From Long-COVID Screening to Cancer Care: TMU Research Breakthroughs Drive Smarter Screening, Safer Care, and Precision Treatment

Medical innovation does not always begin with a new device or a new drug. Sometimes, it begins with asking better clinical questions: Why do some patients develop unexpected complications after infection? When can surgery be safely avoided? How can molecular discoveries be translated into more personalized cancer care?

Associate Professor Che-Hsuan Lin, Director of the Department of Otolaryngology at Taipei Medical University (TMU), has been addressing these questions through a distinctive research approach that combines health data, clinical insight, and molecular precision medicine. In recognition of his contributions, Dr. Lin has been awarded the 2025 IIP International Inventor Prize – Special Contribution Award. The honor highlights his efforts to reshape standards of care in otolaryngology, head and neck medicine, and translational research.

Dr. Lin’s work reflects what he describes as a “dual-engine” model of innovation: using big-data epidemiology to identify emerging clinical risks, while applying laboratory-based molecular research to uncover disease mechanisms and therapeutic targets.

Revealing Hidden Risks of Long-COVID

One of Dr. Lin’s research contributions focuses on the long-term effects of COVID-19. In a 2024 study published in the Journal of Medical Virology, his team utilized large-scale real-world data to identify a significant correlation between SARS-CoV-2 infection and the later development of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

“Our findings suggest that the impact of the virus extends far beyond the acute phase, potentially altering long-term upper airway physiology,” said Dr. Lin. The study provides new evidence supporting the need to monitor recovered COVID-19 patients for sleep disorders, especially because untreated obstructive sleep apnea can increase the risk of cardiovascular complications.

By drawing attention to this overlooked aspect of Long-COVID, Dr. Lin’s research offers clinicians a new perspective on post-infection care and risk screening.

Redefining Surgical Protocols for Children with Cleft Lip and Palate

Dr. Lin has also advanced clinical decision-making in pediatric otolaryngology. His team’s recent publication in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in 2025 examined middle-ear effusion (MEE) in children with cleft lip and palate before and after palatoplasty.

For decades, many children with cleft-related middle-ear effusion have routinely received prophylactic ventilation tube insertion. However, Dr. Lin’s team found that routine tube placement may not always be necessary. Based on this evidence, the team proposed a more selective clinical decision model, the “Selective VTI Decision Protocol,” that helps physicians identify which children need surgical intervention.

This approach may reduce unnecessary procedures, lower surgical risk, and improve the quality of care for pediatric patients. Dr. Lin noted, “True medical innovation is not always about creating a new device; sometimes, it is about knowing when not to operate.”

Advancing Precision Medicine in Head and Neck Cancer

On the molecular front, Dr. Lin’s laboratory continues to investigate mechanisms involved in head and neck cancer progression, treatment resistance, and metastasis. His team has identified novel biomarkers, including AIM2 and NEDD8, that are also associated with radioresistance and tumor behavior in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

These findings may help researchers better understand why some cancers respond poorly to treatment and may support the development of personalized therapeutic strategies.

Furthermore, in a 2025 study published in Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, the research highlighted that chlorogenic acid may help reduce chemotherapy-induced mucositis through pathways related to oxidative stress and inflammation. This line of research points to a new avenue for improving the quality of life among patients undergoing cancer therapy.

Bridging Research to Patient Care

Dr. Lin’s work spans Long-COVID complications, pediatric surgical decision-making, cancer biology, and treatment-related supportive care, demonstrating the broad impact of translational medicine. At TMU, Dr. Lin’s research highlights the university’s growing strength in interdisciplinary biomedical innovation. By integrating big data, clinical evidence, and molecular science, his team is helping to establish more precise, evidence-based approaches to patient care.

“We are not just publishing papers; we are engineering a new era of personalized medicine where treatment plans are as unique as the patient’s own biology,” Dr. Lin concluded.

With recognition by the 2025 IIP International Inventor Prize, Dr. Lin’s achievements underscore TMU’s commitment to advancing medical innovation that is clinically meaningful, scientifically rigorous, and centered on improving patient outcomes.

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Original Article:

1. Reduced complications and mortality after admission for head and neck cancer in patients with previous dental scaling: a retrospective cohort study based on real-world data
2. Impact of Palatoplasty on Middle-Ear Effusion in Children with Cleft Lip and Palate
3. Chlorogenic acid attenuates 5-fluorouracil-induced intestinal mucositis in mice through SIRT1 signaling-mediated oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways
4. Elucidating the Role of Let-7d-5p and OLR1 in the Progression and Prognosis of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma viaFAK/P53 Signaling Axis
5. Guanylate binding protein 5 triggers NF-κB activation to foster radioresistance, metastatic progression and PD-L1 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma
6. AIM2 promotes irradiation resistance, migration ability and PD-L1 expression through STAT1/NF-κB activation in oral squamous cell carcinoma
7. The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome after COVID-19 infection
8. NEDD8 promotes radioresistance via triggering autophagy formation and serves as a novel prognostic marker in oral squamous cell carcinoma
9. FOXD1 Repression Potentiates Radiation Effectiveness by Downregulating G3BP2 Expression and Promoting the Activation of TXNIP-Related Pathways in Oral Cancer
10. Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Subunit Alpha-5 Promotes Radioresistance via Recruiting E2F Activity in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Author Profile:

Che-Hsuan Lin, Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine