home.hospitalName

The Stephen J. Solarz International Laboratory was established in 2019 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act. Its creation was facilitated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in coordination with Taiwan's Representative Office in the United States and the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), with the signing of an implementation agreement and memorandum of understanding. The laboratory is a joint initiative among three parties: Taipei Veterans General Hospital (TVGH), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), and the U.S. National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health (NIH | NCI), dedicated to executing transnational research projects.

The laboratory was founded in honor of New York Congressman Stephen J. Solarz, who was a steadfast advocate for Taiwan during his lifetime. Its primary mission is to investigate the differences in susceptibility to lung cancer and upper respiratory tract cancers between Eastern and Western populations. On September 24, 2021, the laboratory held its first research results presentation at Taipei Veterans General Hospital. Despite challenges posed by the pandemic, U.S. representatives—including Stephen J. Solarz's widow, Nina K. Solarz, and officials from AIT—participated virtually. The event celebrated not only the accomplishments of the Rong-Yang collaborative team but also the enduring friendship between Taiwan and the United States. Following the event, AIT highlighted this collaboration as a new milestone in bilateral relations on its official Facebook page, reflecting the significance and success of this transnational research initiative.

The Stephen J. Solarz International Laboratory is located on the 9th floor of the Medical Technology Building at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, alongside other cutting-edge research centers such as the Big Data Center, Precision Medicine Center, and Clean Cell Rooms. In addition to providing research space and equipment, TVGH allocates NT$5 million annually to support the laboratory's operations and research projects. AIT representatives attended the bilateral meeting and the laboratory's launch ceremony online, witnessing the fruition of this Taiwan-U.S. academic partnership.