Gene Lay, the founder and CEO of BioLegend, is an alumnus of the school’s Department of Veterinary Medicine. Graduating in 1971, Lay has become the pride of Taiwan in the biotech industry because of the outstanding achievements he has made. Lay has received numerous international awards, including the German Immunology Award’s (DGfI) Medal of Honor and the 2016 EY Entrepreneur of the Year® for the San Diego Region in the category of Life Sciences. In 2020, Lay’s TotalSeq™-C Human Universal Cocktail v1.0 was listed among “Top Ten Innovative Inventions” published by The Scientist. On November 16, during NPUST’s centenary celebration ceremony, Lay was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in recognition of his outstanding contributions in the field of biotechnology. Following tradition, after the ceremony, the newly confirmed Dr. Lay and NPUST President Chin-Lung Chang planted a commemorative tree by Yingxia Lake, symbolizing the profound impact this outstanding alumnus has had on the campus.
President Chin-Lung Chan said: “NPUST has cultivated countless talent over the century. Now, this ‘Tree of Hope’, which Dr. Lay has planted with his own hands, will lay solid roots for NPUST’s next hundred years.”
Currently a successful CEO, Lay received solid practical training during his studies at the NPUST. With a foundation in veterinary medicine established, Lay began developing a strong interest in immunology. He was also deeply inspired by the famous saying of Professor Cheng-I Liu, a pathology expert, who said: “It doesn’t matter if you can’t get into National Taiwan University. Study hard, and become a teacher of National Taiwan University students in the future.” After entering the biotechnology industry, Lay went to the United States to further his studies and enhance his professional knowledge. In 1987 Lay founded PharMingen, a company focused on biological, immunological and medical research products. He later founded BioLegend in 2002 to give focus to research and development related to proteins, antibodies and immunological reagents. During the epidemic, Lay kept to his integrity and down-to-earth entrepreneurial spirit, working through difficulties with his employees and creating a friendly workplace that allowed BioLegend to grow into a world-renowned biotech company.
Lay, who has long been concerned with public welfare, enthusiastically supports biotechnology innovation and promotes the research and development of new immunotherapy drugs with hopes of accelerating the treatment of neurodegeneration, immune diseases, and cancer. He encourages younger generations to explore their interests and potential, emphasizing a “persistence in doing the right thing.” During the honorary doctorate awarding ceremony, guests gathered, including Lay’s family members, teachers and alumni of the Department of Veterinary Medicine, to witness the grand moment for this outstanding alumnus who took the veterinarian oath, but ultimately made a successful pathway towards medical treatment for humans.
