I. Mission
The continuous advancement of biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, and structural biology has laid an important foundation for modern biomedical research. The mission of this division is to cultivate professionals equipped with modern knowledge in biochemistry and molecular biology, enabling students to gain an in-depth understanding of biological phenomena and disease mechanisms at the molecular and cellular levels. The division is committed to establishing a comprehensive research and teaching environment with an international perspective, fostering students’ theoretical knowledge, experimental skills, and interdisciplinary integration abilities, with the aim of making sustained and outstanding contributions to biomedical science research and applications.
II. History
The Divisions of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology were both established in 1987. The Division of Biochemistry was successively chaired by Professor Chia-Chu Pao (1987–1993) and Professor Ming-Da Huang (1993–1998), while the Division of Molecular Biology was led by Professor Hsiao-Te Yang (1987–1993) and Professor Ming-Daw Wu (1993–1998). In August 1998, the two divisions were merged into the Division of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, with Professor Tzu-Chien V. Wang serving as the first chair after the merger (1998–2015). He was succeeded by Professor Chin-Tang Hung (2015–2024) and Professor Chia-Jung Yu (2024–present). Through the efforts of successive chairs, the division has continuously expanded its research fields and gradually established a comprehensive research system in biochemistry and molecular biology.
III. Features
The division covers a wide range of important research areas in biochemistry and molecular biology. Based on faculty expertise, specialized laboratories have been established in fields such as cancer biology, gene regulation, biomedical signal transduction, emerging viruses, drug development, neuroscience, developmental biology, structural biology, multi-omics, and functional proteomics. These laboratories form a research community that combines interdisciplinary breadth with academic depth. The main features include:
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Establishing a comprehensive curriculum system based on biochemistry, cell biology, and molecular biology to strengthen students’ analytical and research abilities from basic science to clinical applications.
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Using model organisms such as fruit flies, zebrafish, and genetically modified mice as training platforms to enhance students’ practical research abilities in cancer biology, developmental biology, and disease mechanism studies.
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Introducing emerging technologies such as next-generation sequencing, proteomics, AI-based biomedical analysis, and gene editing to enhance research capacity and international competitiveness.
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Cultivating research talent with an international perspective and interdisciplinary communication and collaboration skills to meet the rapid development of future biomedical technology.
IV. Future Prospects
Looking ahead, the division will continue to enhance the quality of teaching and research while strengthening collaboration and exchange with clinical and industrial sectors. Through these efforts, the division aims to gradually increase its contributions to the field of biomedical technology and cultivate biomedical professionals with strong professional competence and research capabilities. Future development priorities include:
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Integrating clinical samples and cross-hospital research resources from the Chang Gung medical system to continue promoting cancer biomarker identification, disease mechanism analysis, and new drug development.
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Strengthening AI-based biomedical analysis technologies and structural biology platforms to enhance core research capabilities and international collaboration.
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Establishing an interdisciplinary integration platform to promote collaborative research among medicine, engineering, information technology, and biological sciences, thereby accelerating the development of precision medicine and translational medicine.