Taiwan’s Academia Sinica Delegation Visits iCeMS

On October 8, a delegation from Taiwan’s Academia Sinica visited iCeMS. Director Motonari Uesugi introduced iCeMS, sharing its history and mission to integrate chemistry and cell biology. He outlined strategies to maintain and further enhance research after the 10-year WPI funding ended. Uesugi also highlighted that iCeMS conducts its research under the concept of self-assembly and introduced examples of how the research findings have been applied to address societal issues.

The meeting continued with a presentation by Dr Chau-Hwang Lee, Deputy Executive Secretary of the Central Academic Advisory Committee of Academia Sinica, who introduced several interdisciplinary research projects connecting mathematics, physics, and life sciences conducted at Academia Sinica.

During and after the presentations, discussions flourished between Director Uesugi and the Academia Sinica delegation. The group engaged in lively exchanges about the institute’s administration, funding, and collaborative efforts. Academia Sinica President James C Liao expressed interest in how iCeMS successfully brings together researchers from diverse fields to foster interdisciplinary collaboration. Both iCeMS and Academia Sinica share a common goal of integrating research across various disciplines, leading to a productive dialogue on how to advance these efforts.

Following the discussions, the delegation toured iCeMS’ research facilities. Professors Aiko Fukazawa and Mineko Kengaku provided detailed explanations about the advanced equipment, including the solid NMR spectrometer and the cutting-edge confocal microscope developed in collaboration with Zeiss, both of which play a crucial role in advancing the institute’s research.

This visit fostered a collaborative spirit, setting the stage for future joint initiatives between iCeMS and Academia Sinica, aiming to create innovative solutions for scientific challenges.