INSTITUTE OF BASIC MEDICAL SCIENCES BRIEF INTRODUCTION TEL: 886-6-2353535 ext 5656 FAX: 886-6-2751371 E-MAIL: em75656@email.ncku.edu.tw CHAIRPERSON: Ming-Derg Lai The Institute of Basic Medical Sciences was established in concordance with the development of the Medical Center of National Cheng Kung University. The Institute was founded by integrating the existing master programs of Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Physiology, Microbiology & Immunology, Molecular Medicine, Cell Biology & Anatomy, and Medical Technology in Medical Center, with the aim of fostering experts of Ph.D. degree in basic medical sciences. To nurture the doctoral students with a broader prospect of basic medical research, the faculties involved in the program take concerted effort in offering integrated courses in life sciences. We also initiate joint research projects with the departments of Clinical Medicine, Science, and Engineering at University with an effort to offer interdisciplinary research training for the students. The Medical Center, through the Institute, is establishing itself to be an important biomedical research center in Taiwan. TEACHING PLAN The advance in biomedical research has been so rapid that an old-fashioned training of single discipline is barely enough to foster a researcher. Th Institute doesn t have administrative groups itself but form individual research groups according to faculty s research interests such as Dengue fever, Enteritis, Streptococcus A, Sport and Health, Cancer Research, Bio-activity research, and Endocrine research. As a measure for systematic training, the courses will be grouped into four divisions: the Infectious Diseases, Cancer Biology, Neuroscience, and Translational Medicine. Each faculty helps to offer courses for the division, depending on their specialty, and each student in each division can seek the advice from faculty of more than one discipline. The flexibility of the design is aiming at, on the one hand, keeping pace with the rapid advance of biomedical sciences, and on the other hand, keeping the faculty in an integrated cooperating mode that can be regrouped at ease to maintain highly efficient programs of teaching and research. The Institute scrutinizes its courses and programs annually and makes the necessary modification to suit the needs, depending upon the
advance of biomedical research, the gradual increase of the faculty as well as the student body. The admission tests are divided into 4 groups including Cancer Research, Infectious Disease, Neuroscience, and Translational Medicine. Students can choose one by their own background. After receiving admission, students will need to present their own research progress to their committee. Moreover, a presentation at public and attending international conference are encouraged in order to establish good research communication. FACULTY Currently the Institute is composed of 9 sections of basic sciences and 7 master s programs with a faculty body of 43 full professors, 17 associate professors and 10 assistant professors. The faculties of the Institute for Basic Medical Sciences are at the present stage constituted mainly by the faculties of the 7 master programs. The chairperson is elected from the faculties to assume the routine administrative work of the program and assisted by an advisory committee consisting of 3 members, each being invited by Chairperson. The Institute has finalized a "Constitution of Ph.D. program for the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Medical College, and National Cheng Kung University" as a guide for regular operation. COURSE PLAN Doctoral students of the Ph.D. program need to take, aside from the 12-credit thesis and the 4-credit seminar, a total of 18-credit hour courses; the master-degree students, who seek to directly pursue the Ph.D. degree, need to finish a total of 40-credit hours before their graduation. The courses will be divided into four divisions: the Infectious Diseases, the Cancer Biology, the Neuroscience, and the Translational Medicine. The students of each division, upon finishing their own program, can elect to take the courses of the other division. The students are advised to consider seriously when choosing their advisor for their Ph.D. degree. They need to know their own goals, to inquire into the specialty and experiences of the advisor and to know the research facility offered by the advisor. A thesis advising committee is organized for each student. The committee consists of approximately 3 to 5 members, which are selected, by the chairman of the Institute, with the consultation of the student s advisor. And
one of the members is designated as the convener. The committee meeting is held 1 or 2 times each year. The committee is aimed to assess the research progress of doctoral students and report regarding the research progress of students to the chairman. CURRICULUM Cancer Biology Program Core Courses (Select at least 10 credits) Mitogen & Oncogene 1 2 Leu, Tzeng-Horng Introduction to Cancer Research 1 1 Lai, Ming-Der Cancer Medicine 2 2 Su, Wu-Chou Tumor Biology 2 2 Lai, Ming-Der Essential Pathology 2 2 Yan, Jing-Jou Suggestion Courses (Select 6 credits) Bioinformatics 1 2 Sun, Hsiao-Fang Advanced Biotechnology 1 2 Chang, Wen-Tsan Scientific Reading & Writing in 1 2 Wang, Shu-Ying English Laboratory Animal Science 1 2 Tsai, Yau-Sheng Tsai, Pei-Jane Historical view of biology 2 2 Yang, Bei-Chang Special Topics on Gene Therapy 2 2 Wu, Chao-Liang Shiau, Ai-Li Angiogenesis 2 2 Wu Li-Wha The molecular mechanisms of 2 2 Chiang, Chi-Wu apoptosis DNA Damage, Repair and 2 2 Huang, Wen-Ya Diseases The Molecular Pathology of Cancer 2 2 Ho, Chung-Liang Developmental Biology 2 2 Chang, Wen-Tsan Tumor Immunology 2 2 Yang, Bei-Chang Ling, Pin Cell Growth and Differentiation 2 2 Chang, Wen-Tsan English Writing for Scientific 2 2 Chang CC Problem-Based Learning in 1 2 Cheng, Hung-Chi Cancer Metastasis Special Topics on Aging Research 1 2 Chen, Chang-Shi Chiang, Chi-Wu
Infectious Diseases Program Core Courses (Select at least 3 courses) Infectious Diseases 1 3 Lin, Yee-Shin Tseng, Chung-Hsin Graduate Immunology 1 3 Lin, Yee-Shin Microbial Pathogenesis 1 3 Liu, Hsiao-Sheng Advanced Virology or Advanced Bacteriology 2 2 3 3 Hor, Lien-I Wu, Jiunn-Jong Election Course (Select 2 courses) Advanced Immunology 1 3 Chang, Chih-Peng (Special topics in immunology) Microbial Genomics 2 3 Hor, Lien-I Microbial pathogenesis 1 2 Wang, Jen-Ren Wang, Shainn-Wei Teng, Ching-Hao Wu, Jiunn-Jong Bioinformatics 1 2 Sun, Hsiao-Fang Tumor Immunology 2 2 Yang, Bei-Chang Ling, Pin Laboratory Animal Science 1 2 Tsai, Yau-Sheng Tsai, Pei-Jane Essential Pathology 2 2 Yan, Jing-Jou
Neuroscience Program Core Courses (Select at least 10 credits) Special Topics in Neuroscience 1 3 Chuang, Jih-Ing Topics in Neurotransmission 2 2 Chuang, Jih-Ing Advanced Neuroanatomy 2 3 Hsu, Jung-Yu Essential Pathology 2 2 Yan, Jing-Jou Suggestion Courses (Select 2 courses) Molecular Neuroscience 2 2 Huang, A-Min Advanced Neurophysiology 1 2 Hsu, Kuei-Sen Advanced Biotechnology 1 2 Chang, Wen-Tsan Scientific Reading & Writing in 1 2 Wang, Shu-Ying English Behavioral Neuropharmacology 2 3 Yu, Lung English Writing for Scientific 2 2 Chang CC
Translational Medicine Program Core Courses (Select at least 3 courses) Translational Medicine 1 2 Hsieh, Patrick C.H. Lu, P.-J. Frank Animal Models of Human Disease 1 2 Tsai, Kuen-Jer Scientific Reading & Writing in 1 2 Wang, Shu-Ying English English Writing for Scientific 2 2 Chang CC Suggestion Courses Bioinformatics 1 2 Sun, Hsiao-Fang Stem Cell Biology 1 2 Hsieh, Patrick C.H. Introduction to Cancer Research 1 1 Lai, Ming-Der Cancer Medicine 2 2 Su, Wu-Chou Special Topics on Aging Research 1 2 Chen, Chang-Shi Chiang, Chi-Wu Advanced Biotechnology 1 2 Chang, Wen-Tsan Cardiovascular Biology 1 2 Wu Li-Wha Microbial pathogenesis 1 2 Wang, Jen-Ren Wang, Shainn-Wei Teng, Ching-Hao Wu, Jiunn-Jong English Writing for Scientific 2 2 Chang CC New Drug Development 2 2 Chang, Ming-Shi Special Topics on Gene Therapy 2 2 Wu, Chao-Liang Shiau, Ai-Li The Molecular Pathology of Cancer 2 2 Ho, Chung-Liang