The accumulation of genome-based information about various living organisms including humans is increasing its pace with tremendous progress of novel technologies, and the study of life sciences is entering a new stage. Now it is strongly required to develop the life science study into a novel direction for creation of newly amalgamated researches with highly up-to-date methodologies. In the present Global COE project, we will pursue “integrative life science,” in which principles found in simpler organisms are applied to more complex systems such as humans and vice versa at every level of the hierarchy of life with the key word of “biosignaling.”

For such activities to be successful, we have been pursuing cutting-edge researches along the four different hub themes; development of life, functional control of life, relay of generations and abnormalities of living systems. These four themes are the “weft” of the project, while the three participating institutions constitute the “warp.” The matrix structure of the weft and warp forms the backbone of our cooperative organization, which should develop a new interdisciplinary field of study and new innovative methods. This effort should make the COE a world center generating new waves of life sciences. Thus we can train young creative researchers to challenge new fields.

This project was established by the fusion of the two 21st Century COE projects. One was run by School of Medicine and Institute of Molecular and Cellular Bioscience, and the other was run by School of Science. International Exchange Programs (Participation in Retreats) with University of California, San Francisco and National Institute of Health (NIH) have started. Our planning to foster international leaders of the next generation is proceeding well.

Our project has already produced many research results. For example, a collaborative work between School of Science and School of Medicine proved that odor preferences of mammals are determined innately. More recently, a graduate student identified CASY-1 that is an essential protein for memory formation .