In response to the government’s national vision of building Taiwan into a science and technology hub for Chinese herbal medicine, President Chi-Hung Lin of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) led a seven-member delegation, including Shuu-Jiun Wang, Dean of the College of Medicine, to National Chiayi University (NCYU) on January 26 for an academic exchange in traditional Chinese medicine. Through in-depth dialogue and the sharing of research outcomes, the two universities integrated NYCU’s strengths in smart healthcare and clinical evidence with NCYU’s extensive expertise in medicinal plant cultivation and agri-food innovation. Together, they are building a comprehensive value chain for Taiwan’s Chinese herbal medicine industry, from germplasm conservation and smart cultivation to clinical application.
Under the leadership of President Han-Chien Lin and the long-term dedication of its Chinese herbal medicine research team, NCYU has received support from the Ministry of Education’s Higher Education Sprout Project and the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s medicinal plant cultivation program. These efforts have generated breakthroughs in research and application of native medicinal plants. Faculty from the College of Life Sciences and the College of Agriculture formed an interdisciplinary team that introduced Internet of Things (IoT) and sensing technologies to develop smart cultivation models for medicinal herbs such as mint, Houttuynia cordata, Artemisia capillaris, and Agrimonia pilosa. The approach effectively stabilizes the quality of their active compounds. The team has also established germplasm conservation systems for rare medicinal plants, including Taiwan pepper and Atractylodes macrocephala. These research outcomes have been successfully brought to market as anti-fatigue turmeric kombucha and a range of traditional herbal tea bags, underscoring a strong capacity to commercialize academic research.
NYCU’s School of Chinese Medicine began recruiting students in academic year 2024–2025, making it the first national university in Taiwan to establish a Chinese medicine department. NYCU President Chi-Hung Lin noted that the key to “new Chinese medicine” lies in integrating modern technologies – molecular medicine, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence – to build scientific, evidence-based clinical validation for traditional medical practice. He emphasized that high-quality, traceable, and standardized sources of Chinese medicinal materials are indispensable for clinical research and new drug development.
NCYU President Han-Chien Lin stated that amid the rapid growth of the global natural health industry and international competition under the WTO framework, Taiwan’s Chinese herbal medicine sector stands at a critical juncture for transformation and upgrading. Through this partnership, the two universities are advancing a strategic alliance on “medicine–agriculture integration.” NCYU will take charge of upstream efforts, including superior cultivar selection based on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and standardized smart cultivation, to ensure the quality and safety of Chinese medicinal materials. NYCU will focus on downstream efforts such as pharmacological mechanism analysis, clinical trials, and smart healthcare applications. Together, they will build an industry collaboration model that seamlessly links upstream and downstream efforts.
This cooperation is expected to gradually address Taiwan’s long-standing
structural reliance on imported medicinal materials while cultivating
cross-disciplinary talent in Chinese medicine with strengths in cultivation,
pharmacology, and clinical application. From the fertile lands of the Chianan
Plain to consultation rooms in medical centers, NYCU and NCYU will work
together to sharpen Taiwan’s “new Chinese medicine” brand, injecting strong
momentum into national health and biotechnology industry advancement.
Photo 1: NYCU President Chi-Hung Lin led a delegation from the College of
Medicine to NCYU for an academic exchange in traditional Chinese medicine.
Photo 2: The NYCU College of Medicine delegation visited NCYU to view the
native medicinal plant Artemisia capillaris.
Photo 3: The NYCU College of Medicine delegation toured NCYU’s Chinese
herbal medicine extraction facility.
Photo 4: NCYU President Han-Chien Lin (second from left), NYCU President Chi-Hung Lin (center), and team members from both universities posed for a group photo.