I obtained my Bachelor of Respiratory Therapy in 2013 at Chang Gung University in Taiwan. After that, I passed the Professional and Technical Exams for Respiratory Therapists. In 2015, I received my Master's degree in Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene from National Taiwan University (NTU) under the supervision of Professor Chih-Chieh Chen. I became a research assistant in the same group until 2017. I then undertook my PhD studies on the development of dry powder aerosol formulations under the supervision of Professor Hak-Kim Chan and Dr. Philip Chi Lip Kwok at the School of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, and graduated in 2021. Subsequent to my PhD, I held a post-doctoral fellow position at the School of Pharmacy, National Taiwan University (2021-2022). In 2022, I was appointed as a Assistant Professor in the School of Pharmacy at the National Taiwan University, a position I still hold.
My research focuses on pulmonary drug delivery, which is closely tied to four major areas, including (1) the engineering and physicochemical characterization of pharmaceutical aerosol formulations, (2) the development of inhaled drug devices, (3) the enhancement of in vitro-in vivo correlations for orally inhaled drugs, and (4) the evaluation of performance of aerosol delivery devices for optimization in inhaled drug delivery during respiratory support. I have evaluated and characterized various aerosol formulations and delivery systems used in the treatment of pulmonary and systemic diseases in vitro.
Standardizing off-label use of intravenous amikacin for nebulization
Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) are two of the most serious nosocomial infections associated with high morbidity and mortality. Multidrug-resistant pathogens have compounded the problem, as effective antibiotic options are becoming limited. Amikacin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic, is effective against both Gram-negative bacilli and Gram-positive cocci, and resistance has remained relatively low and stable over years of use. The intravenous administration of amikacin carries a potential risk of systemic toxicity, such as nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity.
Aerosol inhalation of amikacin provides an alternative that delivers high concentrations of the drug directly to the lungs, leading to rapid attainment of the minimum inhibitory concentration in the infected area and reducing toxicity and adverse effects caused by systemic exposure of amikacin. Currently, there is only one commercialized amikacin product for oral inhalation use, which is not yet available in Taiwan and is indicated only for the treatment of lung infections caused by Mycobacterium avium complex. As a result, alternative ways to administer amikacin through inhalation as adjunctive therapy for treating VAP and HAP are urgently needed.
The off-label use of an intravenous amikacin solution given by nebulization has shown promising results in terms of achieving improved clinical outcomes while lowering amikacin-related toxicity. However, nurses or respiratory therapists often dilute the amikacin solution with water or saline using arbitrary dilution factors and select nebulizers arbitrarily. This arbitrary preparation can lead to inappropriate physicochemical and pharmacological properties of the amikacin solution when given off-label by nebulization.
To date, there are no investigations exploring the physicochemical characteristics and aerosol performance of intravenous amikacin solution when administered off-label by nebulization for inhalation. Thus, the objective of this project is to establish recommendations for off-label usage of amikacin solution in clinical practice by conducting in vitro examinations of various solution properties and aerosol performance in various breathing models.
As a first-year Assistant Professor at the National Taiwan University School of Pharmacy (NTUSP), my primary goal is to contribute to the field of pulmonary drug delivery. I aim to achieve this by focusing on four key career development goals:
Establishing a research program that addresses the unmet needs in pulmonary drug delivery: To achieve this goal, I plan to develop novel drug delivery technologies and evaluate their efficacy in both in vitro and in vivo studies. I have recently established my own laboratory at NTUSP and bought a spray dryer (BUCHI S300) for my lab. Moreover, I will develop a research plan that focuses on innovative and feasible approaches to developing drug delivery technologies. This research plan will be aligned with the strategic priorities of my institution and will address key challenges in the field of pulmonary drug delivery.
Securing funding to support my research program: To support my research program, I will need to secure funding from various sources, including government agencies, private foundations, and industry sponsors. I plan to achieve this goal by developing a strong research proposal, building collaborations with other researchers, and leveraging my existing network of contacts. I am now collaborating with my previous supervisor, Prof. Hak-Kim Chan (School of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Australia), Senior Lecturer, Dr. Darson Li (Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales, Australia), and Dr. Ronan Mac Loughlin (Director R&D, Science and Emerging Technologies in Aerogen). In addition, my research has been recently funded by the National Science and Technology Council (Taiwan) and the pharmaceutical industry.
Mentoring students: As an Assistant Professor, I have an opportunity to mentor the next generation of researchers in my field. I plan to achieve this goal by recruiting and supervising students and postdoctoral fellows, providing them with the necessary resources and guidance to develop their research skills, and fostering a supportive research environment. This year, I have recruited 4 undergraduate students with 1 master’s student.
Building a national and international reputation as an expert in pulmonary drug delivery: To build my reputation as an expert in this field, I plan to disseminate my research findings through publications, presentations, and collaborations with other researchers in my field. I will focus on publishing my research in high-impact journals. I have published 17 papers, of which one of them was published in the top 2% of journals in its research field. (Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews; five-year impact factor is as high as 21.65). Additionally, by joining international conferences, I can enhance the visibility of my research. Thus, I am planning to join the DDL 2023 conference in person this year.
To achieve these career development goals, I will take the following steps:
‧Develop a research plan that addresses the unmet needs in pulmonary drug delivery.
‧Seek funding opportunities from government agencies, private foundations, and industry sponsors.
‧Recruit and supervise students and postdoctoral fellows to assist me in my research program.
‧Publish my research in high-impact journals and present my research at national and international conferences.
‧Engage in professional development activities, such as attending workshops and conferences, to enhance my research and teaching skills.