Research

Natural products are an important source of novel therapeutics, however, such compounds cannot be isolated from natural sources in sufficient quantities, rendering their property studies and clinical trials efforts particularly resource intense. Synthetic chemists'ability to access precise stereochemical and architectural features of complex natural products have led to major advances to access significant quantities of the natural products and designed analogues. We are aiming to develop new shorter routes to synthesize medicinally important natural products and their analogues; a reduction in the number of steps will not only reduce the cost (materials, time and manpower), but also make larger scale production feasible. Our research program is highly interdisciplinary with major pillars not only in organic synthesis, but also photophysics, computational analysis and drug discovery. Moreover, we will take the training of students and post-docs in our group very seriously, the young researchers in our group will be involved in a challenging project in the field of stereoselective synthesis. The knowledge of which will significantly broaden their mastery of organic chemistry. Besides, the range of complementary skills acquired through our training package such as motivating others, communication, reviewing progress, applying practical strategies to get the best from a research team and presenting results to others will allow the young chemists to develop all the necessary attributes for maturation into an independent scientist. These results will play a major part in drawing very best young minds to work in the field of science.

自然界中含有許多不同種類的有機化合物，這些在生物體內發揮不同作用的分子，也是許多抗癌藥物或抗生素的重要來源之一。然而，這些珍貴且稀有的天然產物不能直接從自然界中藉由分離提取的方式來達到足夠數量，由於取得的困難，這些有機小分子在藥物開發以及發展上往往受到相當大的限制。然而隨著科技的進展，合成化學家已經能在實驗室藉由“人工”合成的手段來製備這種結構複雜“天然”產物，進而獲得較大量的產品並進一步用於化學生物學的研究。

儘管人工合成自然界分子在近年來取得了巨大的進步，有機化學家仍持續探索更高效率的合成方式，以期發展更簡化的方式，以最少的時間以及資源來大量取得這類珍貴稀有的天然產物。 我們實驗室主旨在於發展新型且有效率的化學合成途徑來製造自然界珍貴具藥性的重要天然產品以及其衍生物。我們計劃對於結構複雜的天然產物能提供一個更簡化的合成手段(經濟面)，而且合成新的藥物分子具有潛力造福未來人類的健康 (社會面)。

在實驗室中，我們規劃了完整的訓練過程,藉由專題計畫內學到的知識以及技術將大大拓展年輕化學家對有機化學的掌握度。我們也擬議培訓計畫能讓參加的研究成員獲得其他方面的軟實力，像是在小組中如何規劃自己的研究進度、如何自信地在國際舞台上展示研究成果，這些都是年輕的化學家成為一個獨立優秀科學家必經的成長路徑。我們期待這些成果能吸引並培訓更多年輕人參與科學研究進而提高臺灣科學的競爭力，為臺灣經濟和所有臺灣人的生活品質帶來長期效益。

歡迎有興趣的同學與我們聯絡!