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The TAIWAN BRIDGES lecture series officially opened yesterday (November 20) at Academia Sinica. The inaugural talk featured Professor Roger D. Kornberg, recipient of the 2006 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and Professor of Structural Biology at Stanford University School of Medicine. Delivering a lecture titled “The End of Disease? The Extraordinary Developments in Biomedicine and the Implications for Humanity,” Professor Kornberg presented science-driven solutions to global threats such as pandemics. The event, which drew over 500 participants, featured Professor Kornberg delivering a lecture followed by a lively question and answer session that covered a wide range of topics related to the presentation.

In his opening remarks, President James C. Liao noted that Professor Kornberg is a leading figure in molecular and structural biology. Professor Kornberg was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for uncovering the molecular mechanism of eukaryotic transcription—how genetic information encoded in DNA is transcribed (or converted) into RNA. This groundbreaking research not only advanced fundamental biological understanding of RNA biology but also laid the foundation for diagnostic technologies, drug discovery, and biomedical research. Professor Kornberg is also a member of the rare parent–child pairs in Nobel history. His father, Arthur Kornberg, received the 1959 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, representing a remarkable scientific legacy across generations.

This is not Professor Kornberg’s first visit to Academia Sinica. He last visited in 2009 as an invited Academia Sinica Lecturer. His return to Taiwan, now as part of the TAIWAN BRIDGES Nobel Laureate series after 16 years, symbolizes the continuity of international academic friendship and underscores Academia Sinica’s commitment to fostering global scientific collaboration.

In the first part of his lecture, Professor Kornberg emphasized that although COVID-19 has receded from public attention, the next major pandemic—potentially far more severe—may already be emerging. He proposed an innovative, science-based solution to future viral pandemics in which short pieces of RNA are delivered to cells in turn stopping viral propagation. This approach could be used for a broad range of other diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. In the second part of his lecture, Dr. Kornberg presented on-going work from his laboratory on the structure of chromosomes, the carrier of genetic information in cells. These investigations will challenge existing dogma and represent a paradigm-changing view of these essential components of life.

These studies challenge prevailing scientific views and have sparked a strong response among the audience. Professor Kornberg addressed every professional question with detailed analysis and explanation, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking for researchers. Although he is a Nobel laureate, he discourages young people from treating him as an idol; instead, he urges them to question authority.

In addition to the keynote lecture, Professor Kornberg also met today (November 21) with researchers from Academia Sinica’s Institute of Biological Chemistry and Institute of Chemistry for an academic discussion focused on topics ranging from nucleic acid biology, genome editing, glycoscience and drug delivery.

The TAIWAN BRIDGES program is a collaboration among Academia Sinica, National Taiwan University, and 10 other leading research and educational institutions in Taiwan, jointly promoted with the International Peace Foundation. The initiative aims to deepen Taiwan’s engagement with world-renowned scholars. Between November 2025 and April 2026, 31 Nobel Laureates will visit Taiwan—10 of whom will speak at Academia Sinica—representing fields across peace, chemistry, physics, and the biomedical sciences.

The next event will take place on December 1, featuring 2018 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Ms. Nadia Murad, who will speak on:
“Who can influence the end of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) worldwide? – The power of personal stories and the role of activism.”
Registration link: https://reurl.cc/yKMR0M