Background
His father was former Kaohsiung County Magistrate Chen Hsin-an.
陳建仁
epidemiologist politician university professor
His father was former Kaohsiung County Magistrate Chen Hsin-an.
Chen attended the National Taiwan University, and received his Doctor of Science in human genetics and epidemiology from Johns Hopkins University.
He is an epidemiologist by training and was formerly vice president of Academia Sinica, Taiwan"s premier research institution. He began his medical career by researching hepatitis B, and helped raise awareness about vaccination for the disease in Taiwan. Chen further researched on the liver cancer risk of people with hepatitis B. Chen also discovered a link from arsenic to blackfoot disease.
The arsenic research lead to the revision of international health standards for arsenic exposure.
Chen served as Minister of Health from 2003 to 2005. As health minister, he was praised for effectively managing the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome epidemic through quarantine and screening procedures, despite Taiwan"s non-membership in the World Health Organization complicating the coordination of research efforts.
Chen led the National Science Council from 2006 to 2008. 2016 Republic of China presidential and vice presidential election On 16 November 2015, Chen was confirmed as the running mate for Tsai Ing-wen in the 2016 Taiwanese presidential election after media speculation earlier in the month.
During the campaign, Chen became known by the nickname Brother Da-jen (大仁哥), after a character portrayed by Chen Bolin on the romantic drama In Time with You.
Chen is the first Catholic Vice Presidential nominee in Taiwan. Chen will take up his post as Vice President on 20 May 2016. 2005 Presidential Science Prize (Life Sciences).
He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Fu Jen Catholic University.