TMU Hosts 2025 International Symposium on Respiratory Medicine, Fostering New Milestone in Pulmonary Medicine Alliance across Southeast Asia

With support from the 2024 “Enhancing Collaboration with ASEAN and South Asian Countries Program” (New Southbound Policy), the “2025 International Symposium on Respiratory Medicine (ISRM 2025),” hosted by the Chen Wei-Tien Respiratory Medicine Research Center at Taipei Medical University, was grandly held on March 9 at the International Conference Hall of the TMU Xinyi Campus Medical Building. The event attracted leading experts in pulmonary medicine from the UK, US, Hong Kong, South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Singapore, underscoring Taiwan’s academic standing and global influence in the field of respiratory medicine.

 

The symposium focused on major public health challenges of global concern, including climate change, pulmonary diseases, and tuberculosis, while exploring the future development of smart healthcare and precision medicine. Professor Kian-Fan Chung from Imperial College London offered an in-depth analysis of how climate change influences respiratory disease progression, highlighting the relationship between dryness and mucus production. Professor Kin-Fai Ho from The Chinese University of Hong Kong and TMU’s own Professor Chuang Hsiao-Chi each explored the interaction between climate change, air pollution, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
(Top image: Professor Kian-Fan Chung of Imperial College London (left) and Professor Kin-Fai Ho of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (right) share their insights.)

The event also showcased the achievements of the New Southbound Policy in promoting medical collaboration between Taiwan and ASEAN/South Asian countries. Professor Didik Heriyanto from Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia, presented his research on transcriptomic and miRNA analyses as potential predictive markers for the progression of COPD to lung cancer—demonstrating a significant breakthrough in precision pulmonary medicine in collaboration with TMU. Professor Jubert Benedicto from the Lung Center of the Philippines and Professor Albert Lim from Singapore’s Tan Tock Seng Hospital also shared valuable insights on pulmonary diseases and nontuberculous mycobacteria, contributing to a shared Asia-Pacific strategy in addressing respiratory health issues.

 

(Left image: Dr. Chiang Chen-Yuan, Vice Superintendent of R&D at Wanfang Hospital, presents a certificate of appreciation to Professor Didik Heriyanto of Universitas Gadjah Mada.)
(Right image: Panel discussion featuring, from left: Kin-Fai Ho, Kian-Fan Chung, Diahn-Warng Perng, and Professor Chuang Hsiao-Chi.)

Through this symposium, an international and interdisciplinary dialogue platform was established, bringing together global expertise to promote innovation in respiratory medicine research and clinical practice. It also advanced the integration of basic science and clinical application, fostering a healthier Asia in collaboration with regional partners.
(Written by the College of Medicine)
Bottom image: Group photo of honored guests attending the 2025 International Symposium on Respiratory Medicine.