Our university was approved in 1981 (ROC year 70) to establish the College of Medicine. During the preparation process, former President Hsia Han-Min followed the United States, the most advanced country in medicine at the time, as a model and planned the Post-baccalaureate Medical Program as a cradle for cultivating physician-scientists at National Cheng Kung University. It was understood that the foremost task was to establish a department dedicated to training undergraduate students in biomedical sciences. Initially, the department was named the “Department of Medical Biology.” Later, in 1982 (ROC year 71), it was officially approved as the “Department of Biology,” becoming the first department in the university in the field of life sciences. At the time of its founding, students were carefully selected as outstanding individuals who aspired to contribute by introducing biomedical knowledge into the NCKU campus. A departmental journal named “Pioneer” was established and received a calligraphy inscription from former President Hsia. The department later focused on diversified teaching and research in basic biological sciences and biotechnology. In 1993 (ROC year 82), a master’s program was established, followed by a doctoral program in 1999 (ROC year 88), forming a comprehensive department integrating undergraduate and graduate education, fully supported by faculty in teaching and research. In recent decades, life sciences and biotechnology have developed rapidly. In response to global trends and academic reforms in leading universities, the department was renamed the “Department of Life Sciences” in 2004 (ROC year 93). Its mission is to cultivate talents in basic biology, modern life sciences, biotechnology, and biodiversity. The department is equipped with well-planned facilities and advanced instruments to enhance teaching and research, aiming to cultivate top biotechnology professionals. Scholarships such as the “Yang Feng-Cheng Memorial Scholarship” and “Kuo Shih-Te Memorial Scholarship,” donated by their families, provide NT$5,000 each semester to four undergraduate students. In addition, the “Professor Mai Ai-Tang Scholarship,” provided by a retired professor, supports financially disadvantaged students with NT$5,000 each. The department currently has 18 faculty members, with research areas covering biomedical sciences, genomics and biotechnology, and ecology. These fields are closely integrated to study molecular mechanisms of cellular and organismal function, gene-environment interactions, and evolutionary biology. The knowledge generated is applied to human disease research and agricultural biotechnology for the benefit of society. The research areas are as follows: