NCKU medical school signs MOU with U.S. university on cancer research

 2012/03/20 21:50:00  Taipei, March 20 (CNA) The medical school of National Cheng Kung University in Tainan signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) Tuesday on cooperation with the Ohio State University's college of pharmacy.   The two institutes plan to form a research team to study pancreatic cancer and collaborate on developing new drugs for the disease in the five-year cooperation project, according to NCKU, which has one of the best medical schools Taiwan.   The college can provide its clinical experience, while the American school can offer medicine and experience in developing new drugs, said Lin Chyi-her, dean of the NCKU's college of medicine.   The two facilities will also organize joint workshops allowing their researchers and graduate students to exchange expertise, Lin added.   For the Ohio university, the alliance with NCKU and the joint efforts for new cancer treatments are beneficial, said Robert Brueggemier, dean of the pharmacy college.   Pancreatic cancer is one of the most severe and invasive types of malignant tumors. It is difficult to treat and the patients' post-operative conditions are often not as good as for some other cancers, NCKU said. So far, no chemical medication has proved effective.   A joint research laboratory is scheduled to open at NCKU Hospital's oncology center, said the Tainan school. The two institutes also plan to send delegations to visit each other and discuss case studies.   In addition, a three-year project is slated to kick off in early August in an effort to extend the lives of pancreatic cancer patients.