Edited by Dr Wan-Wan Lin and Pan-Chyr Yang
A thematic series in Journal of Biomedical Science.
The Taiwan Bio-development Foundation (TBF) was established in 2014, contributed by a group of passionate entrepreneurs, who care about the development of biopharmaceutical research and biotech industry in Taiwan. The main purpose of the TBF is to cultivate talent in the field of biotechnology through establishing academic chairs, giving grants for long term and consistent support in research projects, providing training scholarships, organizing and sponsoring seminars and events, as well as aiding in the protection of intellectual property and technology transfer, etc. The initial focus is on the establishment of academic chairs.
Since 2014, TBF has totally named the recipients of 14 academic chairs. Each chair recipient will receive NT$25 million over a period of ten years. The chairs established by TBF is to encourage the talent of outstanding local scientists, make long-term investment in basic research and training, and promote the development of biotechnology industry in Taiwan. Annually, TBF holds a symposium and each chair reports to the public the progress of their research and poster discussion of all the students and postdoctoral fellows supported by TBF. Journal of Biomedical Science is glad to publish this thematic series for TBF chairs to contribute a review articles focusing on the advances of their special field in biomedical sciences.
As President Chi-Huey Wong, the founding TBF Chairman said that cultivating talent has a critical impact on the long-term development of the country, but it is hard to see the immediate returns of the investment in a short time. The donors have admirable foresight. We believe that the Foundation can have a major influence on the development of Taiwan’s biotech, aiding in the cultivation of talent needed both in basic research and industrial development, and in turn contributing to human health and welfare.