Hi there! I'm Tommy (Long-Chen)

Research Initiatives

Automated Worm Detection and Cross-Camera Reproducibility (Johns Hopkins University, 2025–Present)

I am currently leading a computer vision project focused on automated worm detection and counting in Caenorhabditis elegans imaging datasets, as part of a broader effort to standardize fecundity and behavioral quantification across multiple imaging systems. The goal of this project is to build the most comprehensive cross-camera worm analysis model to date, addressing a key challenge in biological imaging: the lack of reproducibility when models trained on one imaging setup fail to generalize to others.

Automated Dermal–Epidermal Junction (DEJ) Detection in OCT Imaging (Johns Hopkins Medicine, 2024)

At Johns Hopkins Department of Dermatology under Dr. Luis Garza, I lead the development of an automated image-processing pipeline to trace the dermal–epidermal junction (DEJ) in in vivo Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) images. This project supports an FDA-approved cellular therapy trial focused on regenerating volar skin at amputee stump sites, aiming to restore regional tissue identity through fibroblast–keratinocyte signaling modulation.

ChatGPT in Clinical Informatics – Keeping Clinicians Informed (Columbia University, 2023)

During my research with Dr. Chunhua Weng at Columbia University’s Department of Biomedical Informatics, I investigated the potential of large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT to assist clinicians in synthesizing and interpreting medical literature. The project, titled “ChatGPT: Keeping Clinicians Informed,” explored whether generative models could help medical professionals efficiently summarize new research articles to support evidence-based decision-making.

Building Biobuild: Key Wins

Founder University Cohort 11 (Launch.Co)

I led Biobuild through LAUNCH’s Founder University (<10% Acceptance), a cohort program for early founders. Led by World Renowned Angel Investor Jason Calacanis (In Photo).

Johns Hopkins Pava Center - Fuel Accelerator

Accepted into the Premier Accelerator at Johns Hopkins University (<15% Acceptance), designed for later stage startups to become venture ready.

National Science Foundation (NSF): I-Corps: Mid-Atlantic

Led Biobuild through NSF I‑Corps to validate the problem with real customer discovery. Conducted Over 40 Customer Interviews with >15 PhD+ Interviewees.

Featured Initiatives

MUBES x MBSI Networking Night

I am proud to have founded this networking night, which, in partnership with the Biomedical Engineering Student Society, has rapidly become a cornerstone event in bridging the gap between students and industry leaders.

This Year (2023) We facilitated a vibrant space where 100 students connected with 50 industry guests from 17 leading companies, including giants such as Thermo Fisher, EY, Seer Medical, and Navi Medical.

Inaugural Year (2022): we welcomed 80 students and 30 industry professionals, it fills me with immense pride to witness the steady growth in both participation and opportunities.

MBSI Vinuri De Silva Biodesign Competition

I co-founded the MBSI Biodesign Competition, based on the Stanford Biodesign innovation process, gathering multidisciplinary student teams for a 10-week sprint.

Our Distinct Advantage: Five Expert-Led Workshops hosted by MedTech start up founders and industry experts in biomedical engineering. Four Industry Seminars hosted by leading companies in medical innovation. Including Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick - Intellectual Property law firm , MedTech Actuator – Asia Pacific's MedTech Catalyst.

Impact: Six Startup Projects have spun out of the competition.

Talks & Recognitions

Melbourne Knowledge Week Engineering Ideation - Most Sustainable Solution

Engineers Australia is the largest and most diverse body of engineers in Australia. As Australia’s principal engineering association, we serve and represent around 100,000 professionals at every level, across all fields of practice. We are committed to advancing engineering and the professional development of our members.

The theme of the hackathon this year is ‘Building inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable communities in our city’.

KPMG Ideation Challenge - Australia National Winner

Create an advanced technology solution that helps an organization or industry of your choice overcome or leverage the impacts of the global pandemic.

COVID-19 has been a catalyst for change (both positive and negative) in all types of. Imagine you are part of a group of innovators looking to help the world grow from this experience. This is your chance to pitch your idea to a venture capitalist in the hope of obtaining funding to take your idea to market.

Participating Countries in KIC 2021:

Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, China, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, South Korea, Turkey, UK, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam

Sixteenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability - Emerging Scholar Award, Speaker

Much of the sustainability literature focuses on the Global North and on issues salient to policy makers in developed countries, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and ozone depletion. By contrast, comparatively little is written on environmental issues in the Global South, which is rich in sustainability experiences and lessons learned in natural resource conservation, and where many of the challenges are being faced on a daily basis with limited financial and human capital resources.

Global Student Innovation Challenge-Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology - Best Presentation Award

The Global Student Innovation Challenge (gSIC) is an annual event held at each International Convention on Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology (i-CREATe). It provides a platform to encourage students from all over the world to compete one in developing creative and innovative devices or solutions to improve the quality of living of the elderly and people with disability. It showcases the talents and abilities of these students while providing an opportunity to work with clients and clinicians to develop these innovative ideas. It also facilitates cooperation and networking among the students and gives them an opportunity to listen to speakers from across the world and region.

Eleventh International Conference on Climate Change - Innovation Showcase Speaker

Founded in 2009, the International Conference on Climate Change: Impacts & Responses aims to create an interdisciplinary forum for the discussion of climate change, its causes, its eco-systemic impacts, and its human impacts. The conference also explores technological, policy, strategic, and social responses to climate change.

The International Conference on Climate Change: Impacts & Responses is built upon four key features: Internationalism, Interdisciplinarity, Inclusiveness, and Interaction. Conference delegates include leaders in the field as well as emerging scholars, who travel to the conference from all corners of the globe and represent a broad range of disciplines and perspectives. A variety of presentation options and session types offer delegates multiple opportunities to engage, to discuss key issues in the field, and to build relationships with scholars from other cultures and disciplines.

Sense of AI Issue Hackathon - Team Leader

At present, the population of people over 50 years old is nearly 10 million. In the next decade, the aging situation will only be more dramatic. Under the proportion of extremely aging population, the Taiwanese labor force will not be able to take care of the elderly in Taiwan.

Nowadays, the emergence of artificial intelligence can help humans make more accurate judgments based on past data, such as the preliminary classification of medical images, the location of lesions, etc. In short, as long as it is something that human vision can judge, AI can help us.

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