NEWS
Industry Cooperation
- Publish Date：2023-12-07
A New Path to Regaining Sight: Cross-Domain Collaboration between NYCU and TVGH to Rescue AMD with TSMC Chips
Taipei Veterans General Hospital collaborates with the National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University team
to jointly develop iPSC biometric chip testing technology.
(photo credit by CommonWealth Magazine)
to jointly develop iPSC biometric chip testing technology.
(photo credit by CommonWealth Magazine)
Translated by Yue-Ting Luo
Edited by Yen-Chien Lai
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Edited by Yen-Chien Lai
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Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly and is closely associated with advancing age. In Taiwan, one in every ten individuals aged 65 or older experiences macular degeneration, and restoring vision often requires a significant financial investment. However, advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology have also increased the chances of patients recovering their sight.
Taipei Veterans General Hospital (TVGH) and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) are jointly collaborating on a regenerative medicine project titled "Innovative Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell (iPSC) Biometric Testing Chip and Precision Regenerative Clinical Trial Platform." Led by Professor Shih-Hwa Chiou, the Director of the Medical Research Department at TVGH and a professor at the Institute of Pharmacology at NYCU, the project involves the participation of Professor Yu-Show Fu and Vice President Chen-Yi Lee from the School of Medicine at NYCU.
Taipei Veterans General Hospital (TVGH) and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) are jointly collaborating on a regenerative medicine project titled "Innovative Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell (iPSC) Biometric Testing Chip and Precision Regenerative Clinical Trial Platform." Led by Professor Shih-Hwa Chiou, the Director of the Medical Research Department at TVGH and a professor at the Institute of Pharmacology at NYCU, the project involves the participation of Professor Yu-Show Fu and Vice President Chen-Yi Lee from the School of Medicine at NYCU.
The TSMC Micrometer Biochip developed by NYCU.
Utilizing iPSC biometric testing chips manufactured with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) technology, the project employs big data analysis and AI to select suitable cell strains, inputting high-quality cellular morphologies into computers. This approach not only saves time and effort but also reduces costs, enabling more individuals to access effective treatments.
The Challenges and Breakthroughs in the Treatment of Macular Degeneration
In the past, there were challenges in the treatment of macular degeneration. Initially, a large quantity of cells needed to be cultured, but throughout each cell differentiation process, it was necessary to gradually eliminate low-quality cells, ultimately leaving only 3–5% of high-quality cell strains. This elimination process required extensive manual screening and could take more than a year to successfully transplant these cells into the patient's eyes.
But now, with the iPSC biometric testing chips manufactured by TSMC, we can monitor each culture dish in real-time, simplifying the observation process and making the treatment more efficient.
By simply dropping cells onto the iPSC biometric testing chip, inputting the morphologies of high-quality cells into the computer through big data, and allowing AI to select suitable cell strains, the process not only saves manpower but also shortens the required time, achieving standardization.
Technology Rescues Vision: Subverting Traditional Notions
Professor Shih-Hwa Chiou pointed out, "If this machine can assist in more accurately identifying regions and screening them out, much like handpicking the necessary parts, it can reduce the time and energy costs of manual labor and handle some tasks that require meticulous operations."
Vice President Chen-Yi Lee of NYCU emphasized, "Through the new mechanism of the cell testing chip, providing real-time cellular information will significantly aid in interpreting cell quality. Since this test is non-destructive, as long as the cell quality is excellent, differentiation can proceed smoothly, and the results can be provided to the medical team."
The current chip has completed its first generation, and the platform is expected to go live in the summer of 2024. This development not only brings new hope to patients with macular degeneration but also has the potential to drive the development of Taiwan's biotechnology and semiconductor industries, showcasing Taiwan's unique capabilities in biomedical research and development.
By simply dropping cells onto the iPSC biometric testing chip, inputting the morphologies of high-quality cells into the computer through big data, and allowing AI to select suitable cell strains, the process not only saves manpower but also shortens the required time, achieving standardization.
Technology Rescues Vision: Subverting Traditional Notions
Professor Shih-Hwa Chiou pointed out, "If this machine can assist in more accurately identifying regions and screening them out, much like handpicking the necessary parts, it can reduce the time and energy costs of manual labor and handle some tasks that require meticulous operations."
Vice President Chen-Yi Lee of NYCU emphasized, "Through the new mechanism of the cell testing chip, providing real-time cellular information will significantly aid in interpreting cell quality. Since this test is non-destructive, as long as the cell quality is excellent, differentiation can proceed smoothly, and the results can be provided to the medical team."
The current chip has completed its first generation, and the platform is expected to go live in the summer of 2024. This development not only brings new hope to patients with macular degeneration but also has the potential to drive the development of Taiwan's biotechnology and semiconductor industries, showcasing Taiwan's unique capabilities in biomedical research and development.
Vice President Chen-Yi Lee pointed out that the biomedical chip in this project will be equipped with three key functions: morphology, activity, and tomography.
(photo from GeneOnline, the original source link: https://geneonline.news/ipscs-semiconductor-amd/)
(photo from GeneOnline, the original source link: https://geneonline.news/ipscs-semiconductor-amd/)
