2024-05-182024-05-18https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/715777Taiwan is an area endemic for hepatitis B and C virus (HBV and HCV) infection. In 2007, it was estimated that the number of carriers in Taiwan was as high as 3 million for HBV and 0.42 million for HCV. This has resulted in liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in these carriers. Liver cancer is so common that it has ranked the first among cancer mortality since the early 1980's in Taiwan. In addition, chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis rank the sixth or seventh in the causes of death. It was estimated that 7651 people died of HCC in 2008. The serious impact of liver disease in Taiwan precipitated intense research on hepatic disorders in our country. The medical researches have been very active since 1940’s with many outstanding contributions to HBV and HCV virology, course of infection, diagnosis and treatments. Since then, many pioneers has been dedicated to the policy against hepatitis B to control this serious public health problem in Taiwan, such as a mass HBV immunization program launched on July 1 in 1984, one of the earliest national programs in the world. To reinforce the nationwide control of hepatitis viruses infection, Hepatitis Research Center (HRC) of the National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) was established on October 1, 1987.緣起於民國七十六年的統計，發現國人到四十歲時已約有百分之九十的人口曾受到B型肝炎病毒之感染，三十九歲以下與四十歲以上的國人中更分別有百分之十八至十九及百分之十二發生『慢性B型肝炎帶原的狀態』。發生B型肝炎病毒慢性感染者估計約三百萬人，這些人相對地較容易發生慢性肝炎，結果導致肝硬化，甚至再引起肝細胞癌(即為肝癌)。當時每年死於這二種肝病者至少達六、七千人，各在我國十大死因中佔重要的地位。因此行政院於七十年八月核定『加強B型肝炎防治計劃』，包括新生兒全面預防注射。臺大醫學院附設醫院則於民國七十六年十月一日依據行政院所核定『加強B型肝炎防治第二期計劃』指示，成立肝炎研究中心，以肝炎及肝癌的致病機轉、預防和治療為研究重點，期望能降低、甚至免除肝病對國人健康的威脅及國家相關醫療費用的負擔。 肝炎研究中心依所賦之職掌，秉承優良傳統，發展前瞻研究，以肝炎及肝癌的致病機轉為重點，發展肝炎、肝癌的預防及治療，以達降低國人的感染、罹病及死亡率為目標。為此本單位之工作已擴展為三大方向： 【基礎研究】 目前除了肝炎病毒和分子生物學的研究外，亦積極發展新的生物研究科技作為肝炎及肝癌新療法的研發，包括基因輸送及治療、肝細胞及肝幹細胞之培養、抗肝炎藥物篩選的動物模式等。另一重點為配合基因體學之發展，分析病毒基因體之演變以及尋找病人發病或對治療反應相關之宿主基因及免疫學研究。 【臨床研究】 持續肝炎血清學及B型肝炎疫苗注射之效益研究。針對肝炎及肝癌發展新的診斷方法，特別是核酸及生物晶片之試用。對慢性B型和C型肝炎之治療，如綜合雞尾酒療法及新藥之臨床試驗。預防肝癌發生及肝癌新治療（免疫、基因治療）的研發試用。 【生技研發】 本中心已有深厚的研究基礎，在此知識經濟的開端，將根據現有成果，與研發界和產業界合作，促成新一代肝炎診斷及治療的方法 。