Taiwai

In terms of Taiwanese national policy on biotechnology research, much higher priority has been put on research in gene therapy and gene modification than stem cell research. Taiwan has been pursuing gene therapy research aggressively and research topics include combining gene transfer with cloning techniques. In terms of conducting research in stem cells, the focus has been in government research institutions and major hospitals (including medical centers and university hospitals).

Government institutions that conduct research on stem cell includes the National Health Research Institutes, Biomedical Engineering Center of the Industrial Technology Research Institute, Genomics Research Center of the Academia Sinica, and Embryonic & Somatic Stem Cell Laboratory of the Animal Technology Institute of Taiwan.

Topics of Research at the government institutions include the following:

• National Health Research Institutes: Research topics include placenta stem cells, stem cell tracing using nanoparticles, hepatic cell differentiation from cord/bone marrow cells.
• Biomedical Engineering Center of ITRI: Research topics include surface antigens and multipotency of human embryonic stem cells, CD34+ and mesenchymal adult stem cells, and stem cell application to tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
• Genomics Research Center of Academia Sinica: Research topics include cell cycle regulation and receptor-mediated signaling in stem cells, mechanistic study of differentiation and plasticity and the development of embryonic stem cells
• Embryonic & Somatic Stem Cell Laboratory of the Animal Technology Institute of Taiwan: Areas of research include embryonic stem cells in knockout mice and Ex vivo differentiation, Somatic stem cells & their development, long-term culture and Ex vivo differentiation of spermatogonia, and application of stem cells for animal cloning (focusing on pigs)

Stem Cell Research is also conducted at major university hospitals and medical centers such as the National Taiwan University Hospital, Veterans General Hospital, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Cathay General Hospital, and the Tri-Service General Hospital. Research topics collection of stem cells, stem cell cloning techniques in rats, bone marrow stem cells for bone repair, nerve stem cells in rats, stem cells for eye tissue repairs, and liver stem cells for liver disease applications.

Industry and private sectors are not keen on participating in advanced research because stem cell research is still in its early stage of research and development and will require significant long-term capital investment into basic research before commercial value will be realized. The focus of industry and private sector research is on the commercial storage of cord blood stem cells, since the storage of cord blood stem cells are able to generate revenues and profits within the local market. Competition within the local market is fierce, because of the small market size (at NT$200 Million = approximately £3.3 Million) and having at least 7 companies serving this market.

The Department of Health has established the following regulation concerning stem cell research in Taiwan:

1. The source of stem cells to be used for research to be restricted to the following:
   Fetal tissues from miscarriage; Fetal tissues from abortion that qualify under the "Superior Birth Health" Law; & 14-Days-Fertilized-Egg leftover from human assisted reproduction
2. Fetal tissues cannot be from fetus created by artificial insemination through donated sperm for the purpose of doing stem cell research
3. The use of the "Production Cell Nuclear Transfer" technique to create fetal stem cells for use in research is subject to further review.
4. Research should not pay or use any commercial action to obtain stem cells. Donors must provide stem cells free of charge, and the donors are to have an explicit understanding of its use and purpose. Commercial action cannot be involved.
5. Stem cell research for the purpose of reproductive cloning of human beings is strictly prohibited.
6. Stem cell research on human beings is to be conducted for the purpose of medical treatment only (to cure illnesses and diseases or improving the symptoms). However, all such research must comply with existing medical laws and regulations, and any such research must get approval prior to the commencement of the project.

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