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- Publish Date：2026-02-03
NYCU Hosts Asia’s Flagship Summit on Next-Generation Regenerative Medicine
The 2026 International Summit on Exosomes, Stem Cells, Regulatory Science and Innovative Therapies was held at NYCU on Jan 30 and at Far Eastern Memorial Hospital on Jan 31.
Edited by Chance Lai
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Global leaders in regenerative medicine gathered on January 30 at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) for the 2026 International Summit on Exosomes, Stem Cells, Regulatory Science and Innovative Therapies, one of Asia’s most closely watched forums on next-generation biomedical science. Scientists from Europe, the United States, and Japan showcased advances ranging from iPSC-based cell therapies to engineered exosome delivery systems — technologies that could redefine the future of clinical medicine.
Opening the NYCU session, Dean Chi-Ying Huang of the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences described the field as moving beyond experimental promise toward scalable clinical reality, with Taiwan entering a pivotal moment in which regulatory frameworks and technological capacity are advancing in tandem. NYCU’s integration of medicine, pharmaceutical science, and engineering, he said, positions the university at the center of this transition.
Dean Chi-Ying Huang of the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences opens the NYCU session.
Japan Pushes iPSC Science Toward Clinical Reality
One of the summit’s highlights came from Japan’s CiRA Foundation, which presented the world’s most advanced clinical translation pathway for iPSC technology. Two decades after Nobel laureate Shinya Yamanaka first demonstrated induced pluripotent stem cells, Japan has built a mature pipeline that bridges laboratory discovery and clinical-grade production.
CiRA representatives described how integration-free reprogramming methods and an HLA-matched iPSC cell bank enable a small number of cell lines to serve a large population, thereby dramatically reducing the risk of rejection and cost barriers.
A Parkinson’s disease therapy based on iPSC-derived neurons has now entered the regulatory approval stage and is expected to become the world’s first commercial iPSC-derived cell product. Researchers are also integrating AI-driven automated manufacturing systems to lower the cost of personalized cell therapy to accessible levels—a key step toward widespread adoption.
NYCU’s long-term academic exchange with CiRA has enabled Taiwanese researchers to participate directly in Asia’s most advanced stem cell clinical ecosystem, strengthening a cross-border regenerative medicine network.
Engineered Exosomes Redefine Gene Delivery
NYCU Yushan Scholar and Chair Professor Ly James Lee presented breakthrough work in engineered exosomes, proposing them as a next-generation platform for gene delivery.
Compared with viral vectors and synthetic nanoparticles, exosomes offer natural biocompatibility, low immune activation, and the ability to cross biological barriers such as the brain and tumor microenvironment — making them ideal precision delivery vehicles.
Opening the NYCU session, Dean Chi-Ying Huang of the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences described the field as moving beyond experimental promise toward scalable clinical reality, with Taiwan entering a pivotal moment in which regulatory frameworks and technological capacity are advancing in tandem. NYCU’s integration of medicine, pharmaceutical science, and engineering, he said, positions the university at the center of this transition.
Dean Chi-Ying Huang of the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences opens the NYCU session.Japan Pushes iPSC Science Toward Clinical Reality
One of the summit’s highlights came from Japan’s CiRA Foundation, which presented the world’s most advanced clinical translation pathway for iPSC technology. Two decades after Nobel laureate Shinya Yamanaka first demonstrated induced pluripotent stem cells, Japan has built a mature pipeline that bridges laboratory discovery and clinical-grade production.
CiRA representatives described how integration-free reprogramming methods and an HLA-matched iPSC cell bank enable a small number of cell lines to serve a large population, thereby dramatically reducing the risk of rejection and cost barriers.
A Parkinson’s disease therapy based on iPSC-derived neurons has now entered the regulatory approval stage and is expected to become the world’s first commercial iPSC-derived cell product. Researchers are also integrating AI-driven automated manufacturing systems to lower the cost of personalized cell therapy to accessible levels—a key step toward widespread adoption.
NYCU’s long-term academic exchange with CiRA has enabled Taiwanese researchers to participate directly in Asia’s most advanced stem cell clinical ecosystem, strengthening a cross-border regenerative medicine network.
Engineered Exosomes Redefine Gene Delivery
NYCU Yushan Scholar and Chair Professor Ly James Lee presented breakthrough work in engineered exosomes, proposing them as a next-generation platform for gene delivery.
Compared with viral vectors and synthetic nanoparticles, exosomes offer natural biocompatibility, low immune activation, and the ability to cross biological barriers such as the brain and tumor microenvironment — making them ideal precision delivery vehicles.
Lee’s team developed a nanochannel electroporation (NEP) system that dramatically increases nucleic acid loading efficiency without damaging vesicle structure, overcoming a long-standing bottleneck in exosome industrialization. Combined with immune-evasion engineering and dual-targeting strategies, the platform demonstrated strong tumor penetration and accumulation in brain and pancreatic cancer models.
The work highlights NYCU’s strength at the intersection of biomedical engineering and pharmaceutical science, positioning Taiwan as a serious contender in the global exosome race.
New Breakthroughs in Gene Therapy for Hearing Loss
Professor Yan-Fu Cheng of NYCU’s Institute of Neuroscience presented a key advance in genetic therapy for inherited hearing loss. Using next-generation AAV vectors and AI-assisted screening, his team successfully delivered genes to inner-ear hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons, thereby restoring hearing and balance in animal models.
More importantly, the group established a comprehensive platform for developing gene therapies for hearing loss, integrating iPSC disease models, synthetic vector libraries, and directed-evolution technologies to accelerate translation from the laboratory to the clinic. The platform targets genetic variants prevalent in Taiwan while retaining global clinical relevance.
Professor Yan-Fu Cheng of the Institute of Neuroscience presents a major breakthrough in therapies for inherited hearing loss.Exosomes Move Toward Cell-Free Regeneration
Beyond laboratory research, exosomes are emerging as a cornerstone of cell-free regenerative therapy. Clinical studies presented at the summit showed that stem cell–derived exosomes protect neurons, reduce oxidative stress, and promote tissue repair in models of dry eye disease and macular degeneration, suggesting advantages over conventional treatments. These findings indicate that exosomes are moving from experimental tools toward scalable clinical platforms.
The summit was more than an academic showcase. It marked NYCU’s growing role as a node in the global regenerative medicine network. From iPSC technologies to exosome engineering, from gene therapy to cell-free therapeutics, NYCU is building a rare end-to-end innovation chain that integrates engineering, medicine, and regulatory science.
As regenerative medicine enters a new era of clinical deployment, NYCU is positioning Taiwan at the forefront of next-generation healthcare, advancing local research on the world stage.
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