The National Science and Technology Council recently announced the winners of the 2024 Wu Ta-You Memorial Award, and Associate Professor Wang Liang-Chun from National Sun Yat-sen University’s (NSYSU) Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources was awarded. This recognition highlights his reputation as an emerging talent in scientific research.

Professor Wang started his career studying human infections but later shifted his focus to understanding infections in fish and their helpful bacteria. His research looks at how bacteria living on fish skin interact with their environment and the fish itself. Notably, he developed Taiwan’s first lab-based fish skin model to study these bacteria, providing a new and innovative way to understand their behavior. This breakthrough has earned him this well-deserved award.

His work fits perfectly with current global trends in the study of bacteria communities (Trends in Microbiology 2023-2024). It covers areas like biology at the smallest level, proteins, and analyzing large amounts of data. He has also used medical techniques like tissue coloring and immune system studies, and recently added chemical analysis to make his results even more accurate. His research has uncovered new connections between environmental changes and bacteria in fish, providing fresh ideas for preventing diseases in fish farming.

In the future, Professor Wang plans to use his findings on bacteria and their interactions with fish to help create better solutions for fish farming, especially as climate change brings new challenges.

His award not only recognizes his impressive work but also reinforces NSYSU’s leadership in marine science and research.