The National YangMing Chiao Tung University (hereinafter referred to as the University) School of Medicine's "Microbiota Research Center" (hereinafter referred to as the Center) aims to establish an internationally renowned microbiome research center, elevate the level of microbiome research in the country, bridge the gap between microbiome research and industry, academia, and research translation, and promote the clinical translation and biomedical technology applications of microbiome research achievements.
The human body harbors a multitude of microbial communities both inside and outside, in various locations including the digestive tract, skin, reproductive tract, eyes, ears, nasal passages, and oral cavity, coexisting as diverse microbiome ecosystems. Among these, the largest population of microbiota resides in the gut, comprising trillions of bacteria, with a genetic diversity far exceeding that of the human genome. When these gut microbiota experience ecological imbalances, it often disrupts the functions and homeostasis of the gastrointestinal system, leading to bacterial dysbiosis, which can trigger or exacerbate a variety of diseases and potentially affect prognosis. In recent years, due to significant advancements in experimental techniques such as next-generation sequencing, research on the diversity, variability, and functionality of the human microbiome has expanded extensively. The gut, which hosts the most abundant microbiota, is sometimes referred to as the "second brain" of the human body. Many diseases have been found to be closely related to dysbiosis in the gut microbiome, including autoimmune diseases, allergies, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), obesity, neurological and psychiatric disorders, metabolic diseases, and cancer, among others. In addition to regulating digestion, the neurons in the gut also communicate with the brain via the vagus nerve, influencing human emotions. Other studies examining the correlation between microbiota and tumors, such as the impact of oral microbiota dysbiosis on head and neck tumors or distant organ effects, reflect the flourishing development of research in fields like the gut-brain axis, gut-lung axis, gut-liver axis, and gut-skin axis, highlighting the necessity for interdisciplinary collaboration in microbiome research.
Main objective：
Integrating the existing microbiome-related research capabilities within the university, we aim to establish a collaborative platform for microbiome research, industry, and academia. This platform will connect our university's existing research centers, including the Genomics Center, Tumor Aggressiveness Excellence Research Center, Brain Science Center, and Aging and Health Research Center, to cultivate interdisciplinary teams dedicated to advancing microbiome research. Our goal is to become a leading pioneer in microbiome research in the Asia-Pacific region.
Short, Medium, and Long-Term Planning
Short-Term Planning
- Establishing Interdisciplinary Research Teams: The Center will continually recruit talent from both within and outside the university in various research areas, including clinical medicine, animal and cell model experiments, molecular biology experiments, microbiology experiments, microbial cultivation, bioinformatics analysis, and the establishment of a microbiome repository. These efforts will help form thematic research groups, while also inviting industry professionals to participate in collaborative research between academia and industry, thereby expanding research capabilities.
- Actively Seeking Research Funding: The Center will actively engage in seeking research funding opportunities internally by participating in the School of Medicine's integrated research team development program or expanding sub-projects. This approach will gradually nurture an integrated microbiome research team, integrating the existing research capabilities within the university as part of the preparation to compete for national-level integrated projects. Externally, the Center will seek stable research funding support through various avenues, including the Ministry of Science and Technology's Microbiome Core Project, the Ministry of Science and Technology's Biotechnology and Medical Core Facility Platform Project, the Ministry of Economic Affairs' Industry-Academia Research and Value Creation Program, and large-scale projects related to precision medicine and health big data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the National Health Insurance Administration. The Center is committed to collaborating with the biomedical industry on industry-academia cooperative projects.
- Hosting Microbiome-related Seminars and Workshops: The Center plans to organize an annual large-scale international conference on microbiome-related topics, a technical seminar, and several small workshops on an irregular basis. These events aim to provide opportunities for academic and research collaboration in the field of microbiome studies in Taiwan and foster exchanges within the domestic microbiome professional community.
Medium and Long-Term Planning
- Product Development: The Center will assist researchers in technology transfer of research outcomes, patent applications, and the development of microbiome-related services or products with market potential. The Center's research platform will support the patent application and validation process.
- Industry-Academia Collaboration: The Center will actively seek collaborations with private companies and institutions, encouraging researchers to engage in technology transfer and collaborate in the joint development of products.
- International Exchange: The Center will invite internationally renowned experts and scholars to serve as committee members. It will also regularly organize international microbiome-related conferences to facilitate exchanges with other countries.