“NCKU Meets Nobel｜Life Sciences × Sustainability: Insights for the Future” Unveiling the Keys to Life and Earth Sustainability on March 6
Written & Image credit to NCKU Office of Internation Affairs
The “TAIWAN BRIDGES” program, jointly spearheaded by the International Peace Foundation (IPF) and Taiwanese academic partners, is currently underway from November 2025 to May 2026 to facilitate in-depth exchanges between Taiwan and the world’s leading scholars. Driven by a mission to cultivate long-term educational and cultural synergy, this initiative brings together Academia Sinica and Taiwan’s prestigious universities. By inviting 31 Nobel Laureates for a series of high-level visits and keynote lectures, the program actively pursues the vision of fostering world peace through global intellectual dialogue.
As a participant in the “TAIWAN BRIDGES” framework, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) is set to host the second session of the lecture series, "NCKU Meets Nobel | Life Sciences × Sustainability: Insights for the Future." The event will take place on Friday, March 6, 2026, at 2:00 PM in the Cheng Kung Hall, Kuang-Fu Campus at NCKU. Professor Gregg L. Semenza, the 2019 Nobel Laureate in Medicine, will deliver a speech titled "Oxygen, carbon dioxide, and sustainable life on Earth." The lecture will delve into the symbiotic relationship between humanity and environmental sustainability through the lens of life sciences.
"NCKU Meets Nobel | Life Sciences × Sustainability: Insights for the Future" Lecture Series
Professor Gregg L. Semenza is a Professor of Genetic Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2019 for uncovering how cells adapt to changing oxygen levels and for his ground-breaking discovery of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs). His research has paved the way for the development of drugs that block HIF activity and thereby cut off the supply of oxygen a tumor needs to grow. The discovery of HIFs has also led to the development of drugs that stimulate HIF activity to increase red blood cell production in patients with anemia, exerting a profound influence on modern medicine.
Professor Semenza possesses an extensive academic background. He earned his bachelor’s degree in biology at Harvard University, then M.D. and Ph.D. (in genetics) from the University of Pennsylvania and a pediatric residency at Duke University Medical Center, before pursuing postdoctoral studies in medical genetics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He has remained at Johns Hopkins for the duration of his career, serving as Founding Director of the Vascular Biology Program at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Cell Engineering and Founding Director of the Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center.
The “TAIWAN BRIDGES” seeks to galvanize innovative mindsets within Taiwan's academic community and broaden global perspectives through direct engagement with world-renowned intellectuals, thereby promoting global academic mission. National Cheng Kung University looks forward to hosting this profoundly inspiring intellectual feast on campus.
Event Information:
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Time: March 6, 2026 (Fri.) 2 PM - 4 PM
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Venue: Cheng Kung Hall, Kuang-Fu Campus, National Cheng Kung University
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Registration Link: ［Sign up］
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Organizers: National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan BRIDGES,International Peace Foundation
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Co-organizers:Academia Sinica, National Taiwan University,National Tsing Hua University, Tamkang University
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Lead Sponsor: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
Provider:
NCKU News Center
Date:
2026-02-06
