We are a small country but play an important role in the global science and technology. Thanks to the heritage from our society, we have a culture of smart production. Therefore, during our professional career, it is likely that we can create something new and something useful to our patients, which I would like to share with you.

Hepatoma is a terrible disease. Thanks to HBV vaccine and magic drugs of HCV, the incidence is decreasing. However, many patients still present to hospitals beyond curable treatment. Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is conducted as palliative measure for some of them. During recent decades, the embolization technique improved a lot but the cost of the used material and device also become very expensive, notably drug-eluting beads and the iodized oil.

As a physician in a university hospital, we take the advantages of multidisciplinary collaborations to manufacture a radiopaque and drug-eluting microsphere for hepatoma embolization. The product is unique for its radiopaque and biodegradable in human body. We have conducted clinical trials in 42 patients. Pivotal test is going to be conducted.

Iodized oil (Lipiodol) is a conventional material for transcatheter arterial embolization. The oil comes from poppy seeds oil, of which is scarce. Its supply is not stable in many countries besides the souring price. I initiated to produce a new iodized fatty acids ethyl esters (same with Lipiodol, but different in each proportions) when I took sabbatical at Food Industry Research and Development Institute (FIRDI). The starting raw material (sunflower oil) is common but refined technology is advanced. Under the help from Industrial Technology and Research Institute (ITRI), the new iodized oil is permitted to conduct phase I/ II clinical trials from US FDA and TFDA.

Endoscopic mucosal resection and submucosal dissection are two new therapies. The major concern of these technology is safety. To improve the safety, we designed an alginate-based hydrogel to get excellent mucosal lifting. We went through IRB and clinical trial process to recruit 12 patients to conduct ESD. Moreover, our thermo-sensitive hydrogels will serve drug delivery for other treatment goals.

GI bleeding is a major challenge for gastroenterologists. The widely accepted endoscopic therapeutic methods are local injection, clipping and electric coagulations. For large area bleeding or difficult to approach bleeders, there is an emerging therapy— hemostasis by powder spray. We used redesigned formula for hemostasis powder and delivery system. The new system becomes more effective and easy to manipulate. The clinical trials are under processing; we try to add an effective tool to stop difficult bleedings.

Innovations come from new combination of known facts, experience and professional knowledge. It begins with the empathy for patients’ suffering and remain resilient to keep improving outcomes of our practice. If our professional career is focus on the cure or palliation of patients’ suffering, it is really an interesting innovational venture.