Drug seizures, border inspections and food safety testing no longer have to rely entirely on sending specimens back to the laboratory for analysis! "Aisi Analytical Instruments", a new start-up company founded by Chen Zhongxuan, academician of Academia Sinica and former director of the Genome Research Center, won the 2026 Taipei Biotechnology Awards "Innovation Technology Award - Gold Medal in Applied Biotechnology Category" and the highest honor "Taipei Biotechnology Star" with its portable rapid screening and high-precision analysis and detection platform, demonstrating the achievements of Taiwan's independent research and development of high-end analytical instruments.
Academia Sinica stated that traditional mass spectrometers are bulky and difficult to bring directly to the site for use, and samples often need to be sent back to the laboratory for analysis. The testing platform developed by Chen Zhongxuan's team integrates a "portable ion mobility instrument (IMS)" and a "portable liquid chromatography mass spectrometer (LC-MS)", breaking through the limitations of the instrument being difficult to move, allowing frontline personnel to conduct rapid screening on-site, reducing the time required for specimens to be returned to the laboratory, and improving detection efficiency.
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This technology can be used in drug detection, border inspection, environment and food safety and other fields. Academia Sinica pointed out that the relevant results originated from the institute's long-term investment in mass spectrometry technology research. With the support of the National Science Council's Value Innovation Program, it completed technology licensing and translation of R&D results, and further established new start-up companies to promote basic research to practical applications.
During his tenure at the Genome Center of Academia Sinica, Chen Zhongxuan collaborated with research technician Lin Junli and other researchers to expand the application of mass spectrometry technology in biomolecule and cell analysis, laying the foundation for the subsequent development of high-end analytical instruments.
Chen Zhongxuan received a PhD in chemistry from the University of Chicago in 1974. He worked at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the United States for more than 30 years. He returned to Taiwan to join Academia Sinica in 2005 and served as the director of the Genome Center from 2007 to 2016. In 2010, he was elected as an academician of Academia Sinica. His research and development achievements have won the Global Top 100 Research and Invention Award three times.
The Taipei Biotechnology Awards have been hosted by the Taipei City Government since 2004. The selection focuses on technological innovation, R&D maturity and industry market value. Among them, "Taipei Biostar" is the highest honor added in 2024. Only one team is selected every year to encourage biotechnology companies with R&D achievements and market development potential to expand internationally. Chen Zhongxuan's team won both the gold medal and the highest honor, highlighting Academia Sinica's ability to transform scientific research results into industrial applications through technology transfer.
