The 12th International Symposium of the Institute Network Held

Date of activity: November 28, 2017 - November 29, 2017

On November 28 and 29, 2017, the 12th International Network Symposium of the Institute Network, “Driving Next- Generation Medicine: the Spirit of Pioneering Discovery in Medical Science” was held in the Institute of Medical Science, the University of Tokyo (IMSUT). This symposium began when Japan’s national universities became corporations in 2004. Its aim is to communicate information on research activities and their outcomes to society more clearly and to contribute to the welfare of society. Eleven institutes (now reorganized to ten)* in the field of life science associated together and started these international symposia as a new initiative. The symposiums are held once a year. This year, IMSUT was in charge of the secretariat of the symposium for the second time since the symposia started.

Prof. James Di Santo, an authority on immunology, was invited as a special lecturer and more than 70 researchers and graduate school students from all over the country gave oral presentations and/or poster presentations in English.

The oral presentations were divided among 5 sessions: Degenerative Disorders, Cancer Development, Inflammation and Immunity, Aging and Cancer and Molecular Mechanisms and Techniques. Lectures were about various advanced research results, from fundamental medical research using model organisms to applied research with a view toward development of new diagnostics, treatments and preventative measures for diseases. Poster sessions was classified in 8 categories: Inflammation, Infection and Immunity, Molecular Mechanisms and Techniques, Development and Stem Cells, Genome Science, Degenerative Disorders/Stem Cells, Cancer and Others. Presenters were mainly graduate school students and post doctoral fellows. Six young researchers were recognized with best poster awards. There were active questions and discussions during both the oral and poster presentations. The number of participants exceeded 200.

Two new members were added to the Network on this occasion: The Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University and the Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University. This Institute Network symposium will continue to invigorate MEXT’s Joint Usage/Research Center Program in the field of life science.

*Members of The Institute Network:

Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University
Institute of Development Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University
Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo
Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University
Cancer Research Institute of Kanazawa University
Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University
Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University
Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University
Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tokushima University
Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University