UTokyo's IMSUT Extends Memorandum of Understanding with Institut Pasteur

Date of activity: November 2, 2016

On November 2, 2016, the Institute of Medical Science (IMSUT), the University of Tokyo and France's Institut Pasteur signed an extension of and addendum to the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on academic exchange between the two institutions. The signing ceremony was held at Palace Hotel Tokyo and attended by Professor Murakami (dean of IMSUT) and Professor Bréchot (president of Institut Pasteur). The ceremony was timed with Professor Bréchot's visit to Japan, and Institut Pasteur also took this opportunity to hold a signing ceremony with Kyoto University. IMSUT first concluded an MOU on academic exchange with Institut Pasteur in 2006, and extended it in 2011. This is the second time IMSUT has extended the MOU.

Institut Pasteur is a world-famous research institute of microbiology and infectious diseases with a long and brilliant history showcasing the fight of human beings against infectious disorders. IMSUT and Institut Pasteur have shared a lot of missions and research activities with each other, and over these past 10 years, their collaboration has been well-organized and their tight relationship has been developed and strengthened in fields of mutual interest.

This MOU not only extends the previous MOU on academic exchange, but also integrates a novel scope in an additional provision regarding the establishment of International Joint Research Units both in Paris and Tokyo. This ideal and advanced type of collaboration will greatly contribute to accelerating collaborative research and also strengthen interaction between members of both institutes, ultimately helping to build a global network for researching infectious diseases and immunology in order to aid the international community.