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NTU Hospital and The Singaporean Agency for Science,
Technology and Research (A*STAR) sign a Cooperative Memorandum
on Efforts to Combat Liver Disease

Liver cancer and liver cirrhosis are two of the top ten causes of death in Taiwan. Three years ago NTU Hospital established the “Translation Center of Cirrhosis Research” to focus on the use of advanced medicine and techniques in the diagnosis and treatment of both illnesses. The outstanding results of this work attracted the attention of Singapore’s Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR) and this morning NTU Director Chen Ming-feng and A*STAR deputy director Walter Lee signed a cooperative memorandum on the development of a “Center of Excellence for Clinical Trials and Research.”

A*STAR is an agency under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, with an annual scientific research budget of US$ 430 million. In recent years, it has researched diagnostic tools for liver cirrhosis and fibrosis image diagnostics, and has been looking for potential partners.

NTU has made a number of breakthroughs in liver cancer and liver cirrhosis, whether in molecular virology, clinical treatments or gene therapy. Over the last three years NTU has worked with the Industrial Technology Research Institute and several top biotech companies to use translational medicine in treatments to combat liver cirrhosis, anti-liver cancer drugs and liver disease diagnostic tools, which have already entered clinical trials.

In future the two sides will cooperate on clinical research in Taiwan and Singapore, though in the initial stage the focus will be on diagnostic tools for liver cirrhosis. It is our hope that that this research will stimulate the development of the biotechnology industry in both countries by nurturing talent in the field, thereby marking a new milestone in biotech research in Taiwan and Singapore.

Chinese version