National Taiwan University

Chen's lab (Nutritional Epidemiology)

Ling-Wei Chen
https://ling-weichen.wixsite.com/chenlab

Research Field

Medicine

Introduction

I am an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine within NTU's College of Public Health. I am a nutritional and perinatal epidemiologist whose primary research explores how maternal and early-life nutrition shapes long-term metabolic outcomes within the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) framework . 

I am a prolific mentor and educator: at NTU, I deliver courses in Nutritional Epidemiology, Introductory Epidemiology, and related graduate-level modules. I have supervised PhD and master’s candidates working on projects spanning intermittent fasting, maternal and child diet, chrono-nutrition, and cognitive aging. I currently lead a team of eight researchers and students.

An active contributor to the scientific community, I serve on the editorial board of BMC Medicine and frequently reviews for leading journals and funding bodies. My work has been widely published and cited, reinforcing his impact within international cohort networks and public health consortia across Asia and Europe .

My current research emphasizes chrono‑nutrition, the timing and regularity of meals during pregnancy, and its effects on glycemic control and metabolic health, employing advanced methods such as longitudinal analysis, continuous glucose monitoring, and network meta-analysis.


Research Topics
  • Nutritional Epidemiology
  • Perinatal Epidemiology
  • Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD)
  • Chrono-nutrition (meal timing, eating patterns, fasting)
  • Perinatal Nutrition and Maternal Health
  • Continuous Glucose Monitoring and Glycemic Rhythms
  • Diet Quality and Inflammatory Potential

Honor
  • IUNS Early Career Travel Grant – International Union of Nutritional Sciences (2022)
  • Incentives for Newly Hired Exceptional Talent, National Taiwan University (2021–2024)
  • DOHaD Society Travel Award – 11th World Congress of DOHaD, Melbourne, Australia (2019)
  • Finalist, Translational Nutrition Science Award – American Society for Nutrition (2019)
  • Honorable Mention, Emerging Leaders in Nutrition Science – ASN (Top 10%, 2019)
  • Shortlisted for Best PhD Thesis, National University of Singapore (2015)
  • President's Graduate Fellowship, National University of Singapore (2010–2014)
  • Dean’s List and NUS Award for Study Abroad, NUS (2007–2008)

 


Educational Background

I earned my PhD in Epidemiology from the National University of Singapore's Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health in 2014, following a BSc (Hons) in Life Sciences from the same institution . 

After completing postdoctoral training at University College Dublin, Ireland, I became a researcher at A*STAR Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences in Singapore before joining NTU in 2021 as an Assistant Professor.