Team Member
Our team brings together experts from various fields, including medicine, academia, research, and data analysis.
Team Member -
Principal Investigator

Edward Lai
Center Director
Edward is the founder and the leader of the Public Health Data Center and works as a Professor at the Institute of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, School of Pharmacy, National Cheng Kung University. He has expertise in the use of a variety of healthcare databases across Asia, Oceania, North America, and Europe in the conduct of international multi-database pharmacoepidemiologic research. His research interests include the safety and effectiveness of psychotropic, rheumatologic, and oncologic medications. He has published 100+ research articles in top journals such as BMJ, Nature Medicine, JAMA of Internal Medicine. He has served as an Associate Editor of Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety since 2013. He served as the chair of the Asian Pharmacoepidemiology Network (AsPEN) (2016-2018). He is now an active Neurological and Mental Health Global Epidemiology Network (NeuroGEN) member. Additonally, he was awarded the Fellow of the International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology (FISPE) designation in 2023.
Apart from his work, he enjoys having quality personal time, playing with his pet cats, and exploring delicious food.

Chao-Han Lai
Professor
Dr. Lai is an intensivist in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at National Cheng Kung University Hospital. He is also a physician-scientist focusing on both clinical and translational research. Dr. Lai’s research interests include critical care, outcomes research, eHealth, and vascular biology. With these results, he has published in several leading biomedical journals, such as Annals of Surgery, Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, Chest, Anesthesiology, and Theranostics.

Jia-Horung Hung
Ophthalmologist
Dr. Jia-Horung Hung is an ophthalmologist specializing in uveitis and retinal diseases. He is an active member of several professional organizations, including the Ophthalmological Society of Taiwan, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Taiwan Retinal Society, and the Taiwan Ocular Inflammation Society (TOIS), where he served as Secretary General from 2020 to 2023.
Dr. Hung’s research focuses on developing innovative treatments for ocular diseases, with particular emphasis on ocular inflammation, infections, inherited ocular disease-associated uveitis, and ophthalmic big-data analysis. His work has earned him several awards, including the Young Researcher Award from National Cheng Kung University in 2020 and the Bronze Publication Award from The Ophthalmological Society of Taiwan in 2023. Since November 2023, Dr. Hung has been a visiting scholar in Professor Quan Dong Nguyen’s lab at Stanford University, where he is receiving advanced clinical training in the treatment of ocular inflammatory diseases and gaining expertise in conducting early-phase clinical researches, both sponsor-initiated and investigator-initiated.
- Email:Timhung0222@gmail.com

Chaw-Ning Lee
Dermatologist
Dr. Chaw-Ning Lee completed her dermatology education at National Cheng Kung University and Hospital and is currently an attending dermatologist and clinical assistant professor at NCKUH. She also serves as the vice coordinator of the skin cancer team at NCKUH. Her areas of special interest include pharmacoepidemiology, psoriasis, drug eruptions, skin cancer, and pediatric dermatology. Since November 2023, Dr. Lee has been a visiting scholar in the Stanford Program in Epithelial Biology at Stanford University. She also enjoys playing badminton, traveling, and making handmade clothes.
- Email:Joyce060324@gmail.com

Wei-Pang Chung
Clinical Associate Professor
Dr. Wei-Pang Chung is a medical oncologist specializing in breast cancer. He is an Attending Physician and Clinical Assistant Professor at the Department of Oncology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, and Deputy Chairperson of the Breast Cancer Team at the Cancer Center, National Cheng Kung University Hospital.
Dr. Chung received his medical degree from National Cheng Kung University in 2006 and his Ph.D. in Institute of Clinical Medicine from the same university in 2022. He completed his residency in internal medicine at National Cheng Kung University Hospital in 2010 and a fellowship in hematology/oncology in 2013. He is actively involved in professional organizations and societies such as the Breast Cancer Society, the Chinese Oncology Society, and the Hematology Society of Taiwan. He has received several awards for his teaching and research contributions.
Dr. Chung has a strong track record of research and clinical experience. He is the principal investigator for over 40 phase I-IV breast cancer clinical trials and has been recognized for his contributions to clinical teaching and research. He has also published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and has participated in several international breast cancer working groups.
- Email:edgarbun@gmail.com

Cheng-Yang Hsieh
Adjunct Assistant Professor
The main clinical and academic interest of Cheng-Yang Hsieh, MD, PhD, is stroke. He ever served as the Deputy Secretary-General of Taiwan Stroke Society and joined a nationwide Post-Acute Care project for stroke. He is now a board member of Taiwan Stroke Society, the author of 116 publications on Pubmed, a reviewer of several journals, an attending neurologist of a community hospital, and an adjunct assistant professor in pharmacy.
- Email:chengyanghsieh@gmail.com

Meng-Yu Weng
Associate Professor
Dr. Weng is a distinguished physician specializing in rheumatology and immunology at National Cheng Kung University Hospital. With a comprehensive educational background, including a Ph.D. and Master's in Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology from National Cheng Kung University, as well as an M.D. from Karol Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences.
As the Director of the Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology in the Department of Internal Medicine, and Associate Professor at the medical school, Dr. Weng is at the forefront of patient care and medical education. Her expertise spans a wide range of systemic autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, seronegative spondyloarthropathy, gout, systemic lupus erythematosus, and many others.
Dr. Weng is dedicated to providing patients with advanced and accurate medical care in clinical practice and hopes to improve patient care through research.
- Email:maggieweng@yahoo.com

Che-Yuan Hu
Assistant Professor
Dr. Che-Yuan Hu, M.D., PhD, is an attending physician specializing in oncological surgeries, with a focus on laparoscopic and robotic-assisted procedures. His clinical expertise and academic research span the field of uro-oncology, covering urothelial carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, and prostate cancer. He also enjoys music, movies, and reading.
- Email:greatoldhu@gmail.com

Yu-Tsung Chou
Attending Physician
Yu-Tsung Chou, MD is a family physician and clinical assistant professor at National Cheng Kung University Hospital (NCKUH). He received his medical degree from the Chang Gung university and completed his residency in family medicine at NCKUH. He treats patients with acute illness and chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia and hyperuricemia. In addition to practicing family medicine, he offers consultations of advanced health check-up at health management center of NCKUH currently. As a family physician, his work focuses on (1) investigating the influence of metabolic syndrome and the associated risk factors, (2) the negative impacts of lifestyle habits, such as smoking or betel quid chewing on personal health and (3) primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases through cross-sectional and cohort studies.
- Email:Odyssey4324@gmail.com

Kuan-Hung Liu
Attending Physician, Nephrology
Dr. Kuan-Hung Liu is an attending physician at the Division of Nephrology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital (NCKUH). He specializes in nephrology, with a focus on chronic kidney disease, cardiorenal syndromes, and hemodialysis complications. He helped establish a comprehensive nephrology database at NCKUH, encompassing over a decade of data on chronic kidney disease and hemodialysis patients, which is utilized for AI implementation and real-world statistical analysis. Leading a multidisciplinary research team, he contributes to the development of advanced healthcare technologies—including predictive models for intradialytic hypotension, machine learning algorithms for personalized dialysis care, AI-based diagnostic tools, and SERS technology for uremic toxin detection—and holds several key patents on these innovations. Dr. Liu also serves on the expert committee for the TSOC & TSN Consensus on Cardiorenal Management, shaping guidelines for heart and kidney disease management. In his leisure time, he enjoys hiking and photography.

Han-Wei Mu
CMUH, Emergency Physician
Han-Wei Mu graduated with a medical degree from China Medical University and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at National Cheng Kung University, focusing on Pharmacoepidemiology. He is an emergency physician at China Medical University Hospital, where he specializes in emergency medicine and clinical toxicology. His research interests are centered around carbon monoxide poisoning, various toxic exposures, and acute illnesses. With years of experience in clinical practice and research, Han-Wei Mu has developed expertise in managing critical and toxicological emergencies. In his free time, he enjoys cooking and playing video games, which help him relax and unwind from the demands of his profession.
- Email:Gackt0366@gmail.com

Chan-Jung Liu
NCKUH, Department of Urology
Dr. Chan-Jung Liu is a graduate of the Master's program at the Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Cheng Kung University. He currently serves as a urologist and an Assistant Professor. Dr. Liu's specialty includes unraveling the novel effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on inhibiting calcium oxalate kidney stones, investigating the reduction of calcium oxalate kidney stones by Sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors with potential involvement of AMPK and autophagy pathways, and studying the molecular mechanisms of these inhibitors on kidney stone disease through in vivo and in vitro experiments. He is particularly interested in technological innovation in endourology and minimally invasive surgery, as well as the molecular pathways by which antidiabetic drugs influence the risk of nephrolithiasis. In his free time, Dr. Liu enjoys playing basketball.
- Email:dragon2043@hotmail.com

Wan-Ju Lee
Associate Professor
Dr. Wan-Ju Annabelle Lee is an Assistant Professor at the School of Pharmacy, National Cheng Kung University in Tainan, Taiwan, a position he has held since August 2022, and atending physician in the Department of Ophthalmology in Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan since 2020. With a robust background in ophthalmology, pharmacoepidemiology, neuro-ophthalmology, and ophthalmic pharmacology, Dr. Wan-Ju Annabelle Lee has significantly contributed to both academic and clinical spheres of eye care.
She earned his Doctor of Medicine from the School of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University in 2006. Following this, he completed a residency in the Department of Ophthalmology at National Cheng Kung University Hospital in 2010. Driven by a passion for research and education, Dr. Wan-Ju Annabelle Lee pursued a Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the same institution, which he completed in 2017.
An active member of the ophthalmic community, Dr. Lee is affliated with several professional organizations, including the Ophthalmological Society of Taiwan, the International Society of Pharmacoepidemiology, the Taiwan Academy of Ophthalmology, the Asia-Pacific Ocular Imaging Society, and the Taiwan Retinal Society. His dedication to the field has been recognized with multiple International Conference on Pharmacoepidemiology & Therapeutic Risk Management Scholarship Awards between 2014 and 2019.
In addition to his clinical and teaching responsibilities, Dr. Lee contributes to the scientific community through his roles in academic publishing. He has been a reviewer for numerous peer-reviewed journals such as The Ochsner Journal, International Ophthalmology, BMJ Case Reports, and European Journal of Ophthalmology. Since 2021, he has served as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Medical Case Reports and is set to become its Deputy Editor in August 2024.
Dr. Lee's research interests focus on advancing the understanding and treatment of ocular diseases through the lens of pharmacoepidemiology and pharmacology, aiming to improve patient outcomes and eye care practices globally.
- Email:wanjuleetw@gmail.com

Shih-Chieh Shao
Senior Pharmacist Educator
Shih-Chieh Shao serves as the Senior Pharmacist and Director of the Evidence-Based Medicine Center at Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan. His research primarily explores treatment effects and disease characteristics through the use of extensive healthcare databases, as well as systematic reviews and meta-analyses. His work has resulted in notable contributions to the field, evidenced by over 90 SCI-indexed publications and an H-index of 19. His research has been published in prestigious journals such as the BMJ, Nature Medicine, Critical Care, JAMA Network Open, and BMC Medicine. Additionally, his research has been recognized and cited in review articles by JAMA, Science, the 2022 ADA-EASD Consensus Report, and the 2022 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics report by the American Heart Association.
- Email:scshao@cgmh.org.tw

Sio-Hong Lam
Associate Professor
Dr. Sio-Hong Lam received her Ph.D. degree from the School of Pharmacy, National Taiwan University (NTU). After that, she worked in the Advpharma Inc. and was responsible for Chinese herbal medicine, including botanical drug product candidate discovery and herbal food and cosmetics products development. Starting from August 2017, Dr. Lam has been teaching at the School of Pharmacy in National Cheng Kung University, responsible for teaching courses on pharmacognosy and traditional Chinese medicine. Dr. Lam's primary research focuses on the development of active components with anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties derived from traditional Chinese herbs, as well as the study of waxy and pigment components in Orchidaceae plants, contributing to the advancement of pharmaceutical and agricultural fields.
- Email:shlam@ncku.edu.tw
Team Member -
Research

Edward Lai
Center Director
Edward is the founder and the leader of the Public Health Data Center and works as a Professor at the Institute of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, School of Pharmacy, National Cheng Kung University. He has expertise in the use of a variety of healthcare databases across Asia, Oceania, North America, and Europe in the conduct of international multi-database pharmacoepidemiologic research. His research interests include the safety and effectiveness of psychotropic, rheumatologic, and oncologic medications. He has published 100+ research articles in top journals such as BMJ, Nature Medicine, JAMA of Internal Medicine. He has served as an Associate Editor of Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety since 2013. He served as the chair of the Asian Pharmacoepidemiology Network (AsPEN) (2016-2018). He is now an active Neurological and Mental Health Global Epidemiology Network (NeuroGEN) member. Additonally, he was awarded the Fellow of the International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology (FISPE) designation in 2023.
Apart from his work, he enjoys having quality personal time, playing with his pet cats, and exploring delicious food.

Tzu-Chi Liao
Statistician
Tzu-Chi Liao holds a master's degree in statistics and specializes in data analysis at the center. With extensive SAS programming experience, Tzu-Chi generates required datasets and reports based on Statistical Analysis Protocols (SAP), ensuring high quality and accuracy. Additionally, Tzu-Chi plays a vital role in developing the Common Data Model (CDM), where they are responsible for converting NHIRD datasets into the Sentinel CDM format. This process includes rigorous program-based checks to guarantee data transformation quality. Tzu-Chi also develops various analytical modules based on the CDM structure to improve the team's efficiency in leading cross-national collaborative projects.
Moreover, Tzu-Chi serves as the head of the management team, utilizing data analysis expertise to assist in budget planning for the group.
Outside of work, Tzu-Chi is the proud owner of four cats and enjoys spending time at home with them. In their leisure time, Tzu-Chi loves hosting friends, conversing, enjoying good food, and playing with the cats.
- Email:zichi710@gmail.com

Chin-Yao Shen
PhD Candidate
Chin-Yao Shen is a senior PhD student at National Cheng Kung University in Tainan, Taiwan. He has a particular interest in cardiovascular diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, and urology, with several publications in these fields. As a pharmacoepidemiologist, his aim is to generate real-world evidence by integrating diverse datasets from Asian countries to support decision-making in regulatory contexts. Chin-Yao focuses on the design and development of distributed data networks in Asia, particularly using the Common Data Model, to produce reliable evidence through descriptive studies, drug surveillance, and comparative effectiveness research. Outside of their professional life, Chin-Yao enjoys to reach the nature, which provide a refreshing balance to their scientific pursuits.

Miyuki Hsieh
Post-doctoral Research Fellow
Miyuki Hsing-Chun Hsieh is a postdoctoral research fellow in Dr. Lai's group at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), specializing in drug safety. Her work emphasizes using data-mining techniques to identify potential drug safety signals and evaluating medication safety through various pharmacoepidemiological methods. She focuses primarily on cardiovascular diseases and extends her research to special populations, including pediatric patients and pregnant women. In her free time, Miyuki enjoys family trips with her baby, participating in parent-child activities, getting massages, and practicing yoga.
- Email:miyuki.hch@gmail.com

Daniel Tsai
Research Fellow
Daniel Tsai is a doctoral research fellow at Population Health Data Center, NCKU. He specializes in comparative effectiveness research and policy research. His expertise includes triangulating claims databases, electronic health records, and biomedical databases to inform causal inference. Additionally, he is actively involved in the intersection of artificial intelligence and geriatric medicine. Moreover, Daniel contributes as an active member to both the Asian Pharmacoepidemiology Network (AsPEN) and the Neurological and Mental Health Global Epidemiology Network (NeuroGEN), where he is deeply involved in fostering research collaborations and advancements in the field.
- Email:danielhttsai@gmail.com

Avery Yang
PhD Student
Avery is a PhD student from National Cheng-Kung University. Avery’s current research focused on the drug safety evaluation using self-controlled approaches and investigated the causal inference by advanced method (i.e., clone-censoring weighting approach, sequential trial). Avery has developed deep expertise in pharmacoepidemiology, supported by extensive research and clinical experience as a pharmacist. His work primarily focused on the field of oncology, including skin cancer, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancer and certain chronic metabolic disease (i.e., diabetes, hyperlipidemia). During leisure time, Avery enjoys engaging in various activities that provide relaxation and creative fulfillment like photography, movie watching, and reading, particularly sci-fi and classic novels. He particularly enjoys capturing beautiful landscapes and architecture through photography, finding joy in exploring various angles, lighting, and perspectives to create visually stunning images.
- Email:Averysh.0523@gmail.com/

Chris Su
PhD Candidate
Chris graduated from the School of Pharmacy at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) with a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree. He is currently a PhD candidate at the Institute of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at NCKU. Focusing on methodological applications in pharmacoepidemiology, Chris specializes in advanced study designs such as the case-crossover design, case-time-control, and case-case-time-control design. He also possesses fundamental skills in SAS and R programming. Recently, he has been investigating adverse drug reactions associated with medications that have anticholinergic effects or are anti-diabetic agents. His work aims to enhance the understanding of medication-related risks and contribute to improved patient safety. In addition to his academic pursuits, Chris enjoys baking and playing the piano, hobbies that allow him to express creativity and find balance outside of his research activities.
- Email:chrissu0107@gmail.com

Albert Chuang
Research Fellow
Albert Tzu-Ming Chuang, PharmD, is a third-year research fellow at the Population Health Data Center, where he has been actively involved in various projects. His work primarily focuses on utilizing large-scale claims and electronic healthcare databases to approach causal inferences that can inform both clinical practice and policy-making. With a specialization in cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and rheumatology, Albert brings a strong background in cohort and case-crossover study designs. He is also proficient in conducting comprehensive literature reviews and is an experienced user of programming languages such as SAS and R.
In addition to his research responsibilities, Albert oversees the social media of Population Health Data Center. He manages its LinkedIn profile and official websites, ensuring the effective dissemination of research findings. In his personal time, Albert enjoys playing a variety of sports, including badminton, basketball, baseball, and volleyball. He is an avid fan of the NBA during winter and enjoys watching baseball in the summer. Additionally, he finds joy in cooking and playing video games with friends during holidays.

Michael Cheng
Statistician
Michael Chun-Yuan Cheng is a dedicated research assistant and statistician within our team, bringing a strong academic background in both statistics and public health. His expertise is centered around advanced epidemiology methodology and simulation studies, areas where his analytical skills have proven to be invaluable. In addition to his technical knowledge, he is proficient in R and SAS programming, which further enhances his ability to contribute to complex data-driven projects. More recently, he has taken on a leading role in overseeing our multinational collaborations with research teams from Hong Kong and South Korea, efficiently utilizing common data model approach to ensure consistency and comparability of results. Furthermore, Michael is deeply involved in supporting the team by assisting with programming instruction, sharing his knowledge and guiding others through technical training sessions, thereby fostering growth and collaboration within the team. He enjoys watching Korean dramas or magical movies in his leisure time. Perhaps one day, he might become a wizard.
- Email:chen0226@gmail.com

Brian Li
PhD Student
Brian Li is a PhD student at National Cheng-Kung University. His research interests primarily focus on the target trial emulation framework and the exploration of causal estimands. As an experienced clinical pharmacist, Brian leverages his domain knowledge in the causal interpretation within pharmacoepidemiology. He concentrates mainly on psychiatric disorders and extends his research to special populations, including individuals with illicit substance use. On his days off, Brian enjoys outdoor activities and working out, often spending time running, boxing or engaging in strength training to stay active and unwind.
- Email:Brianli6699@gmail.com

Zoe Chang
Research Assistant
After graduating from the School of Pharmacy NCKU with Doctor of Pharmacy degree, Zoe joined the team as a research assistant. With the background of pharmacy, Zoe keeps broadening disease area and special study population in the field of pharmacoepidemiology, where neurodegenerative diseases and pregnancy are two topics she has experience with.
Currently, Zoe is focusing on COVID-19 vaccine studies and developing algorithm for validation study. In leisure time, Zoe enjoys doing yoga, trying out new recipe and photographing.
- Email:Zoechang827@gmail.com

Yu-Hui Chang
Assistant
Yu-Hui Chang serves as an administrative assistant in Professor Lai’s team at the Department of Pharmacy, National Cheng Kung University. In this role, she is responsible for managing administrative tasks related to the team's projects, including the reimbursement process and other finance-related operations. With a keen eye for detail and strong organizational skills, she ensures that the administrative side of research projects runs smoothly and efficiently.
Outside of her job life, Yu-Hui is a devoted mother of two and takes great joy in the daily experiences of parenting. Balancing work and family life, she finds fulfillment in both her career and the time she spends raising her children. Her ability to manage multiple responsibilities with dedication and care reflects her strong work ethic and nurturing nature.
- Email:cuj25@hotmail.com

Kevin Liao
PhD Student
Kevin is a first-year PhD student studying pharmacoqpidemiology.
He is enthusiased in self-controlled case series and case-crossover design. In addition to the within-comparison study, he is also interested in some advanced cohort study design, such as clone-censoring weighting and the prevalent new user design.
Currently, he is working in the domain of type II diabetes and the correlation of asthma exacerbation. Furthermore, he is doing study about COVID-19 vaccination and the association of some safety concern, for example, the autoimmune disease.
For the programming, there's still a long way to go, but he will overcome these obstacles.
Kevin is an outdoor person, he loves going to the gym and playing volleyball.

Peter Pin-Sung Liu
Post-doctoral Research Fellow
Peter Pin-Sung Liu is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Population Health Data Center (PHDc) of National Cheng Kung University (NCKU). He specializes in epidemiology and statistical methods for observational studies, with a focus on applying the target trial emulation framework to enhance causal inference in real-world evidence. Peter's primary research interests lie in the fields of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus, encompassing both treatment regimens and associated complications. Beyond his work at PHDc, Peter is frequently invited to lead workshops on study design, data management, and statistical analysis using software such as R and SAS for research involving Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database.
By the way, coffee is an essential part for him!
- Email:psliu520@gmail.com

Chin-Hung Tsai
Project Manager
Chin-Hung Tsai holds a Bachelor's degree in Statistics from National Cheng Kung University and is currently working as a Project Manager. With a solid foundation in statistical analysis and problem-solving, he strives to effectively manage projects and contribute to their successful execution. His role involves coordinating teams and delivering results that align with organizational goals. Chin-Hung values collaboration and continuous improvement, and he is always seeking ways to enhance processes and support his team.
Outside of his work, Chin-Hung enjoys playing volleyball and watching movies, which reflect his appreciation for teamwork, creativity, and balance. He also believes in the importance of lifelong learning, often exploring new skills or knowledge to stay adaptable in a constantly evolving world. Whether it’s improving his technical expertise or refining his communication abilities, he approaches every challenge as an opportunity for growth.
His dedication to his work and personal interests highlights a goal-oriented approach to life, making him a dependable and supportive team member who values the success of the group as much as his own.
- Email:jing_jang11@hotmail.com