Research Topics

Scientists at IMB are currently tackling some of the most important biological questions at molecular and cellular levels using model organisms such as yeast, nematodes, flies, fish, mice, and plants. Research topics encompass diverse biological features, including chromosomes, development, infection, immunology, neuroscience, and RNA, as well as structural, systems and plant biology. IMB hosts more than 35 group leaders, including several Academia Sinica Academicians and one international member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. Their independent research careers all began at IMB. Notably, IMB boasts an equal gender ratio of principal investigators, reflecting our core value to promote gender equity in the scientific world.

In addition to its individual research laboratories, IMB has several superb infrastructural core facilities. For instance, its imaging core facility harbors an arsenal of modern confocal, two-photon, multi-photon, and electron microscopes. Other facilities—such as its biophysics, cell-sorting, and genomics cores—are all administered by specialists and advisory committees. IMB also has a state-of-the-art animal facility and transgenic mouse core, which together have contributed significantly to the numerous scientific achievements by IMB researchers. Not only do IMB’s scientists aim to understand the general principles of how living organisms work, but also why human diseases develop, thus enabling us to find ways of preventing, diagnosing and treating illnesses such as cancer, infections, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Research Areas

Academic Activities

IMB holds regular seminars to inform its scientists of the most recent advances in research and to facilitate collaborations with other institutions, both in Taiwan and abroad. For example, the "Frontiers in Biology" seminar series invites internationally renowned researchers to share their current and ongoing research endeavors. IMB also regularly hosts and organizes international symposia and conferences. These activities help to maintain IMB’s dynamic research environment and ensure close links with the global research community.

To promote collaborations within IMB, faculty meetings are held weekly so that its principal investigators can explore exciting new ideas. Additionally, several research groups present posters and host vigorous discussions every month. In autumn each year, the entire institute undertakes an annual retreat that is open to all IMB researchers and students. Typically, a tranquil resort is selected for scientific and leisure events held over two days to cultivate collaborations among IMB’s research groups.

Seminar

Education Program

One of the primary missions of IMB is to train the next generation of young scientists for careers in academia or industry. Several local graduate training programs have been established by IMB in collaboration with National Central University and National Taiwan University. IMB also sponsors a Taiwan International Graduate Program (TIGP) in "Molecular and Cell Biology" in cooperation with the Institute of Life Sciences at National Defense University. Through our graduate programs, IMB has fostered many emerging scientists who have already played leading roles in various scientific fields, both in Taiwan and abroad.

Program

Future Perspective

IMB has been at the vanguard of biomedical research in Taiwan for the past 35 years. It is currently operating at a level equivalent to that of similar departments in prestigious universities, such as the Molecular & Cellular Biology program of the University of California Davis. Nevertheless, IMB’s scientists are striving to attain even higher standards. While consolidating its current research programs, IMB is also actively exploring novel research domains by recruiting new scientists to further our scientific excellence. IMB will continue to foster laboratories that integrate and optimize the most advanced technologies, all the while providing scientists with an inspirational environment and state-of-the-art services to ensure innovation and creativity. For those working and studying at IMB, nothing is "impossible", our research is only limited by our imagination, and pursuing excellence is our only mission!

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