Drawing on research in biochemistry Professor Tung had conducted at NTU medical college, research was begun on using herbal medicine to fight cancer, which won the college a government subsidy for "research on herbal medicine as a means of strengthening the immune system."
由於董院長在台大生化研究所時，即以研究可增加免疫力的雞母珠蛋白聞名。他嘗試將中藥納入抗癌研究，二年前國科會因此補助北醫進行有關「加強免疫系統中藥研究」。