陳炳煇教授
評審評語
長期鑽研熱傳與流力現象，將研究成果整合材料知識應用於資通產品之熱管理，也整合生醫知識於快速核酸檢測機臺並成功獲證，運用於新冠肺炎核酸檢測，貢獻卓著。
The awardee has been investigating thermal and fluid phenomena for years, integrating bothmaterial and thermal knowledge applicable to the thermal management of ICT products, and applying natural convection mechanics to a rapid polymerase chain reaction platform, that received EUA certificate by TFDA for COVID-19 virus detection. The awardee’s academic achievement has made significant contribution to both thermal management and biomedical device industry.
得獎感言
對於一個工程領域的教授而言，做研究的初心，就是希望所從事的研究結果能對產業有所貢獻，使知識化為技術，進而生產為便利人類的產品。能獲得「東元獎」，表示與團隊努力的研究對產業之貢獻獲得肯定。往後仍繼續秉持初心，精進研究，帶領團隊為臺灣熱管理與醫材產業轉型持續奮鬥。
感謝東元科技文教基金會「東元獎」評審委員的賞識，願意將此獎項頒予長期投入產學合作學者，相信此舉將鼓勵更多教授投入相關研究領域。
埋首研究 落實理論─致力增進人類全體之生活
科技始終來自人性！對科學家而言，落實理論開發出產品，是最令人振奮的結果。三十多年來，陳炳煇教授秉持產學致用的信念，致力於微機電、感測器、醫療器材、奈米科技、熱流領域的研究。最引以為傲的研究成果，且技轉並協助廠商開發成功的包括手機、平板、筆電裡不可或缺的均溫片、散熱模組，其中全世界做得最好的前三名都是MIT，而「這薄薄的一片就有我的技術！」。獨生愛子大學時被診斷罹患罕見疾病，飽受嚴重貧血所苦，轉而投入生物分子的檢測，協助廠商成功開發出機臺，取得新冠肺炎病毒(COVID-19)核酸檢測藥證，因著濃濃的父愛，進而造福全人類。
臺中沙鹿書香世家 最高學術殿堂一門三傑
說到陳炳煇，不得不提在臺灣學術界名號響叮噹的陳家「一門三傑」，包括二哥中央研究院院士、臺大醫學院臨床醫學研究所教授陳培哲、弟弟臺大社會學系特聘教授陳東升，兄弟三人在醫學、人文社會科學及理工界各擁一片天，究竟什麼樣的家庭能培育出一門三傑？ 陳家家學淵源在臺中沙鹿是書香門第，沙鹿區公所編撰的「當今時人」耆碩篇還收錄陳炳煇祖父的生平事蹟。
祖父以身作則 兒孫黎明即起 灑掃庭除
陳炳煇說，他們是「隔代教養」，因父母親在北部經商，三兄弟自幼即由住在沙鹿的祖父母照顧，受日式教育的祖父陳五常家教甚嚴，孫兒們清晨六點就必須起床，做完體操，接著灑掃庭除，不僅自家清掃工作做足，還得打掃外面的馬路、公共水溝等，一年三百六十五天，只有大年初一這天免役。三兄弟每天放學做完功課後，還要練習書法半小時，兄長陳培哲的書法在學界頗負盛名，其來有自。陳炳煇認為祖父的教育方式培養他們自律、專注、毅力與恆心，而 陳炳煇深覺祖父自律與利他服務的教養方式，帶給自己一身受用的涵養修持與好處，卻也感嘆現今的生活環境與條件礙難執行。
陳炳煇說，祖父的書法堪稱一絕，至今沙鹿玉皇殿裡，仍留有不少祖父的書法題詞，慈祥和藹的祖母則是大家公認的「賢妻良母」典範。雖然祖父母家教嚴格，卻從不打罵孩子，「祖父一向是以身作則」，陳炳煇說，祖父求知欲旺盛，活到老、學到老，以前三兄弟練完書法後，他總會搬出黑板，叫孫子們教他ㄅㄆㄇㄈ。
也許是這樣的教養方式與學習態度，所以陳炳煇的父執輩都很優秀，「我爸爸是成功大學化工系畢業、二叔、三叔都是臺大醫學院的、大姑姑臺大護理系、二姑姑師大音樂系」，陳炳煇這一代也出了五個博士。
三兄弟上國中後，就被父母接回臺北，陳炳煇求學一路順遂，臺大機械工程學系畢業後，便負笈美國明尼蘇達大學攻讀碩、博士，他說，在美國留學是這輩子最快樂的時光，風光明媚的明尼蘇達州有「萬湖之州」的稱號，他每天只要念書、做研究，閒暇時就去釣魚，生活非常愜意。
他的指導教授Prof. Goldstein是美國國家工程院的院士，除了是明尼蘇達大學機械系系主任，還身兼美國機械工程學會的會長，工作繁忙分身乏術，總是沒有太多時間給予指導，只看研究的大方向，再加上指導教授的碩士學位是在物理系取得，都希望學生能夠跨領域的進行研究。這樣的要求讓陳炳煇能因此養成獨立思考的能力、打下跨學科整合研究能力的基礎，在日後才能投入醫材產品的研發。 但陳教授自豪自己的學術血統很純正，指導教授「很厲害」之外，「師祖」Eckert對美國機械熱傳領域有重大貢獻，熱傳中重要的參數「Eckert number」（埃克特數）就是表彰師祖的學術貢獻並且以其姓氏來命名。
技轉開發超薄均溫片 讓MIT揚名世界
早在陳炳煇拿到博士學位前半年，母校臺大就向他招手，要他回臺任教，等於還沒拿到博士學位就找到工作。陳炳煇當年的博士論文是研究飛機引擎，但回臺後發現原本「國機國造」研究經費豐厚，後來政策轉變為購買海外機種後，相關研究經費大幅減少，他便轉而投入冷凍空調研究領域。他透露，此次得獎讓他想起早年東元電機曾邀請他克服室內機噪音問題，雙方結緣甚早也合作愉快。
後來陳炳煇轉而研究微機電、生物晶片、微流道晶片不同領域等，陳炳煇說，科學家透過研究，落實理論開發出產品，是最美好的結果。而他的熱流研究成果已技轉並協助奇鋐與超眾兩家公司開發出超薄均溫片（0.3mm）與超薄熱管（0.2mm）。這兩家公司是全世界前五名的散熱模組廠商，他興奮地拿出三個不同尺寸的均溫片，分別是手機、平板跟筆電的尺寸，陳炳煇說，現在全世界均溫片做得最好的前三名公司都在臺灣，「這薄薄的一片就有我的技術！」他難掩驕傲。
獨子罹患罕見疾病 轉而投入生物分子檢測研究
人生勝利組陳炳煇坦言，從小到大都順風順水，沒遇到什麼挫折，不過，兒子在就讀大學時被診斷出罹患罕見疾病，讓他一度從雲端跌落谷底，不忍獨生愛子為罕病所苦，他轉而積極投入生物分子的檢測。
他回憶，陳家每星期日固定家族聚餐，一家人陪母親吃飯凝聚感情，兒子二十一歲那年，一次家族聚餐時，陳培哲發現姪子的眼睛竟然沒有一絲血絲，「這是嚴重貧血的跡象！」，經過進一步的檢查，證實兒子罹患罕見疾病「陣發性夜間血紅素尿症」（簡稱PNH，症狀有慢性溶血、造血機能異常、血栓等。）
這種病發生機率為百萬分之一，因免疫系統會攻擊紅血球，紅血球會消失，一旦血紅素下降，會貧血、容易喘。醫生告訴他，這種病有三分之一的機率可以維持造血功能，三分之一的機率是先天造血功能不良，三分之一的機率會變成血癌。
兒子雖然是屬於第一種，不過這種罕病無法治癒，過去只能仰賴輸血，現在則有抗體療法，二星期打一次針 ，就可以讓血紅素維持正常。陳炳煇說生物分子檢測的研究，連哥哥都不看好，但累積多年的跨領域整合技術經驗，最終所開發之病毒檢測感測器的研究成果終獲得科技部「傑出研究獎」的肯定。後來因為有封裝困難，難以技轉給廠商，陳炳煇因此積極跟臺灣熱管理廠商與醫材公司合作 ，專程前往國際展場了解領導廠商的發展方向，逐步鎖定核酸檢測平臺與資通訊產品的熱管理產品進行開發。
做自己認為對的事，並堅持到底
陳炳煇在偶然機會下發現利用自然對流的方式進行聚合.核酸反應增生，讓反應時間可以由傳統一個半小時縮減至十五分鐘，增生後產品也可用於病毒檢測。這個方法，在第一時間卻直接被陳培哲否決。
陳炳煇鍥而不捨經過半年努力，證明方法可行，且敏感度夠高、特異性夠好，才由陳培哲找基亞公司投入研發經費進行研究，並跟臺大申請經費提出專利送審。
審查委員評估後卻認為，方法太過簡單，不建議補助，被打了回票後，幾經周折再請基亞協助申請全球專利，經過一年半終於獲得美國專利，但基亞專業團隊認為此項技術不具市場競爭力，因此將專利授權給瑞基海洋，瑞基將此技術發揚光大，所開發機臺為臺灣第一個獲得 TFDA認證，率先取得新冠肺炎病毒核酸檢測藥證。 雖然研究開發的聚合.核酸反應增生技術， 一路走來被否定三次，但陳炳煇秉持「做自己認為對的事，並堅持到底」的信念，終於開花結果。
協助「網球一哥」盧彥勳兄弟 成立網球學校
終日埋首研究，陳炳煇最好的紓壓方式是打球，尤其對網球情有獨鍾。他打起網球是「拚命三郎」，問他為什麼這麼拚？他帥氣回答:「因為我不喜歡輸的感覺」，不少跟他尬過球的人自嘆弗如，「臺大校總區除了連玉輝以外，沒有教授能打得過我」，打網球對陳炳煇來說，不單只是休閒娛樂，他更想進一步推廣、發展運動產業。他想讓臺灣運動產業翻轉，一切要從他與臺灣「網球一哥」盧彥勳哥哥盧威儒的「網」日情說起，盧威儒曾在臺大資訊工程學系念博士班，因緣際會與陳炳煇在球場上「過招」成為球友。
陳炳煇認為，學校的體育系不應只是為了培育體育老師，而是應該讓運動休閒成為一種產業，成立新創公司，透過營養、復健及心理三個面向，有計畫性地培育職業選手，讓優秀的選手走出臺灣，到世界與人一較長短，陳炳煇協助盧威儒、盧彥勳兄弟找場地，成立網球學校，目前與長榮大學合作，希望將網球經驗與球技傳承給其他選手。
期許「東元獎」表彰優秀人才 讓臺灣永續發展
陳炳煇推崇，東元是聲譽卓著的公司，成立科技文教基金會，設立橫跨人文、科技、環境與產業等相關獎項，目的是鼓勵臺灣對產學合作有貢獻之人，使其成為社會各界的典範。他期許「東元獎」繼續舉辦下去，表彰各領域傑出人才，讓臺灣共生共榮、永續發展。陳炳煇強調，得獎代表著社會責任的開始，他建議可以定期舉辦座談會或演講活動，邀請得獎者分享研究歷程、心得，與前輩、後進有進一步的交流傳承，相信會有更大的迴響。
陳炳煇認為，人要做有趣的事情，有趣才可以投注心血，接下來就要做有用的事情，要思考什麼才是對社會有用的，此次他獲得「東元獎」的肯定，展望未來，為了持續堅持做對的事，他依舊會專注於原研究領域，並持續精進 ，同時不忘維持研究與教學初心，繼續培育臺灣科技人才。
對「東元獎」的期望
東元電機是國內極富聲望的公司，成立科技文教基金會並設立「東元獎」，無疑是拋磚引玉，獎勵對產學合作有貢獻者，並使其成為後學之典範，起而效尤。從設獎的項目可見「東元獎」橫跨人文、科技，透過不同領域傑出人才之貢獻，讓臺灣共生共榮、永續發展。對得獎學者而言，獲獎雖代表肯定，但絕非是句點，而是社會責任之起點。若東元科技文教基金會能鼓勵得獎學者持續研究並發揮社會影響力，透過定期座談、演講，將獲獎者學思歷程、研究熱情、社會責任等理念，與新一代學者傳承交流，相信是基金會的責任，也是對得獎人之期許。此外，讓得獎學者持續帶領團隊，對所從事的研究領域推進，並將研發成果與產業實務相結合，定能讓臺灣所從事之研究在國際上發光發熱，並讓臺灣的產業競爭力不斷向上提升。
成就歷程
臺大畢業後赴美至明尼蘇達大學(U.of Minnesota)深造，受教於Prof.Goldstein指導教授，教授是美國工程院院士，也身兼美國工程學會的會長，工作繁忙無暇常常討論研究，養成本人獨立研究思考能力，但由於心繫研究與家鄉，故獲得博士學位後，就返國投身教職。
當年博士論文為飛機引擎研究領域，由於昔日國機國造研究經費豐厚，但後來轉變購買海外機種後，相關研究經費大幅減少，遂轉投入冷凍空調研究領域，也曾受邀東元電機協助處理室內機噪音問題。但冷凍空調領域研究較為成熟，難發表具創新性論文，爾後又轉入微機電、生物晶片、微流道晶片不同領域，透過多年積累跨領域整合技術，進行開發病毒檢測之感測器，此部分研究亦曾獲得科技部傑出獎肯定。但此研究因封裝困難，難以技轉給廠商。自許對臺灣產業有所貢獻，遂積極與臺灣熱管理廠商與醫材公司合作，並前往國際展場瞭解領導廠商之發展方向，逐步鎖定核酸檢測平臺與資通訊產品的熱管理產品進行開發。首先跟普生(General Biologicals Corporation)公司開發定量的聚合.核酸反應增生(Polymerase Chain Reaction, PCR)平臺，但難以突破羅氏(Roche)藥廠專利，就放棄定量機臺的開發。後研究出利用自然對流的方式進行聚合.核酸反應增生，讓反應時間可以由傳統一個半小時縮減至十五分鐘，增生後產品也可用於病毒檢測。但此方法經與陳培哲教授討論後，其專業認為難以實踐，而我團隊經過半年努力證明方法可行，且敏感度(sensitivity)夠高，特異性(specificity)夠好，遂由陳培哲教授找基亞(Medigen)投入研發經費進行研究，並跟臺灣大學申請經費提出專利送審，但經審查後委員評估認為方法太過簡單，不建議補助，多次波折再請基亞協助申請全球專利，經一年半獲得美國專利，但基亞公司內部專業團隊認為此項技術不具市場競爭力，因此將此專利授權給瑞基海洋(GeneReach Biotechnology Corp.)，瑞基將此技術發揚光大，所開發機臺為臺灣第一個獲得TFDA認證，率先取得新冠肺炎病毒(COVID-19)核酸檢測藥證。
由此可看出研究之路並非平坦順暢，雖有波折與阻礙，但秉持堅持才有獲得成功的機會，所以縱使研究開發之聚合.核酸反應增生技術，研究過程中被否定三次，但因著堅持終於開花結果。
具體貢獻事蹟
主要研究貢獻在下列二類領域:
一、熱管理技術
包含各類熱管(heat pipe)、奈米流體(nanofluid)的應用與物理特性、奈微米結構表面改質對沸騰與冷卻的影響，在論文發表上也能提出領先國內學界的技術或創意。
二、生物分子的檢測
是國內最早將CMOS晶片、E-Beam技術用於生物分子的檢測，至於在DNA增生與檢測設備上，也提出單溫控自然對流聚合.連鎖反應增生(PCR)機制，並提出一系列論文，讓該技術也可以達到類比羅氏(Roche)的定量聚合.核酸反應增生(PCR)機臺，用於定量DNA檢測，此次對COVID-19疫情的核酸檢測也有具體貢獻。
核酸檢測(Nuclei-acid detection)的研究共授權三家廠商，分別是基亞、基亞再授權給瑞基海洋、普生。專利授權給瑞基後，瑞基將該技術開發成完整的檢測產品，是臺灣第一家獲得TFDA因應新冠肺炎疫情而專案通過(EUA)的核酸檢測機臺製造許可，同時捐出五臺自動化核酸檢測平臺給國家疫情指揮中心，放置於離島使用，而瑞基公司的營業額近兩年都倍數成長，股價也躍居農業股股王。
在表面改質用於超薄均溫片或熱管的技術，則授權給奇鋐、與超眾兩家公司，這兩家公司在超薄均溫片與熱管的產值穩居全世界前三名。
研究展望
為了堅持做對的事，未來將繼續原研究領域，並期盼與時精進、不斷突破讓定量聚合.核酸反應增生(Q-PCR)可以整合萃取(extraction)跟純化(Purification)技術，並進行微小化，讓民眾在家便可自行操作檢測相關疾病。另外，也躍躍欲試讓超薄熱管可以自由撓曲，以用於可摺式資通訊產品的散熱(Heat dissipation)，更希望透過基礎沸騰的研究，進一步提升超薄熱管的性能。
除自許能具有創意與前瞻的產學研究，對臺灣產業有所助益，更期許精進研究、發表頂尖期刊論文，透過傳遞尖端知識發揮社會影響，但不忘研究與教學初心，繼續培育臺灣科技人才。
Prospective of “TECO Award”
TECO Electric and Machinery corporation is a world-renowned Taiwanese company and founded the TECO Technology Foundation to promote cultural and technological achievements that improve the life quality of the Taiwanese people. The foundation awards senior academics and researchers the prestigious TECO awards for bridging the gap between academic institutions and the industry and inspiring young researchers to follow their footsteps.
The TECO award not only recognizes the awardees’ direct contribution in their respective areas to the companies and the industry at large, but also values their contribution to the people and the environment in Taiwan. The award seeks to encourage the recipients to continue their academic excellence as well as their effort to create a more sustainable and prosperous Taiwan. The foundation recognizes the tremendous accomplishment of all the awardees and expects even greater achievement in their future, as well as their duty to affect the society at large in a positive manner.
The foundation invites the awardees as keynote speakers in its regular seminars for young scholars or students to share their research experience and passion in academia, as well as their responsibility to the society. One paramount mission of the TECO foundation is to create networking opportunities between senior and junior scholars so that precious experience, passion for research, and a sense of duty to society can be passed on from generation to generation.
In addition to duty and legacy, TECO award aims to push all awardees to lead their teams to achieve even greater heights in research, better apply their research to industry needs and problems, garner more international exposure in the global academic community, and eventually help Taiwanese companies to gain better competitive edge in their competition with global companies in the world.
History of Achievements
Since my parents were busy in taking care of their business, I and my two brothers, Prof. Pei-Jer Chen and Prof. Dung-Sheng Chen, were all raised up by my grandparents. All of us are professors at National Taiwan University in Taiwan. We grew up in a suburb near Taichung city. My grandparents disciplined us well. We woke up early at 6:00 AM, did exercise, and cleaned up our house and the public areas every day. After school, we were asked to practice calligraphy for half an hour daily. Such a training does make us self-disciplined, focused, and perseverant.
After graduating from NTU, I went to Univ. of Minnesota to pursue my Ph. D. degree. My academic advisor is Prof. Goldstein, a member of National Academy of Engineering of United States and the President of ASME. He was too busy to give any guidance on my research. Nevertheless, it gave me the chance to explore the research direction and conduct research independently.
Since Taiwan is my home country, I felt the need to contribute my knowledge to my country. After my graduation from Univ. of Minnesota, I went back to Taiwan as the professor of department of Mechanical Engineering at NTU. Because Taiwan’s government tried to develop their own fighting aircraft, I was awarded a research grant to improve the performance of gas turbine engine highly related to the research topic of my Ph. D. thesis. Unfortunately, the efforts to develop advanced fighting aircrafts were ended because both United States and France agreed to sell fighting aircrafts to Taiwan.
I had to switch my research areas from gas turbine engine to air-conditioning and refrigeration. I did some research projects on air-conditioning with TECO to reduce the noise of indoor-unit of split-type air-conditioning. However, air-conditioning area is a quite mature research area; it is quite difficult to publish innovative research papers in this area. I decided to switch my research area to MEMS, biochips and microfluidic devices. I was able to integrate biological materials and mechanical knowledge together to develop biochips for virus detection. My research achievements in this area was recognized by Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and was awarded with a distinguished research award. In spite of that, the biochips encountered packaging problems and the technology for developing biochips was unable to be transferred to companies for further commercial applications. In order to apply my knowledge to some commercial products, I worked closely with Taiwan’s companies in areas of both biomedical device and thermal management units for ICT devices.
I attended international exhibitions of thermal management units and biomedical devices quite often and found some niche areas in platform of nuclei-acid detection or heat pipes for mobile devices. On the platform of nuclei-acid detection, I was granted an industrial-academic project by MOST to develop a quantitative polymerase chain reaction machine (Q-PCR) with General Biological Corporation. This development met a major obstacle which might infringe the patent held by Roche. In an accidental occasion, I found a unique approach by using natural convection mechanism to replace the thermal cycling process in traditional PCR machines. It tremendously saves the time to duplicate amplicons that are used for DNA detection from one and half hour to 15 minutes.
In the beginning, Prof. Pei-Jer Chen (a professor at Institute of Clinical Medicine of NTU), rejected my idea because of its simplicity. After half a year effort, I and my Ph. D. student have proved that this technology can detect virus with not only high sensitivity but also excellent specificity. Prof. Pei-Jer Chen persuaded the president of Medigen to provide financial resources to conduct further research. Later, I submitted the applications to NTU to file PCT patent. However, it was rejected by NTU due to its simplicity of technology again. Medigen decided to support all the application fees to file the PCT patent.
Nevertheless, Medigen decided not to develop this platform even that the patent was granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The objection was from the core team of Medigen for developing PCR platform because of its simplicity again. Instead of developing the platform by Medigen, the patent was transferred to GeneReach Biotechnology Corporation. GeneReach successfully developed the rapid PCR platform that was granted the first EUA approval by TFDA for manufacturing the PCR platform to detect COVID-19 virus. All the above gave me a great lesson that it is not an easy route to turn the research outcome into commercial profits.
Without persistence, there is no chance to be successful. Our technology for developing PCR platform was denied three times by my own brother, my university, and my financial supporter and eventually was applied into commercial products because of my determination of not giving up.
Technical Contributions
The main research contributions are divided into two areas. The first area is related to thermal management technology, for example, the thermal performances of heat pipes and nanofluid, and the effects of nanometer surface modification on boiling and cooling. Regarding academic publications, my innovative techniques and creative ideas remain the far and away leader as well.
The second area is the detection of biomolecules. It is the first domestic biochip of using CMOS chips and E-Beam technology on the detection of biomolecules. As for DNA amplification and detection equipment, single temperature-controlled natural convection on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) mechanism is discussed. Meanwhile, a series of papers were proposed about the technology analogous to Roche's quantitative polymerase nucleic acid reaction (PCR) machine for quantitative DNA detection, which bring great contributions to the nucleic acid detection for the COVID-19 epidemic.
The nuclei-acid detection (Nuclei-acid detection) research result with the natural convection mechanism has been transferred to two manufacturers, Medigen, and GeneReach. After the patent was licenced to GeneReach, GeneReach has developed the technology into a complete diagnosis product for COVID-19 virus detection. It was the first Taiwanese company to obtain a nucleic acid diagnosis machine manufacturing license approved by the TFDA in response to the Covid-19 epidemic. The company also donated five automation nucleic acid detection machines to the National Epidemic Command Center. They are now placed on the outlying Islands. GeneReach’s revenue has grown double in the recent two years and its stock price has become the king of agricultural stocks.
The technology for surface modification used in ultra-thin temperature equalizers or heat pipes is licensed to AVC and CCI, who rank among the top three in the world in the output value of ultra-thin temperature equalizers and heat pipes.
Future Prospects of Research
To continue on doing the right thing, we will still focus on the original research field in the near future. Meanwhile, my team and I will keep on improving ourselves. First, we will try to make quantitative polymerase nucleic acid reaction (Q-PCR) integrate the extraction and purification technology, and to miniature the technology so it can be easily operated at home. Secondly, we’ll work on the research of ultra-thin heat pipes’ bending freely for the heat dissipation of foldable mobile products. Finally, we’ll be further improving the performance of ultra-thin heat pipes through basic boiling research.
Besides providing innovative and forward-thinking industry-academy cooperation research, which brings great contributions to Taiwanese industries, I am also looking forward to diligently researching, publishing top journal papers, and spreading social influence through the transmission of cutting-edge finding. Simultaneously, I will keep on doing research and teaching to nurture Taiwanese technology talents.
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