NYCU, Heron Neutron Medical Corp, and Chuming Foundation Sign MOU to Establish "BNCT and Advanced Imaging Center"

Source: Economic Daily News (Taiwan)

 

National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), Heron Neutron Medical Corp., and the Chuming Foundation officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for industry-academic research cooperation on the 7th. The three parties announced the integration of key resources across industry, academia, research, and medicine to plan and construct the "Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) and Advanced Imaging Center" at NYCU’s Hsinchu campus. With clinical needs at its core, the center is dedicated to providing high-quality, evidence-based BNCT services and building an internationally competitive platform for medical treatment and research.

Integrating Cross-Disciplinary Strengths

This collaboration brings together the profound academic research energy and cross-disciplinary integration of NYCU, the independent R&D and engineering expertise in Accelerator-Based BNCT (AB-BNCT) systems from Heron Neutron Medical Corp., and the extensive experience of ChuMing Hospital in future clinical applications, patient care, and clinical trial execution. Together, the three parties will build a complete ecosystem encompassing fundamental research, equipment and system development, clinical validation, and practical medical services, fully implementing the "patient-centered" philosophy of precision radiotherapy.

Cutting-Edge Technology for Personalized Care

The planned center will introduce two major advanced medical technologies: Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) and Ultra-high field Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). By combining high-resolution diagnostic and tracking tools with precision radiotherapy systems, the center will enhance treatment planning and efficacy assessment, providing cancer patients with safer, higher-quality, and more individualized treatment options.

A Triple-Function Hub: R&D, Clinical Development, and Treatment

The center is designed to serve three primary functions:

• R&D Base:
  Leveraging NYCU’s strengths in interdisciplinary research to achieve breakthroughs in key BNCT and advanced medical imaging technologies.

• Clinical Development Platform:
  Partnering with Chu-Ming Medical’s professional clinical teams to systematically drive the development and validation of BNCT for various cancer types, strengthening Taiwan’s leading position in global precision radiotherapy.

• Treatment Center:
  In the future, the center will have the capacity to admit cancer patients and provide clinical AB-BNCT services, ensuring that innovative research results are rapidly translated back into clinical practice to benefit patients directly.

A Milestone for Taiwan’s Precision Medicine

The MOU was signed by Dr. Chi-Hung Lin (President of NYCU), Mr. Chin Yung Shu (Chairman of Heron Neutron Medical Corp), and Mr. Chai-Wu Liu (CEO of Chu-Ming Foundation). The representatives collectively stated that this cooperation is not only a significant milestone for the development of AB-BNCT in Taiwan but also a crucial step in elevating the quality of cancer treatment by integrating academic, industrial, and medical energies. Moving forward, the three parties will continue to deepen their collaboration, cultivate a new generation of professionals in medical physics, engineering, and clinical practice, and enhance Taiwan’s global influence in the fields of precision medicine and advanced radiotherapy.