Dr. Wei Chen, Assistant Professor at the Genomics Research Center (GRC), Academia Sinica, has been awarded the Professor Chao-Jen Lee Biomedical Engineering Foundation Young Investigator Award at the 2026 Biomaterials and Controlled Release Society Annual Meeting & Prof. Chau Jen Lee Memorial International Symposium, held at National Taiwan University on August 6–7. The award recognizes his outstanding contributions and research potentials in intelligent biomaterials, nanomedicine, RNA delivery systems, and cell engineering.
 

Established in honor of Professor Chao-Jen Lee, a pioneer of biomedical engineering in Taiwan, the Professor Chao-Jen Lee Biomedical Engineering Foundation is dedicated to advancing biomedical engineering research, fostering interdisciplinary innovation, and supporting outstanding young investigators. Each year, the Foundation recognizes early-career researchers who have demonstrated exceptional scientific achievements and strong potential in biomedical engineering, biomaterials, drug delivery, and related fields.
 

This year’s award was presented by Professor Abraham P. Lee, Chancellor's Professor at the University of California, Irvine. Professor Lee is an internationally renowned expert in microfluidics, biochips, and biomedical engineering, and the son of Professor Chao-Jen Lee. His presentation of an award established in his father’s honor not only carries special symbolic significance but also reflects Professor Chao-Jen Lee’s enduring legacy in inspiring future generations of biomedical engineers.
 

During his visit to Taiwan, Professor Lee was also invited to deliver a distinguished seminar at the Genomics Research Center entitled “Microfluidic Cell Engineering for Precision Medicine.” The seminar highlighted recent advances in microfluidic cell engineering and precision medicine and stimulated in-depth discussions with GRC faculty and researchers, further strengthening international collaboration and academic exchange in biomaterials, nanomedicine, and biomedical engineering.

Dr. Wei Chen received the Professor Chao-Jen Lee Biomedical Engineering Foundation Young Investigator Award, presented by Professor Abraham P. Lee, Chancellor's Professor at the University of California, Irvine.
 

Dr. Chen’s research focuses on developing next-generation biomaterial platforms capable of precisely regulating pathological cellular programs through the integration of intelligent biomaterials, nanomedicine, RNA delivery systems, and cell engineering. His laboratory has established innovative therapeutic technologies, including RNA delivery platforms, macrophage engineering, engineered living biomaterials, and externally activated nanomedicine for the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory disorders, and aging-related diseases. These interdisciplinary efforts have earned broad recognition from the international scientific community and have contributed to advancing biomaterial-enabled precision medicine.
 

Upon receiving the award, Dr. Chen expressed his sincere gratitude to the Professor Chao-Jen Lee Biomedical Engineering Foundation for the recognition. He also thanked Academia Sinica, the Genomics Research Center, and National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) for their continuous support through research funding, facilities, and an outstanding research environment. Looking ahead, Dr. Chen and his laboratory will continue to pursue interdisciplinary research in biomaterials and nanomedicine, train the next generation of scientists, and develop innovative technologies that accelerate the translation of precision medicine to improve human health and strengthen Taiwan's global leadership in biomedical engineering.