have been published in Aug 2021, Laser and Photonics Review. In this research, Si3N4 metasurfaces with hybrid SLRs are used to investigate BICs with complete dark resonance modes. To determine the design rule and mechanism of BICs, simulations and experiments were performed with external and internal excitation. Compared to the nanolaser, the BIC metasurface laser possesses directional radiation and a large emission volume, and the high Q-factor resonance overcomes the limitation of large mode volume in achieving thresholdless lasing. In addition, a proposed design rule can eliminate the wavelength shift when the Q-factor changes, which makes the comparison of lasing threshold in different BIC metasurfaces possible. We successfully use the high localization ability of BICs to demonstrate a low-threshold (1.25 nJ) BIC laser at room temperature. Also, the large spontaneous emission coupling factor (β = 0.9) and S-curve in the “light in-light out” diagram are rigorously discussed and demonstrated in both simulation and experiment. Interestingly, due to the high Q-factor resonance of BICs, the laser signals and images can be observed in almost transparent samples. The novel features of metasurfaces provide the way for engineering BICs. The developed device can be used in various applications, including novel light sources, optical sensing, nonlinear optics, and topological photonics.
 

The Taiwan research team includes Prof. Kuo-Ping Chen (NYCU), Prof. Wei Lee (NYCU), Prof. Tien-Chang Lu (NYCU), Prof. Tzy-Rong Lin (NTOU), and Prof. Chan-Shan Yang (NTNU). The Russian research team includes Dr. Ivan V. Timofeev, Dr. Almas. Sadreev, Dr. Dmitrii N. Maksimov, Dr. Pavel S. Pankin, and Dr. Rashid Bikbaev. The collaboration research will continue to develop the BIC with metasurfaces for quantum photonic application. This research also has the strong potential in development of quantum source and topological photonics.
The Headache and Pain Research Group has been one of the leading groups internationally that have targeted both clinical headache services and research.

The research group has become renowned for contributing to Taiwanese epidemiological studies, implementing cutting edge technologies and equipment in migraine pathophysiological research, taking the leading role in studies related to reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS), spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) and other rare primary headache disorders in the world. Our research also has been focusing on the neuroimaging-based chronic pain disorders and the development of non-invasive neurotechnology (e.g., neuromodulation) for clinical applications.

Lai’s group at NYCU also investigate another type of elliptic problem where delta function singularity appears as a sourcing term to the equation. By introducing the energy functional of the problem, the delta function singularity can be replaced by a regular integral along the interface. The network is again designed to be shallow and includes an additional level set function as augmented input feature. The training of the network here is based on deep Ritz method (E and Yu 2018) which trains the network by minimizing the loss function written as a discrete version of the energy functional. Numerical experiments have shown that, with proper design, a shallow network with moderate number of neurons can solve the problem with high accuracy compared to deep neural networks proposed in existing literature. One should notice that, a shallow network is much easier to train than the deep one. This research shows that traditional challenging problems in scientific computing can be solved efficiently with the tool of machine learning. These important advances should bring more applied mathematicians in Taiwan into the field of scientific machine learning.

These important discoveries should help to accelerate the diagnosis of different types of abnormal brain developmental diseases by doctors and it also helps to explain why some newborns are found to have this serious disease without any family history. These genes could be used for prenatal screening in the future, which should decrease the occurrence of related. In terms of the science, this research has provided scientists with a deeper understanding of the mechanisms behind brain development and may also help to guide drug development and/or genetic therapy in the future.

The researches have been published by Macromolecules and Chemistry—A European Journal. Additionally, one of the publications has been selected as the cover story. The authors would like to acknowledge the supports from the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan and the Center for Emergent Functional Matter Science of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University.