Taipei Tech’s High-Value Biomaterials Research and Commercialization Center (HBRCC, or MT3+) on July 26 held an international forum during the 2024 Bio Asia-Taiwan conference. Many renowned biomaterial experts from across the globe attended. Chaired by MT3+ director Fang Hsu-wei, attending experts discussed international collaboration models in biomaterials. It shared its experiences in industry-academia cooperation, with the goals of strengthening cross-border exchanges and jointly advancing research in biomaterials.
At the event, Taipei Tech and the Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Nanomedicine (IBEN) at Taiwan’s National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) jointly signed an agreement to promote academic and talent exchanges and advance technology transfer. Fang, director of Taipei Tech’s MT3+, stated that assisting professors in commercializing their findings into products has been a perennial mission at his institution, with successes including patents on an artificial tear solution in Japan and Taiwan. Although biomedicine commercialization is challenging due to regulatory, safety, and efficacy considerations, he hopes this agreement will spark new opportunities in Taiwan’s biomaterials field.
Liao Lun-de, IBEN deputy director, said that the NHRI is Taiwan’s leading medical and biomedical research institute. The agreement with MT3+ will bring closer collaboration in technical research, talent cultivation, and technology transfer. Liao further stated that the 3P (Public-Private Partnerships) model could be a game changer for academia-industry collaborations, and this agreement with Taipei Tech could see the 3P model in play to drive new momentum in advancing Taiwan’s biomaterials industry.
At the forum, professors from Japan, Israel, New Zealand, and Taiwan discussed international collaboration opportunities. Suggestions included joint research papers and patent development between Israel and Taiwan, establishing cross-border educational programs, and participating in global research networks. Japan-Taiwan collaboration could build on existing semiconductor partnerships and expand into biomedical applications through nanotechnology. Experts recommended Taiwan leverage its semiconductor expertise while strengthening its biomanufacturing capabilities to compete with regional leaders. The focus should shift from small-scale industry-academia projects to larger international collaborations in innovative technologies and drug development.
Fang stated that Taipei Tech, with its strong research capabilities and backing from alumni, is well-positioned to advance research commercialization. He added that further improvements in resource integration and market insights are needed to accelerate development and build new Taiwanese brands. Noting that the MT3+ is experienced in technology transfer, Fang said he is looking forward to collating the attending experts’ insights and forming closer international collaborations to jointly open new horizons in the global biomedical industries.