Division of Medical Engineering Research

Introduction | Mission | Advisory Committee | Research Direction |
Research Achievements | Members

Research Direction

A) Biomechanics

Dr. Jeng-Jiann Chiu’s major direction of his future work is to elucidate the cellular and molecular mechanisms of the atherogenic effects of disturbed flow. The purpose of his research work is to utilize comprehensive, state-of-the-art approaches (including real-time cellular imaging, genomic, biochemical, and molecular biological methods, animal model systems, etc.) to investigate the molecular and cellular basis for the role of hemodynamic factors, particularly disturbed flow and the associated low and oscillatory shear stress, in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.

Dr. Chia-Hsien Hsu, our new recruited PI, has pointed out that despite significant advances in biology and medicine, cancer metastasis remains an unsolved problem in cancer. The interactions of cancer cells with their environmental cues at the microscale play an important role in controlling the spread and invasion of cancer cells, however, are difficult to study using conventional in-vitro methods. To address this challenge, Dr. Hsu will conduct a new research project entitled “Cellular Microfluidics for Cancer: New Tools to Study Cancer Metastasis” aiming to develop microengineered approaches to create precisely controlled in-vitro systems that mimic the complex context of in-vivo cancer cell environment, and therefore facilitate our understanding in cancer metastasis.

B) Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering

Dr. Feng-Huei Lin’s research team has already developed a thermo-sensitive hydrogel as 3D cell carrier for NP regeneration with good biocompatibility and normal gene expression. However, the number of NP cell for NP regeneration has troubled the research and limited it to clinical applications. The continuous study is going to focus on how to harvest or obtain enough NP cells by using a 3D co-culture system to induce MSC and be co-cultured with NP cell. It is hoped that the harvested MSCs could be used as the cell source for NP regeneration.

In the continuous study of “the injectable oxi-HA/ADH hydrogel as a vitreous substitute”, the developed thermo-sensitive hydrogel would be injected into the rabbit vitreous cavity as a vitreous substitute. The histology and ERG would be evaluated to check the function.

Dr. Guo-Chung Dong will still put his efforts into the study of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as protein modulators on application of bone-tissue engineering. Since the beginning of 2009, the team has begun to study the effect of orthopedic TCMs on stem cells. The results showed that gǔsuìbǔ, a TCM, enhanced the differentiation. The research team will follow up its study by using the TCM-chip system on the membrane proteins of stem cells to investigate the effect of TCM in this area.

C) Biophotonics & Bioelectronics

Dr. Leu-Wei Lo will continuously dedicate in the possible translational study involving nanoparticle-modulated biophotonics sensing and imaging, especially in applying in vivo spectroscopy and optical imaging with novel nanoparticulates towards prognoses and therapeutics of various diseases such as cancer and central nervous system injury.

D) Biomedical Imaging

Dr. Kurt Ming-Chao Lin will continue the research in molecular imaging and conditional transgenics and focus on the application of F1B-TMIR tri-fusion reporter mouse model and on the cellular and molecular basis of heart failure induced by Hsp60 induction in adult mouse heart. By pursuing this study, very important knowledge on the role of Hsp60 in heart failure and myocyte apoptosis will be gained and is of obvious importance in cell biology and in many cardiovascular diseases.

Dr. Hsu Chang has devoted himself in building a research program in Biomedical Imaging for the Division for years. The establishment of a biomedical imaging core to facilitate various biomedical research programs in animal molecular imaging and cell tracking begins to take shape. NHRI will play an important role in hosting a collection of state-of-the-art animal imaging core facilities in the vicinity of the animal experiment center within NHRI campus. Continued effort is necessary to distinguish the Division with a theme in Biomedical Imaging. Two current parallel paths in Interventional MRI and Multi-modality Molecular Imaging Platform will be essential elements to evolve toward image guided molecular and cell therapy in various clinical applications.

With respect to product-oriented research, Dr. Chang leads the efforts in making a realistic contribution in developing and engineering mature research results into practical product prototypes.

• 1) For the first uterine fibroids product in an abdominal configuration, after a successful mini-pig tumor model experiment, we will enter the phase of preliminary clinical test or clinical feasibility study.
• 2) For breast application, a Boston-based dedicated breast MRI company, Aurora Imaging Technology, Inc. has invited NHRI to establish a joint R&D center in Taiwan.
• 3) For prostate application, initial discussion has started with a French company to integrate a prostate HIFU probe into its 3D ultrasound guided biopsy station. This could result in a Taiwan-France collaboration project.

Dr. Gene Chen (陳景欣), a product-oriented researcher (new PI), has established a Therapeutic Ultrasound Laboratory (TU Lab) to localize the technology in NHRI. We can anticipate that the TU Lab will produce many kinds of HIFU transducers for different clinical applications and also open a window to the whole world for research communication, collaboration, and commercialization of product. From 2010, Dr. Chen will conduct a research project entitled “Feasibility Study of Focused Ultrasound for Soothing Diabetic Neuropathy-Induced Pain” aiming to the development of focused ultrasound transducers dedicated for soothing the pain induced by diabetic neuropathy and also on the mechanism of conduction block of nerve action potential through the focused ultrasound.