【Preface】
Laser Medicine Research Center (LMRC); renamed as Center for Optoelectronic Biomedicine (COEBM) in 2000, has been established under the national policy of promotion and development of laser medicine since 1987.
【History】
In the beginning the establishment of Laser Medicine Research Center, Ministry of Education provided stable basic research equipment and instruments. National Science Council supported thematic research funding to consolidate the relevant department personnel, conformed laser equipment and research infrastructure, and was responsible for the practical promotion of biomedical research and application of optoelectronic. In addition, this center became optoelectronic medical education training institute for medical students and health care staff. After that, due to the rapid development of optoelectronic technology, laser is difficult to separate from optoelectronic.
Furthermore, most of health care staff and medical student are not unfamiliar with laser anymore. The stage task has completed. So this center renamed to Center for Optoelectronic Biomedicine in 2000. The funding was provided with teaching training fee and books instrument device fee by College of Medicine. Another funding was contested by teachers from intramural and extramural projects, or cooperated with other field to acquire the research funding. These funding was used to cultivate optoelectronic biomedical specifically teachers and the talent, and to precede biomedical field and optoelectronic technology field research. This center became horizontal communication platform of optoelectronic technology field and biomedical field. Furthermore, through the industrial circles, authorities and academia cooperation, it is expected to establish local optoelectronic biological technology industry, and then extend to clinical application.
【Goal】
The development of Optoelectronics in Taiwan currently focuses only on simple optoelectronic engineering. Even the optoelectronic researches related to biomedicine also base on engineering as well. However, optoelectronic medicine basic researches and applications associated with biophysics are important in the 21st century biomedical research. For the purpose of developing this field of study, we have to cultivate biomedical talents with optoelectronic technology vision, in order to cope with the basic research and biotechnology developments needs in future. Therefore, the establishment of this institute is expected to reach objectives including the followings:
Train photoelectric-biomedical specialized talents in order to provide the teachers for all levels of photoelectric-biomedical teaching and research institutions assist to establish a complete photo-biomedical teaching system in the future.
Integrate biomedical area and optoelectronic technology area of basic research. Through the application of optoelectronic technology, extend and deepen basic and clinical sciences research work, to help investigating the causes of major diseases and proposing effective treatment.
Engage development and research of optoelectronic-biomedical related technology and instrument to build the local community of optoelectronic-biotechnology industry and by cooperation of industry, authority and academia.
Provide technical advisory services to governments at all levels, medical institutions and industry related to optoelectronic-biomedicine.
【Future Development】
The task of optoelectronic-biomedical studies lies in integration of PV and biomedical, two areas of basic and applied research, and actively training photoelectric-biomedical teachers and talents to meet the future biomedical development.
In recent years, the center exists in sound foundation in optoelectronic-biomedical research areas such as spectral diagnostics, magnetic resonance imaging, biological chip and light movement therapy. Therefore, the firm's future development is not only deepening of existing research fields, but also by means of cooperation extended to other areas of biomedical research.