Joint Research Projects
Study In Vietnam
Keyword:
Author/Institute
Introduction
Taiwan BT&D2 Team established in NCKU aims to promote excellence in Science and Technology with specific aims in prevention and treatments of various diseases with clinical drugs, nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals. The team has set up a novel drug development system which utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to extract valuable information from chemical and bio/medical big data and subsequently derive new technology and real products to solve the problems in disease treatments. In particular, the BT&D2 system combines knowledge and technology of western and Chinese medicines to develop new knowledge and technology, as well as the products, for healthcare. Because the multidisciplinary and practical features of the system, our team has attracted and established stable relationship with international research teams as collaborators of the Asia-Pacific countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Korea, Indonesia, Singapore and Nepal. Along with our domestic collaborators inside and outside NCKU, Taiwan BT&D2 Team coordinates all the collaborators and institutes to form Asia-Pacific BT&D2 Alliance (APBA) for academic research advancement and industrial product developments. Throughout this APBA, our team has received several cooperative research projects/grants, as well as awards from several entrepreneurship competitions.
Methods
Taiwan BT&D2 Team is composed of professional members including professors, clinical doctors (western & Chinese physicians), scientific professionals and students from various scientific fields including chemistry, biology, informatics, medicine, engineering and technology management in NCKU and domestic institutes. The team has established an ABC drug development system containing four technology platforms and two extended applications: (1) Bioinformatics big data processing platform to identify disease targets (2) Chemo-informatics big data analysis platform to build up compound library and TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) database (3) a virtual screening & AI analysis platform to identify lead drug compounds and TCM formulae (4) an effective bioassay platform to verify potency and safety of drugs (5) an efficient, environmentally friendly modification platform to modify drug structures and thereby promote drug functions (6) Commercialization of technology platforms and drug or nutraceutical products.
Through this BT&D2 ABC system, we collaborate with domestic and international collaborators, grouped as an APBA alliance, to develop novel technology and products for prevention and treatments of various diseases, including various cancers, neurological disorders, metabolic syndrome diseases, depression, infectious diseases, and ageing-related diseases and chronic disease.
Results
Throughout our collaborations with APBA members, We the Taiwan BT&D2 Team has successfully applied this drug development system on identification of effective drugs in triple-negative breast cancers, osteoporosis and skin whitening for developments of drugs, nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals. We have also signed an NDA contract for trigonal collaborations with Prof. Pooi-Fong Wong of University of Malaya, Malaysia and a drug company at India on Senotherapeutics for Antisenescence. Several biotech and drug companies in Taiwan have contracts with our team to utilize the BT&D2 system, particularly the ABC system, to identify suitable drugs for diseases and diseases targets for assigned compounds. We have also represented APBA to participate in entrepreneurship competitions in Taiwan and won outstanding awards as shown, indicating our technology and products are recognized for advancement in science and for values in commercialization. We has successfully constructed international and long-term cooperative programs with research teams from UM (Malaysia), MU (Thailand) and UMP (Vietnam) to benefit either party by exchanging idea, resources and energy to the new drug development system and also expanding the system on prevention and therapeutic treatments of many other diseases. For promoting our shared goals and benefits with UM, MU and UMP teams, we also hosted international webinars as shown to discuss and share accomplishments resulted from our collaborations.
Discussion
Within the close collaborations between APBA members, Taiwan BT&D2 team has collaborated with Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam teams to develop drugs and health food for prevention and treatments of various diseases, including aging, cancers and metabolic syndromes. Our products and accomplishments can promote healthcare and well-being in general interests and benefits, greatly bringing market values and reducing social problems especially in aging society, stimulating investments in drug-related business, benefiting the economics of surrounding countries, educating with academic research, bringing together the people with different cultures and religions to share experience, expertise, points of view and languages. For NCKU and those collaborative universities, students, scientists and professionals can thus share by this collaborative platforms information and resources to promote their own research and also expand towards connections with people on either parties, which will greatly benefit Taiwan and the related countries in aspects of interactions, including education, business, culture exchange and global help. All of above fit well with UN SDGs in Goal2 (Improved nutrition), Goal3 (Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being at all ages), Goal4 (Quality education), Goal8 (Decent work and economic growth), Goal12 (Responsible consumption and production) and Goal17 (Strengthen global partnership).
