Taipei, Taiwan (September 29, 2026) — Researchers working across Taiwan and the United States gathered at Taipei Medical University (TMU) on Tuesday to share progress on four joint projects in precision health and discuss how global collaboration can advance research and create opportunities for emerging researchers.

Held at Cheng-Pu Conference Hall, the International Collaboration Workshop was part of the University Academic Alliance in Taiwan (UAAT)–The University of Texas System (UTS) Integrated Program for Precision Health and Transnational Talent Linkage. The presentations showed how the participating teams are bringing together clinical research, engineering, and public health expertise to address different health challenges, with joint research and talent development forming complementary parts of the program.

Professor Susan H. Fenton, Vice Dean for Education at UTHealth Houston, opened the research program with a keynote titled “Across Borders, Toward Better Health: The UT System–TMU Collaboration.” She spoke about the value of combining expertise across institutions while ensuring that research findings and AI tools are tested across populations and suited to the settings where they will be used. She also encouraged teams to build lasting collaborations that include students and early career researchers, helping support the long-term sustainability of international research partnerships.

The first two presentations focused on technologies for monitoring health. Sub-Project 1, led by Professor Pei-Shan Tsai of TMU, reported progress on wearable sensors that measure physiological responses during exercise. The team also introduced a pilot study of exercise approaches for frail older adults. Sub-Project 2, presented by Professor Po-Lei Lee of National Central University, shared work on a radar system that measures heart rate and breathing without physical contact. The team plans to investigate whether these signals could help identify changes preceding epileptic seizures.

The following presentations examined patient outcomes and the use of AI in care. Sub-Project 3, led by Professor Meng-Huang Wu of TMU, is combining medical imaging, biomechanical modelling, and wearable sensing to study how muscle loss may affect patients after lumbar fusion surgery. Sub-Project 4, presented by Professor Jean Feng-Jen Tsai of TMU, is studying physicians’ and patients’ perspectives on AI in clinical practice in Taiwan and the United States. The team shared progress from its surveys and focus groups on issues including trust, privacy, and responsibility.

The workshop closed with a discussion on global collaboration strategies. After reviewing progress across the four projects, participants considered how to carry their joint research and academic exchanges forward, strengthening the connections needed to maintain cooperation beyond individual project activities.

TMU’s engagement with the University of Texas System began with a student exchange program in 2006 and grew through a formal institutional agreement signed in 2025. The current program builds on that relationship by connecting TMU and other UAAT universities with research partners in Texas around shared health research questions.

The collaboration extends beyond the four research presentations. Project teams have organized workshops, hosted visiting researchers, and arranged faculty and student exchanges, supporting talent development through opportunities to learn and conduct research across institutions. As the projects continue, further joint research, publications, and exchanges will help build the expertise and institutional ties that underpin the sustainability of the Taiwan–Texas partnership.