Yao-Cheng Lin 林耀正

Dr. Yao-Cheng Lin received his B.S. in Agronomy from National Taiwan University and M.S. in Anatomy and Cell Biology from National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan. He served the Defense Industry Reserve Duty as a research assistant in the Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, with Dr. Yue-Ie Hsing from 2001 to 2006. He obtained his Ph.D. in Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics from Ghent University, Belgium, in Prof. Yves Van de Peer’s group in 2011. After a brief period as a postdoctoral researcher, he was appointed to a Staff Scientist in the VIB Department of Plant Systems Biology, Belgium. He developed genome annotation and bioinformatic methods and integrated high throughput sequencing technologies to study genome evolution and genetic variations of fungi, plant, and human genomes. 

In 2016, Dr. Lin joined ABRC, Academia Sinica as a tenure-track Assistant Research Fellow and promoted to Associate Research Fellow with tenure in 2024. His research has focused on crop genome evolution and domestication, including genetic diversity, genome duplication, and hybridization. He uses statistical genomics, systems biology, and bioinformatics to understand the genetic basis of complex traits to address relevant agricultural problems. Dr. Lin and his team also develop phenotyping tools for investigating crop development for quantitative genomic studies. Currently, their main projects include studying phenotypic variations, genetic variations, and gene regulations of stress responses for tissue regeneration and waterlogging tolerance. The long-term goal is to use genome engineering to accelerate the development of climate-resilient crops to cope with climate change. In addition to his research activities, he dedicates some time to serving the research community by developing research platforms and organizing training workshops on agricultural genomics and bioinformatics in the Academia Sinica Southern Campus.

Present Academia Positions

• 2024 - present Associate Research Fellow. Biotechnology Center in Southern Taiwan, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taiwan

• 2016 - 2024 Assistant Research Fellow. Biotechnology Center in Southern Taiwan, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taiwan

• 2017 – present Adjunct Associate Professor. Institute of Tropical Plant Sciences and Microbiology, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan. 

• 2019 – present Adjunct Associate Professor. Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan 

Education Background

• 1994 – 1999 Bachelor in Agriculture Sciences Department of Agronomy, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.

• 1999 – 2001 Master in Sciences Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.

• 2006 – 2011 PhD in Biotechnology Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. Prof. Yves Van de Peer.

Research and Professional Experiences 

• August 2001 - October 2006 Research Assistant, Academia Sinica, Taiwan

• January 2007 – December 2010 Visiting Scientist, UMR 1136 INRA-Nancy, France.

• July 2009, June 2010 Visiting Scientist UMR 1202, INRA-Pierroton, France. 

• January 2011 - March 2015 Visiting Scientist, Umeå University, Sweden.

• April 2011 – August 2011 Postdoc Fellow, VIB / Ghent University, Belgium.

• September 2011 – July 2016 Staff Scientist, VIB / Ghent University, Belgium.