18 | NATUREJOBS | 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS companies and laboratories to to laboratories and companies R&D and innovation, inviting R&BP is actively encouraging of HU
e Sapporo. heart the in located centre business and research R&BP), integrated an (HU Park &Business Research University Hokkaido the hub is biomedical aworld-class create adecade. within Hokkaido in cluster industry care medical and science health anew ating of cre- goal overarching the with research and drug discovery, technology R&D, translational on bio- focusing underway, currently are collaborations scale economy. Larger- regional the of invigorating 1998 ameans as cluster activities mobilized in of industrial wave rst the with natural resources in earnest, of Hokkaido’s potential the ping tap- to begin forces joined ies bod- government and academia products.and seafood agricultural dairy, of fresh array of awide production the in tion na- the in rst ranks prefecture Hokkaido life, marine dant abun- and land arable of fertile stretches vast to its Owing siasts. enthu- sports for winter a haven as but also climes, cooler, alpine of search in visitors for summer destination apopular as only not renowned is archipelago Japanese of the island ernmost north- the hot springs, natural and lakes caldera clear ranges, H At the heart of the initiative to to initiative of the heart the At industry, have recently Only soaring mountain With beauty. natural in awash aland is okkaido Tokyo

Hokkaido propelling the initiative forward. forward. initiative the propelling in targets key are sciences health and food in researchers calibre nerships, and attracting high- part- innovative fostering and primary commodities, securing of Hokkaido’s wealth on the drawing that arms Koba Government. Hokkaido the andPlanning Coordination at Policy of Department motion, Pro- of Science Bureau of the director senior Koba, Yasuhiro technology,”edge medical says cutting- and care ment, health environ- food, supports that indispensableing an platform by construct- Hokkaido a new hub. research across-disciplinary as base its strengthening is R&BP HU the Research Organization (HRO), Hokkaido the as such centres compiling data from established fectural research institutions and pre- former bytion, integrating addi- In Program. COE Global government’s Japanese the of part (COE)lence as by 2020 of Excel- Center competitive internationally an as emerge to aims R&BP HU the ships, partner- academia–government technologies. new of tures and the commercialization bioven- to foster infrastructure the providing and area park the region in the country, earning earning country, the in region food-producingis the largest square kilometres, Hokkaido of 83,457 area an Spanning Japan’s breadbasket “Our current focus is to create to create is focus current “Our Backed by strong industry– industry–academia–government alliances. science andmedicalindustry clusters, backed bystrong Hokkaido aimsto create oneof theworld’s top health Hokkaido’s ambitiousnewface HOKKAIDO, JAPAN forward as a modern nation.
e
e nation. amodern as forward Japan catapulted toration that Meiji the Res- after one year 1869, in Hokkaido in began HRO. of president the Tambo, Norihito industry,” says aquaculture country’s the pand to help ex- to Chile technology have oered our salmon farming “We overseas. techniques ing farm- salmon their introduced also HRO have the at Scientists scallops. and trout salmon, include products marine major region’s
e 2008. in duction 7.3% nation’s pro- of the total for accounted prefecture the in rice of paddy harvest
e beet. sugar and pumpkins soybeans, clude corn, rice, wheat, potatoes, in- prefecture the in produced crops Important of 2008. as US$241.9 billion)proximately of ¥18.5 trillion (ap- production regional agross with of Japan, breadbasket the as reputation its Hokkaido University inSapporo Extensive land cultivation land Extensive

Wild West,”Wild Tambo, says America’s of equivalent nese HokkaidoUniversity. to become later College, cultural Agri- Sapporo the establishing in instrumental was College, Agricultural the Massachusetts of president then Clark, S. liam Wil- economy, and Hokkaido’s to develop advisor aspecial as appointed was of Agriculture, USsioner Department of the commis- then Capron, Horace men from hailed Massachusetts; Both system. education higher anew introducing and farming intensive mining, coal as well as harbours, and ports roads, Hokkaido’s developing in role akey played Americans two Meiji period, early tumultuous the During shing. and ing on hunt- subsisted originally people,Ainu whose ancestors indigenous the to home Ezochi, as known formerly was region “Hokkaido was the Japa- the was “Hokkaido ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

NOASTEC AKIHITO FURUTA ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE Tsunetoshi, executive director Masaru says of Hokkaido,” that to climate asimilar it has as Finland, Technopolis in as such parks science from ent, learning independ- economically become government. Japanese the by implemented Program Cluster Innovation Regional of the part as (US$13 million) ¥1 billion of budget
ve-year a projected towards way the paving tiveness, centres of international competi- as to ourish support targeted receiving projects one of nine as government Japanese by the ed select- been has R&BP HU e to Japan. industries biomedical and sciences life of the cance signi
- the underline but also Hokkaido in research innovative of funding the in era a new mark not only R&BP HU at ties activi- cluster biotech new e Driving innovation Hokkaido University. of today’s motto famous the become —have ambitious” be students to his words — “Boys, departing Clark’s and college, of the alumni notable on many impact alasting had principles independently. think ese to students his ity, urged and equal- and freedom promoted himself Clark husbandry, mal ani- and
shing agriculture, introducing new techniques in considerable is — as well as Clark and by Capron behind left spirit.”frontier legacy e that them with brought days early those here to help in came who Americans the “and Building inSapporo The American-style neo-baroque OldGovernment “We have studied ways to to ways “We studied have isotope microscope system, as world’s the
rst for developing acclaim won widespread has hub. R&D integrated afully to form as so centres, support various and buildings research institutions, incubation private and public formed newly and facilities university ing communication between exist- key advantage of facilitating the has campus Sapporo metre square-kilo- 1.8 University’s of Hokkaido part northern the in R&BP HU the locate period. same over the US$17 million) proximately of (ap- ¥1.3 billion funds government awarded was which Medicine, Advanced for Project Research tional Transla- All-Hokkaido the to 2011.2007 is third e from grants government in million) (US$40.5 billion of ¥3.1 atotal received has which science, health and in food expertise dustry in- and academic together to bring designed project, ‘Bio-S’ second is the Sapporo Biocluster to 2011. 2006 e
scal from US$41.2 million) proximately of ¥3.15 billionment funds (ap- which receivedCare, govern- Medical and Discovery Drug Future in for Innovations gram Pro- Matching the named tachi, Hi- and Shionogi including companies, leading and versity Uni- Hokkaido between liance al- an is
rst e sector. private the and groups research demic aca- between collaborations en Already the Sapporo campus campus Sapporo the Already to decision the Crucially, R&BP’s eorts to deep- R&BP’s eorts HU bolstering are jects the region. region. the in technology and science promoting in organizations involved core onetion, of the (NOASTEC) Founda- & TechnologyScience Center forvancement Ad- Northern the at ree innovative pro- innovative ree

Statue of WilliamS.ClarkinSapporo and 2009. 2007 between US$2.6 million) (approximately to ¥201 million Research Organization doubled Hokkaido to the awarded grants Research Program. COE Global government’s of the part to be selected projects of its seven with 2010, in Research for Scienti
c of Japan’s Grants-in-Aid part as US$56.3 million) proximately (ap- ¥4.31 billion awarded was Molecules. Biofunctional on for Research Platform the to launch park business the at facility of anew completion the seen also has year nology’. is Tech- and on Science R&D tive Innova- World-Leading the for Program ‘Funding government’s the in for inclusion selected was techniques imaging and lecular on mo- based tracking tumour real-time involves project e Medicine. of School Graduate University Hokkaido the at Shirato by Hiroki led Project erapy Radiation Advanced $US47.1 million)mately to the (approxi- ¥3.6 billion awarded R&BP,HU has government the the at research medical support to steps signi
cant further In New frontiers research in organic synthesis. synthesis. organic in research Suzuki for his groundbreaking 2010 Akira professor to emeritus Chemistry in Prize Nobel of the celebratedcampus the awarding recently, Most the of Science. School Graduate university’s Yurimoto the at by Hisayoshi led project of aresearch a result Hokkaido University itself itself University Hokkaido with the Hokkaido bureau of bureau Hokkaido the with processed in foods cooperation on focusing ago years up
ve set lobby for biotechnology ness Abusi- years. over nine grant (US$16.2 million) ¥1.24 billion a with project, national ter Clus- Bioscience Agricultural Tokachi the and years, over
ve ¥1.5 billion (US$19.6 million) of abudget with project, date Hako- in Cluster Marine the include region the in tivities bioscience and technology. technology. and bioscience of in pioneers generation a new attract and creativity thinking forward- to embrace positioned uniquely is Hokkaido founded, was land the onspirit’ which be ignored. cannot that priorities are dence establishing consumer con
- and environment the and ergy en- food, surrounding issues 11 disaster, addressing safety March the following eorts revitalization and restoration on focusing is Japan when time a At region. the in operating topic for bio-businesses research on-going an is foods derived DNA- of recombinant safety the Evaluating Hokkaido. in sourced ingredients of food functionality the evaluating in involved actively initiative Bio-S the like projects with ers, biomark- nutritional and foods of development functional the into research new spurring is sciences health-related and manufacturing industry.” regional the to help stimulate ricultural and marine products ag- Hokkaido’s using products value-added to make aiming “However, are we Bio-Business. for Association Hokkaido the of chairman Kosuna, Kenichi says small,” very still is facturers of manu- number “e impact. asigni
cant making also is governments City Sapporo and Hokkaido the and Industry and of Economy, Trade Ministry the Other strong cluster ac- cluster strong Other Imbued with the ‘frontier ‘frontier the with Imbued Burgeoning interest in food

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19 | NATUREJOBS 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS 20 | NATUREJOBS | 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS than a year founded thecollege, establishedthe pan’s frontier, equivalentofthe American andinless readily asJa- Clark accepted, regarding Hokkaido help establishtheSapporo Agricultural College. governmentthe Japanese invited himto to Japan College.ricultural by Inspired Clark’s zeal andideas, his innovative Ag- leadershipoftheMassachusetts ofAmerica’sernization through industry farming ogy — was championingthetechnological mod- war andaprofessor inchemistry, botany andzool- Smith Clark — a formercivil colonelinthecountry’s UnitedStates for help.US atthattime, the In William to Europe academic practices,itlooked ern andthe inmod- expertise hadlittlehome-grown country in managing experience suchinstitutionsandthe University. Hokkaido bachelor degrees,” president of says Saeki, Hiroshi to award and alsotherstinstitutionincountry academicinstitutioninJapan, was therstmodern manyon Japan fronts. “Sapporo Agricultural College resources,ricultural role fulllingapioneering in sire to explore andcultivate Hokkaido’s naturalag- ofthegovernment’sfoodsystem supply aspart de- University, wasto develop a asHokkaido known it wascalled, andwhichin1947would become oftheSapporo AgriculturalThe charter College as in1876. velopment agricultural practices ofmodern rstagricultural collegespecicallyfortry’s thede- region anaturalchoicefor establishingthecoun- lic naturalenvironment — thatmadethe attributes throughout for Japan produce itsquality andidyl- hasbeenrenownedFor centuries, Hokkaido of agricultural innovation. Hokkaido’s richnatural andlonghistory beauty fundamental focus remains deeplyrooted in ing ever more global, yet theuniversity’s in its135thyear, thoseambitionsare becom- tion instilledinitby itsfounding fathers. Now has epitomized thepioneeringspiritofambi- Hokkaido’s ambitious frontierspirit A HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITY As the Japanese government of the day lacked As government theJapanese oftheday lacked its doors in 1876, Hokkaido University its doorsin1876,Hokkaido can beambitious. Ever since opening cademic institutions, justlike people,

not make ita sleepy hollow not make — many ofthefacilities University’s reputation countried does Hokkaido sities inJapan’s famouslycrampedmetropolises. Yet crowded commute endured by students atuniver- contrastto thehot,humidand isastark university to the fromandapartments ride dormitories nearby walkorbicycle ease oflivinginHokkaido. The short and climate andthenaturalbeauty able northern thisto attributes Hokkaido’sSaeki Japan. comfort- in studentnumbersofany in nationaluniversity thelargest University increase given Hokkaido more than3,800sta
. dergraduate by andgraduate students supported and centres andatotal ofmore than18,000un- schools, 18graduate schools, 26research institutes largest nationaluniversities with12undergraduate in1876to oneofJapan’ssingle agricultural faculty it expandconsiderablyfrom aninstitution witha gone anumberoftransformations thathave seen versity’s motto andguidingprinciple. Uni- — words thatto thisday areasHokkaido taken heshouted,where inparting “Boys, beambitious!” outsideSapporo, of thecollegeincountryside famouslyaddressed andstudents Clark thefaculty in1877, and animalhusbandry. Onhisdeparture cropsnew andtechniques inagriculture, shing andintroduced inJapan farm rst American-style Hiroshi Saeki,presidentofHokkaidoUniversity A recent studentshas inuxofinternational thelast135years,Over hasunder- theuniversity ADVERTISERS RETAIN SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FORCONTENT

take theleadourselves,”take says Saeki. tance of sustainabledevelopment to studentsisto lieve thatthebestway ofdemonstratingtheimpor- thatare owned byuniversity. the Hokkaido be- “We expanding oneofthemany forests throughout vironmental oftheevent itselfiso
set impact by development. Andto reinforce itsmessage, theen- to promote research andeducationonsustainable events since 2007ithasheldannualsustainability for core theuniversity, activity is animportant and on andaround theisland. Sustainabledevelopment thatexists stillfocuses naturalbounty ty ontherich sources for thebenetfor therest ofthecountry. means ofutilizing Hokkaido’s natural agricultural re- College, wasusedasa whenacademiclearning sized days ever asSapporo sinceitsearly Agricultural Practical hasbeenempha- learning demic curricula. all-round education — resoundthroughout itsaca- and learning aglobalperspective, practical spirit, says Saeki. which allows researchers agreat dealoffreedom,” ofresearchof thissystem isthatany kind ispossible, to applicantsworldwide. “One ofthemajorbenets research ve-year searchers by positions advertising development system to re- includeinternational isfocusinguniversity onexpandingitsresearcher to theworld’. To develop thisconcept,the further izing itsambitionsofbecominga ‘university open comecloserto University real- has helpedHokkaido are openuntillate atnight. andcafeterias,on thecampus, suchasthelibrary www.hokudai.ac.jp/en/index.html Tel: +81-(0)11-716-2111 060-0808, Japan Hokkaido N8, W5, Kita-ku, Sapporo, University Hokkaido Much oftheresearchMuch attheuniversi- conducted The university’s core philosophies — of frontier students inthenumberofinternational The rise ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITYOFFICEOFINTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS T Research outsidethebox China, 80nationalities intotal are represented. studentshailfrom oftheinternational the majority dents currently studying attheuniversity. Although year andnow standat8%ofthetotal 18,000stu- es — numbers are increasing signicantly every studentsitteach-the numbersofinternational and by theuniversity’s commitment to increasing the recently ofInternation createdOce the world. byThis focus international issupported to therest isnow of do University eagerto export lated over its135years issomethingthatHokkai- University. for a
airsatHokkaido international food production,” says Takeo Hondo, vice-president tures for inJapan agriculture as well and assheries prefec- isnow oneofthemostimportant Hokkaido the government’s decisionwassuccessful because AgriculturalMassachusetts College. “I believe that novative agricultural programs aspresident ofthe government to developing leadthecollegeafter in- whowasinvited anAmerican by theJapanese Clark, decessor — of under thepresidency William Smith Agricultural College — University’s pre- Hokkaido tiative ledto theestablishmentin1876ofSapporo waschosenasatesting ground. Hokkaido This ini- troduce agricultural technology, modern for which the outsideworld. Oneofitsrstmoves wasto in- 260years after ofisolationfrom thecountry ernizing in1868,itfacedthemonumentaltaskofmod- Japan government cameintoWhen theMeiji power in the world’s biggestissues. national research aimedat addressing someof ing theirhorizons andleadinginnovative inter- University researchers areHokkaido broaden- ofthe oce’ssupport activities, wide-ranging international collaborative research. With the it ontheroad to ever greater participati university’s development andonethat puts out theuniversity was asignicant step inthe of theinternational through- a
airsfunctions ADVERTISERS RETAIN SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FORCONTENT The expertise inagricultural scienceaccumu- The expertise A
airs to consolidate andintegrate al University’s ofInternational Oce he openinginJuly2010ofHokkaido al A
airs, on in l Hokkaido University Takeo Hondo,vice-presidentforinternationalaffairsat from Hokkaido University have University been collaborating from Hokkaido look iscrucial. thepastten years, Over researchers tional borders, out- meaningthataninternational to considertheenvironment intheirresearch.” says, “in order to besustainable, researchers need respect to publishinghighlycited research,” he with specic eldsisimportant in very are experts global society. “Although having researchers who lieves isoneofthemostpressing currently facing sustainable development — an issueHondobe- development ofresearchers in whoare experts few years. beyond over 10% studentsrise ternational next the to would seethenumberofin- the university like help promote similardevelopments inthefuture, bution to theadvancementofscienceabroad. To acontri- ismaking University ple ofhow Hokkaido isanexam- in theZambian scienticcommunity return from Sapporo to eventually becomealeader University, andhis agraduateis infact ofHokkaido ofZambia medicineattheUniversity of veterinary Zambians to comeandstudyinSapporo. The dean searchers to Zambia andinreturn acceptsmany many years isZambia. The sendsits re- university strong tieswithfor has maintainedparticularly Environmental issuesare by notrestricted n Another oftheuniversity’s majorgoalsisthe University thatHokkaido One ofthecountries a- into action inthisarea.”into action our researchers are transferring theirknowledge ecosystem ispreserved,” says Hondo, iswhy“which thatthisseaice-supported perspective tainability role.plays animportant from asus- isimportant “It ofthe area,ened thebioproductivity where seaice discovered inrecent years thatpollutionhasthreat- hemisphere. northern The jointresearch team has ofseaiceinthe extent themostsouthern marks Peninsula,Okhotsk of theSea Russian Kamchatka andthe Situated Japan between of Hokkaido. north and Russiaonresearch of Okhotsk inthe Sea with colleaguesfrom research institutes inChina about action.” butalso ers to thinknotonlyaboutknowledge ly promote andgetresearch- thisway ofthinking “At University, we willcontinueto active- Hokkaido researchers from di
erent disciplines,” says Hondo. them thinkoutsidethebox andcollaborate with but over thepastve years we havesome o seen researchers were quite narrow intheirthinking, totribute sustainability. to understandotherareas try — and thereby con- look beyond theirown narrow eldofresearch and to University to encourageresearchers atHokkaido approximatelycomprise 40separate mini-events placefrom andwill is scheduledto take 24October tutions. year Celebrating in2011,theevent itsfth were insti- heldjointlywithnineoverseas partner that was accompaniedby several mini-events intheevent, which 11,000 peopleparticipated asthe known ‘Sustainability Weeks’. 2010,over In event ofatwo-week as part University Hokkaido heldat are invited inaconsortium to participate project ofOkhotsk intheSea part sia whotake www.hokudai.ac.jp/en/relations/oce.html Tel: +81-(0)11-706-8023 060-0815, Japan Hokkaido N15, W8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, University Hokkaido ofInternationalOce A
airs, Every year,Every theresearchers from ChinaandRu “When we rst started the Sustainability theSustainability we rststarted Weeks,“When s- f

21 | NATUREJOBS 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS 22 | NATUREJOBS | 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS Bringing hometheNobelPrize HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITY T remarkable eciency and geometric predictability. and geometric eciency remarkable ofpalladiumwith the in
uenceofaminute quantity asaboronic andboron acidunder of carbon known bond,ing acarbon–halogen andahybrid molecule union ofanunsaturated organic moleculecontain- reactionto chemists, involvesas theSuzuki the products. Suzuki’s to theeld, contribution known fashion thatproduced ofundesired astring side generatedonly be in anuncontrolled ineciently tion conditions. Prior to this, suchmoleculescould andundermildreac- withhigheciency ometry give coupledproductswithaprecisely denedge- ing together separate ‘aromatic’ chemicalentitiesto molecular systems ofcomplex by link-construction awarded equalshares intheNobelPrize allows the them,” hesays. the NobelPrize Committee should choosemeover throughout thatthere Japan really isnoreason why outgreatare chemistry somany chemistscarrying nied itwasfarfrom aforegone conclusion: “There accoladethataccompa- ment andtheinternational ofNobelstatusforbeing worthy sometime. organic synthesisandhadbeen
aggedby many as due University — had revolutionized thescienceof Ei-ichiNegishi ofPur-Delaware andJapanese-born of RichardHeckoftheUniversity his co-recipients over thecourseof40years’ studyby Suzuki — and eld. ofthemethodologydeveloped The impact to few cameasasurprise researchersactions inthe re- in thedevelopment ofpalladiumcross-coupling inrecognition for Suzuki work hispioneering Akira prize for 2010 wasto go to tee thattheChemistry The announcementby theNobelPrize commit- with science’s highestaccolade. Japanese researcher to have beenrecognized University and onlythe14th from Hokkaido istherstNobelLaureate the institution.Suzuki nacle ofaglittering 60-year academiccareer at The for work whichthethree chemistswere For himselfhowever, Suzuki theannounce- professor marked thepin- Akira Suzuki University to Hokkaido in Chemistry he awarding ofthe2010NobelPrize Akira Suzuki(left)acceptsthe2010NobelPrizein Chemistry using my reaction,” cross-coupling hesays. Another thatMerckI useanantihypertensive manufactures veloped. “I have relatively highbloodpressure and benets personallyfrom themethodologyhede- reaction,”cross-coupling who commentsSuzuki, companiesthatwantto usemypharmaceutical for electronics. “I regularly receive from inquiries ticals, agrochemicals,andcoatings liquidcrystals synthesis ofsuchproductsaspharmaceu- dustrial andisnow usedgloballyinthein- chemists alike ofacademicandindustrial of thesynthetictoolkit paperin landmark thetic chemicalintermediates, nallypublishinghis concentrated onexploitingboronic acidsassyn- years histwo after atPurdue, Suzuki to Hokkaido ates dueto theirperceived low reactivity. Returning for investigating assyntheticintermedi- theirutility tures oforganoboranes, there waslittleenthusiasm colleagues were studyingthegenerationandstruc- toral researcherfound thatwhilsthis in1963,Suzuki Prize theBrown in1979.Joining group asapostdoc- himself would alsogoonto beawarded theNobel at Purdue intheUSby University H.C.Brown, who interested intheresearch out thenbeingcarried 1960swhenhebecame intheearly ron chemistry The reaction quickly became a standard part becameastandard part The reactionquickly rstencountered theeldoforganobo- Suzuki Tetrahedron Letters in1979. ADVERTISERS RETAIN SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FORCONTENT myself asasimplechemist.” edge oftheireld,” says. Suzuki “But Ijustthinkof el prize thatisawarded to chemistsatthecutting most aresearcher high-lev- atheart. isavery “This him by emperor theJapanese — is rstandfore- andtheOrderCultureof Merit tural bestowed upon prestigious honour — as well asthePerson ofCul- one who, despite having received most chemistry’s interest80, is watching withkeen as bets some- now that Suzuki, issomething University Hokkaido is rarely encountered inJapan. amalgamthat interdisciplinary ments inatop-level andengineering depart- combines thechemistry and Engineering Graduate ofScience versity School Uni- communication, therecently openedHokkaido ing thistraditionofstimulatinginter-departmental over multiplecampuses,” Continu- says Miyaura. spread atthetime,in Japan whichhaddepartments years. wasdierent“It from many otheruniversities forover withSuzuki 30 Engineeringhas worked who aprofessor Miyaura, Norio intheGraduate of School Suzuki’s attheuniversity, contemporaries including by wasalsocherished departments ofthetwo imity dierenttween chemistswaseasy.” The closeprox- locatedthe samecampus, on communicationbe- were butsincethey both departments, chemistry in Japan,” says Suzuki. usedto have “We separate two universities joined itwasoneofthebiggestimperial onwhyspective issospecial. theuniversity I “When andhasauniqueper- University demia atHokkaido hasspentalmostallofhissixdecadesinaca- Suzuki people worldwide. ki’s by 22million reaction,istaken cross-coupling usingSuzu- giantSwiss pharmaceutical Novartis drug,antihypertensive Valsartan, produced by www.eng.hokudai.ac.jp/gcoe/eng/ Tel: +81-(0)11-706-6788 060-8628, Japan Hokkaido N13, W8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, University Hokkaido Graduate ofEngineering, School GCOE Administration ofChemistry, O
ce The continuingdevelopment ofhisbeloved Asidefrom stintatPurduehis two-year University, ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE synthesizing thedesired enantiomer — one oftwo ketones. ofthisreactionliesin The dicultpart hydrogenation as oforganic compounds known to create alcohols, opticallyactive theasymmetric modifying areactioncommonlyusedby industry Promotion Prize ofScience for hisachievement in maceutical products. mand asraw intheproductionofphar- materials alcohols,of opticallyactive whichare inhighde- focusing onhow hecanimprove thedevelopment ronmentally way. friendly particular, In hehasbeen andenvi-medicine inanecient,cost-e
ective to develop reactionsthatproduce substrates for tiny amountisnecessary,” says Ohkuma. to existingonesbecauseitismore andonlya active catalystthatIhave manufacturedissuperior “The place. reactionstake and speedatwhichcertain lar catalystthatdrasticallyimproves theeciency chemist Takeshi hasdevelopeda molecu- Ohkuma waves circles. inindustrial who ismaking Organic University andEngineering atHokkaido Sciences only chemist in theGraduate ofChemical School isnotthe Suzuki Nobel Prize-winning chemistAkira revolutionize thepharmaceutical industry. pounds — an achievement that promises to pharmaceutical com-synthesis ofimportant cost-e
ective andenvironmentally friendly ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITYGRADUATE SCHOOLOFCHEMICALSCIENCESANDENGINEERING A Nano-scale robotsworktheirmagic behaves asa‘nano-scale robot.’ A molecularmodelofan organometalliccatalystthat ADVERTISERS RETAIN SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FORCONTENT In 2007, Ohkuma won the Japan Society for won the Society 2007,Ohkuma theJapan In The ofOhkuma’s mainobjective research is catalyst that allows for theecient, University hascreated amolecular n award-winning chemistat Hokkaido Reconstructing nature’s secrets thatthemethod can alcoholtoactive theextent that isableto controloftheoptically thechirality properties. di
erent pharmacokinetic identicalcompoundcanhave markedly otherwise tiomer iscrucial, astheopposite chiralforms ofan industry, enan- havingpharmaceutical thecorrect the ones, opticallyactive canadopt.In particularly mirror-image ‘chiral’ molecules, forms thatcertain ways to develop amethodology for the rational teamumbrella isinvestigat oftheproject. His to thathewould pursueunderthe jectives like myself many exciting opportunities,” says Oikawa. erao
ersnome, thepost-genomic scientistslike poses. “Since thecompletionofhuman ge- to synthesize novel ofpur- molecules for avariety that produceisms in orderuseful naturalproducts reproduce found thegeneticblueprints inorgan- sponsored by government, theJapanese aimsto Metabolites’. ofBioactive al Diversity This project, theSystemand Regulating for Creating Structur- entitled Deciphering ‘Biosynthetic Machinery: ics andexpression systems, heisleadingaproject grounds, includingthoseinvolved inbioinformat- a widerangeofscienticandengineering back- collaboration with40researchers whocomefrom when hehasto rely onhiscolleaguesfor help. In knows Oikawa University’s Hideaki istry, Hokkaido Despite hiswealthinorganic ofexperience chem- tive compounds usingbiosynthetic enzymes. alternative methodfor thesynthesis ofbioac- DNA sequencingtechnology to develop an that buildsuponrecent advances ingenomic H Ohkuma has developed a molecular catalyst hasdeveloped amolecularcatalyst Ohkuma Due to run until 2014, Oikawa hasmany ob- Due to rununtil2014,Oikawa is carrying outacollaborativeis carrying project of Chemical Sciences andEngineering University’sokkaido Graduate School ing applications.” toconverted compounds thatcanbe medicinal ofsubstrates to createdevelop awidervariety more it a ‘nano-scale robot’. thefuture, In to Iwould like alcohol molecules,” says Ohkuma, iswhy “which Icall just onemoleculeofthecatalystto create 100,000 cess. thatittakes molecularcatalyst is so active “My to lesswaste andamore ecientproductionpro- purity,guarantee 99.5%enantiomeric whichleads resistant bacteria andtumours.resistant bacteria for example, to create usefuldrugsto ghtdrug- functions, whichcouldbeused,ecules withnew this willprovide anovel way to synthesize mol- geneclusters. According tion ofarticial to Oikawa, oped aversatile methodologyfor thereconstruc- that Oikawa’s team willhave successfullydevel- chinery,” says Oikawa. lution through theengineering ofbiosyntheticma- of naturalproductswithregards to molecularevo- willalsoexplore diversication the intriguing “We andwidespread modicationenzymes. enzymes involving representativeery modication skeletal behind thereconstitution ofbiosyntheticmachin- andhisteam willexplore themethodology Oikawa products.naturally bioactive Through thisresearch, biosynthetic genesinto modelhoststo synthesize oped methodswillbeusedto introduce multiple ral productbiosynthesis. devel- Existingandnewly chemical structuresandthebioinformatics ofnatu- pathways obtainedfrom genomicdatabasedon decoding ofsubstrate structureandbiosynthetic www.cse.hokudai.ac.jp/english/ Tel: +81-(0)11-706-7246 060-8628, Japan Hokkaido K13, N8,Kita-ku, Sapporo, Universityand Engineering, Hokkaido Graduate ofChemical Sciences School At theculminationofproject,itishoped

23 | NATUREJOBS 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS 24 | NATUREJOBS | 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS Dealing withtherootcauseofcancer G HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITYGRADUATE SCHOOLOFMEDICINE,DEPARTMENT OFCANCERPREVENTIVEMEDICINE research, Asaka and his colleagues described howresearch, andhiscolleaguesdescribed Asaka theirotherp for infection. In the bacterial than for thegroup thatdidnotreceive treatment of cancerinpatientswhohadbeenfreed gastric ary researchers found thattheoccurrence ofsecond- for cer were dividedinto groups: two thosetreated can- gastric in which500patientswithearly-stage when discovered. tion thatallcasesof lines in2007to includeastrong recommenda- for Research Helicobacter renewed theirguid results soconclusive Society thattheJapanese highly acclaimedresearch papers that contain pylori tries, we have to winthebattleagainst andothercoun- cancerinJapan all tracesofgastric population. half theJapanese order to“In eliminate ispresentestimated inalmost thatthisbacterium by thebacterium mation ofstomach liningasaresult ofaninfection preceded by atrophic gastritis — ch cancerare mostcasesofgastric Japan, disease. In it areputation for EastAsian beingapeculiarly prevalence KoreaandChinahasearned inJapan, mon forms ofcancerworldwide,its particular cancerisoneofthemostcom- Although gastric decade.next the lives ofhundreds ofthousandsover the ment costs butwhichare to alsoexpected save will notonlysave billionsofdollarsintreat- for highlye
ective preventative me Graduatesity isgiving hope ofMedicine School Preventative Univer- oftheHokkaido Medicine ofCancerhis colleagues intheDepartment cer to cure. Research by and Masahiro Asaka remains oneofthemostdicultforms ofcan- H. pylori H. pylori The rstpaperpresented thendingsofatrial recent two years, hasco-authored In Asaka ,” says Asaka. in theworld behindlungcancer, and mon causeofcancer-related deaths astric cancer isthesecond mostcom- infection wasclose to three timeslower infection andthose whoweren’t. The Helicobacter pylori . pylori H. should betreated . Crucially, itis ronic in
am- asures that Helicobacter ublished e-

HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITYGRADUATE SCHOOLOFMEDICINE,DEPARTMENT OFRADIATION MEDICINE breakthroughs, cancerwillhave gastric been cancerovertric ve years. topected prevent about150,000deathsfrom gas- prevention measures isex- andsecondary primary prevention. secondary The combinationofthese prevention withendoscopicfollow-upmary for vented by combining deaths from canbepre- cancerinJapan gastric Pinning downamovingtarget which move witheachbreath ofthepatient. not beimmobilized, such astumoursinthelung, to usethisform oftherapy for tumoursthatcan- however, dicult alsomeansthatishasbeenvery highly targeted nature,and bodilyfunctions.Its no painandminimaldamageto healthy tissue consultation,withalmost the timeofanormal technology thatallows patientsto betreated in mours inthebody. unprecedented precision inthetargeting oftu- however, revolutionized theeldby allowing The introductionofproton beamtherapy (PBT), amount ofhealthy tissueto radiationdamage. but bothmethodstend to exposeaconsiderable usingabeamofX-raysperformed orelectrons, therapy. thepast,radiotherapy hasbeen In chemo- and cer treatmentalong withsurgery of thethree isone Radiotherapy pillarsofcan- clude awiderrange ofcancer types. this next-generation treatment optionto in- promisement Medicine ofRadiation to expand University’s researchers at Hokkaido Depart- W Asaka isoptimisticthatwiththehelpofthese Asaka Proton beamtherapy isnow amainstream geted tumourradiotherapy by ton beamtherapy for highlytar- orld-leading advancements inpro- . pylori H. treatment for pri- ADVERTISERS RETAIN SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FORCONTENT less thantreatment.” of theworld,” hesays. p “Because andthenintherestventing cancerinJapan gastric to 20years. by pre- “I amcondentthatwe canstart 10 completely eradicated withinthenext inJapan our patients,” Shirato says. in moving organs andimprove oflife thequality of treatmentthat thisnew willcure tumourslocated PBT. “I have promised government theJapanese other cancerswillhave accessto thebenetsof rst timethatpatientswithadvancedlungand the region ofthebeamtarget. This meansfor the can besetto onlywhenthetumourisin activate endoscope to thetumoursite, theproton beam position ofthegoldmarker, by whichisinserted mours usingagoldmarker. the monitoring By patented technology for oftu- real-time tracking University’s internationally Hokkaido ogy with for completionin2014. foundation for technologies ofthefuture, isdue FIRST program for theestablishmentofatechnical The project,fundedby government’s theJapanese PBT incollaboration withHitachi. tumour-tracking that aimsto develop theworld’s rstreal-time (RT) Graduate ofMedicine, isleadingaproject School University attheHokkaido Medicine of Radiation www.med.hokudai.ac.jp/index-e.html Tel: +81-(0)11-706-3363 N 12, W7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-0812,Japan Hokkaido UniversityGraduate ofMedicine, School Hokkaido ofCancerDepartment Preventive Medi http://rtpbt.med.hokudai.ac.jp/index-e.html Tel: +81-(0)11-706-7440 N15, W7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-863 Hokkaido Un Graduate ofMedicine, School Hokkaido FIRST Program Coordinator’s Oce, The RTPBT system willcombinePBTThe technol- RTPBT Shirato, aprofessorHiroki oftheDepartment ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE revention costsfar cine, iversity 8 Japan

dynamics ofthe Venusian atmosphere. vide valuableinsights into the energy balance and traviolet radiation. The dataare anticipated to pro- tops ofcloudssurrounding Venus ul- by measuring gasesatthe of atmospheric study the distribution ager (UVI)developed by Watanabe, willbeusedto responsible for lightning.static electricity drivethegenerationof whichonEarth ice crystals, can occurin Venus’s atmosphere withou hot,dry vations willanswer onceandfor allhow lightning the information gainedfrom thelightningobser- on the nightside disk of Venus. ishopedthat It measure lightningashesandairglow emissions developed byglow Camera (LAC) Takahashi, will sister planetisshrouded. ly shedsomelightonthemysteries inwhichEarth’s phere’s structureanddynamics, whichwillhopeful- modelofthe a three-dimensional Venusian atmos- data obtainedwillallow researchers to reconstruct theatmospheretoring atdi
erent altitudes. The fortor inanellipticalorbit years, atleasttwo moni- Takahashi. The VCO willcircle the Venusian equa- Cosmosciences, Shigeto Watanabe and Yukihiro of University’s Department from theHokkaido ments thatwere developed by researchers two containsonboard scienticinstru- (VCO) Orbiter orthe Venus asAkatsuki Climate known craft unmannedspace- Launched in2010,theJapanese Exploring Venus novel hybrid rocket. pounds form inspace, andeven constructeda orbiting Venus, discovered com- how certain are now usedaboard anunmannedspacecraft havesity developed scienti
c instruments that researchers Univeactivities, from Hokkaido research. new cross-disciplinary Through these university’s space research andcoordinating the Engineering (SOSSE)hasbeensupporting ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITYSUPPORTOFFICEFORSPACE SCIENCEANDENGINEERING S Elucidating themysteriesofspace ADVERTISERS RETAIN SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FORCONTENT Another high-tech camera,theUltraviolet Im- One oftheinstruments, theLightningand Air- Support Oce for Oce Space Science and Support University,scientists from Hokkaido the ince itsestablishment in2008by 100 r- t core institutes for space scienceresearch, the collaborationwithscientists atoneofJapan’sIn University’sHokkaido hybrid rocket drive thestellar machine. shed lightonthenucleosynthesisprocesses that asteroid will Hayabusa from the25143Itokawa sample brought backby spaceprobe theJapanese meteorites. successfulanalysisofameteorite His clustersisotopically ofmaterial, distinct found isotope microscope thatanalysespresolar grains, Laboratory,Isotope Imaging hasdeveloped an Hisayoshi stars work, Yurimoto, aresearcher inthe been announcedinseveral journals. international heavy-hydrogen process fractionation thathas on thisnding, theirgroup hasproposed anovel up theformation ofdeuterated methanol. Based hydrogen methanoland heavy tween atoms speed reactionsbe- molecules andshowed thatsurface ILTS, discovered the formation mechanismofthese Group Science ofthe ers intheIceandPlanetary clouds. Naoki research-Watanabe Kouchi, andAkira and hydrogen moleculesininterstellar molecular tion mechanismofformaldehyde, methanol, water in theeldofastronomy ontheforma- isitswork inKorea. University Seoul an countries, includingCataniainItaly University research incooperationwithinstitutionsother themes withintheILTS conduct andalsooften researchers uniqueresearch collaborate onvarious physics, chemistry, geoscienceandbiology. These ers from awiderangeofbackgrounds, including consists of a team University ofresearch- Hokkaido ofLowThe Institute Temperature (ILTS) Science at Analysis ofspace matter andotherplanets. atmosphere ofEarth Tohoku th willbelaunchedto University observe and University of engineers from Hokkaido support named RISING-2developed by theirgroup withthe stop there, however. 2013,amicrosatelliteIn In researchIn thatprovides insightinto theway One of theILTS’s achievements best-known Watanabe and Takahashi’s ambitionsdonot in d e and spacescienceresearch inthefuture. gine ighttests, andwillbeusedfor atmospheric and 2003,theCAMUI hasalready undergone en- ventional designs. Successfullylaunchedin2002 threeates athrustdensity timesgreater thancon- rocket, accelerated by animpinging jetthatgener- a combustiongasthatows along thebodyof CAMUI, whichcollideswithfuelblocksto generate intois injected thecombustionchamberof have inthepast. beenoverlooked rockets — the mainreason why hybrid rockets occurswithhybrid tion ofsolidfuelthatnormally overcome the crucial problem of theslow combus- A novel to combustionmethodhasbeendevised with acombinationofliquidandsolidmaterials. pensive explosivesusedasapropellant normally andoperationcosts. manufacturing whichdramatically reduces Jet, state Impinging asCAMUI, orthe Cascaded Multi- rocket known Space Engineering inthedevelopment ofahybrid University’s and DivisionofMechanical Hokkaido Nagatahasledateam ofresearchersHarunori in ofSpaceandAstronauticalInstitute (ISAS), Science First observationsofVenus usingtheUltravioletImager(UVI)in2010 www.cris.hokudai.ac.jp/sosse/en/ Tel: +81-(0)11-706-9244 001-0021, Japan Hokkaido N21, W10, Kita-ku, Sapporo, University Hokkaido Engineering, Creative Research Institution, for Oce Space Science and Support Non-explosive, non-hazardousNon-explosive, liquid oxygen Costs have low by beenreplacingkept the ex-

JAXA/ISAS

25 | NATUREJOBS 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS 26 | NATUREJOBS | 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS Shedding newlightontechnologyforthefuture C HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITYRESEARCHINSTITUTEFORELECTRONICSCIENCE cy mustbeincreased to atleast 60%,”cy says Misawa. ble energy source, however, thisconversion ecien- order for20%. In solarenergy to beaviablerenewa- conversionphotoelectric ecienciesoflessthan search portfolio. ofthe RIESre- solar cellshave becomeamajor part use. Now, renewable energy technologies suchas them more commercial for attractive large-scale andmake to increasein ane
ort theireciency at theRIEShasfor years beenstudyingsolarcells disaster andnuclearcrisis. Misawa’s research group following thedoubleshockofamassive natural native sources production ofenergy for electricity pressure to develop alter-self underextraordinary to whichnow Japan, ndsit- importance particular able energy sources. Such research hasbecomeof are arapidexpansioninresearch driving onrenew- he says. oflight-relatedwe are atthecutting-edge research,” ofresearch outmany types atourcentre and carry searchers asprofessor anddirector oftheRIES. “We University, leadshisown groupHokkaido ofre- nology, anddevelopment. manufacturing for strategiessupport related to research, new tech- andprovide amongitsparticipants of experience work Project. HINTS aims to coordinate the wealth oftheNanotechnology Net- part a as government (HINTS) projectfundedby theJapanese gy Support Innovation Through Nanotechnolo- the Hokkaido poro campusandplays amajorrole inoperating University’s Sap- of Hokkaido outskirts northern The RIES,establishedin1992,islocated onthe ture ever closerto reality. searchers are bringing technologies ofthefu- computing andmolecular imaging, RIESre- advanced solarcell technology to quantum new ground inlight-related research. From “Existing siliconsolarcellscommonly onlyhave Limited naturalresources and climate change arepresentative Misawa, ofHINTS at Hiroaki at Hokkaido University isbreaking at Hokkaido Institute for Science (RIES) Electronic researchutting-edge at theResearch is essentiallythe information ‘bit’ ofquan state ofquantumentanglement, which a certain largest opticalquantumcircuits capableofltering gates, Takeuchi oneoftheworld’s hasconstructed need to beused. gates are soenergy-intensive lasers thatpowerful ergy for operation — traditional opticalquantum littleen- other quantumschemesofrequiring very andhastheadvantageovercomputational devices promising fornology isvery future quantum-based be operated by asinglephoton oflight. The tech- veloped anopticalquantumgate thatcan device mation Photonics Laboratory, hassuccessfullyde- Takeuchi, aprofessor oftheRIESQuantumInfor- tal innature butnolessrevolutionary. Shigeki able energy demandsofthefuture,” hesays. solar cellthatwillbewell placedto meettherenew- soon beableto develop acompletely genre new of is condentofthetechnology’s potential. will “We suitable forcells solar Misawa production, industrial in order for thisbreakthrough to into beconverted though additionalproductdevelopment isrequired ics’ thatincreases lightconversion remarkably. Al- nanorods as introduce ane
ect known ‘plasmon- process. nano-structuring ide usingatop-down The titaniumdiox- ofsingle-crystal rayed onthesurface consists ofgoldnanorods thatare elaborately ar- ofthesolarcell. conversion photoelectric eciency visible to near-infrared, considerablyincreasing the solar lightacross abroadranging from spectrum developed aphotovoltaic system thatresponds to region. Misawa’s research group attheRIEShasnow wavelengths anddropsthe infrared dramaticallyin con commonlyusedinsolarcellspeaksatvisible sili- oftheamorphous conversion eciency lectric in theinfrared region. Unfortunately, thephotoe- ittosolar energy theEarth’s thatmakes falls surface energy available insunlight.About40%ofthetotal is through better utilizationof sion eciency the are hopingto conver- increaselight-to-energy this By puttingtogether acombinationofthese By researchOther attheRIES is more fundamen- The solarcelldevelopedby new Misawa’s group One oftheways inwhichresearchers attheRIES tum ADVERTISERS RETAIN SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FORCONTENT increase thephotoelectricconversionefciencyofsolarcells. Solar cellsofthefuture: words,” says Misawa. es, athousand all, becauseafter apictureisworth disease. signicant isa step intreating illness- “This ditions suchasbipolardisorder andcardiovascular for thediagnosisbe dramatic,ofcon- particularly withunprecedented sensitivity.cortex searchers inthe cerebral to monitor neural activity tion inlivingcells,itpossiblefor whichwillmake re- of spatialandtemporal changesinionconcentra- imaging willfor thersttimeallow thedetection range ofroles incellularprocesses. concentrations of these ions, whichplay adiverse subtlechangesintheintracellular that candetect developed ultra-sensitive calciumionindicators ofthebodyinanimals. Hehas the innerworkings technology thatallows lightto beusedto image researcher Takeharu Nagaihasdeveloped anew Institute, RIES tion withthe RIKEN BrainScience quantum computing. al development intheprogression toward practical attentionworldwide andcouldprove to beapivot- computing. Takeuchi’s research hasattracted www.es.hokudai.ac.jp/english/ Tel: +81-(0)11-706-9400 001-0020, Japan Hokkaido N20, W10, Kita-ku, Sapporo, University Hokkaido Research Institutefor Science, Electronic The benetsfor cliniciansandpatientscould This combinationofindicators andlight-based Light alsohasitsbiological collabora- uses. In Gold nanorods on titanium dioxide Gold nanorodsontitaniumdioxide ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITYRESEARCHCENTERFORZOONOSISCONTROL T Japan’s controlcentre forinfectiousdiseases eventually revealed aconvoluted progression had to beanintermediate host,andhisresearch ducks. migratory This thatthere suggested to Kida could have withthe hadnodirectinteraction givenChina wasthensurprising thatthepigs inpigssouthern tract in theupperrespiratory are the naturalhostfor theavian in
uenza Avirus. ducksresearch concludedthatthemigratory Kida via water-bornetransmission. Through genetic nesting grounds spread they inSiberia, thevirus migratedfrom China to southern theirsummer shed infaecesfor upto aweek. When the ducks ered thatthevirusreplicated intheircolonto be ducksanddiscov-H1-16 andN1-9,from migratory ofthevirus,has isolated subtypes bothofthetwo in
uenzavirus.H3N2 HongKong Since1977,he mechanism for thespread ofsuchpandemic
u.” many years, we are now inapositionto propose a says.Kida outover carried surveillance “Through
uandthe2009swine
u,”
u, theHongKong curred inhumans — the Spanish
u, theAsian four instancesofpandemicin
uenzahave oc- how in
uenzaspreads. thelast100years,“Over dedicated decadesofresearch to deciphering intheworld, hasof theleadingzoonosis experts andone University Zoonosis Control atHokkaido director oftheResearch Center Kida, Hiroshi for one thataects more peoplethanany other. are prevalent around theworld, in
uenzaisthe Among thelonglistofinfectious diseasesthat lead theworld. zoonosis Universityresearchers at Hokkaido routes isanever-ending taskbutoneinwhich toring for potential hostsandtransmission As suchdiseasesoriginate inthewild, moni- transmitted between animalsandhumans. of zoonoses — diseasesthatinfectious canbe an organization that specializes inthecontrol ADVERTISERS RETAIN SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FORCONTENT The discovery ofacloselyrelatedThe H3N2 virus discovery initiallyfocusedKida hisattention onthe April 2005fullledapressing needfor Research Center for Zoonosis Control in University’she openingofHokkaido ful incontrolling theoutbreaks ofavian in
uenza tool for thecontrol of avian
u. was success- Japan and Egypt, where vaccinesare usedastheprimary and deathsoccurinChina, Vietnam, Indonesia virus. cases ofthereported The largest proportion have human infectioncountries withthe reported andwildbirds, and15ofthosein
uenza inpoultry occurrences ofhighlypathogenicavianreported nding,” important nature isavery says. Kida ofvirusesinthis mechanismoftheperpetuation fromreturn to thelakes south. “I believe that and soare available birds to re-infect whenthey whenthewater are freezeslakes preserved over, circle where ducksnestinsummer. Viruses inthe petuated closeto inthewater theArctic oflakes of thein
uenzavirusarethat many subtypes per- discovered Kida andSiberia, inAlaska conducted separatehis own two four-year ideas. In surveys however,originates China.Kida, insouthern has spreadthe worldwide ofin
uenzastrainsoften says Kida. pigs, to becomeapandemicstrain,” itisunlikely this alsosuggeststhatifavirusdoesnotinfect of apandemicstrainin
uenza. “Conversely, precursorcould beacritical for theemergence virus. indicatespig infections that Thistheory Europe, spread initiatingtheinternational ofthe from where infected soldierswere dispatched to in theUnited States,swine
uoriginatedin Illinois mechanism proposed suggeststhatthe by Kida upto 40millionpeopleworldwide. killed The to havethe Spanish
uin1918,whichisreported believes propagation explainstheworldwide of the airby thepigs. pathogens suspendedondroplets coughedinto from pigsto humansby inhalationofrespiratory mestic ducks. The viruscouldthenbetransmitted shared thesamewater source astheinfected do- and thensubsequentinfection ofpigswho water-borne ducks, transmissionfrom migratory involving theinfection ofdomesticducksthrough Since 2003, a total of 62 countries haveSince 2003,atotal of62countries agreeMany leadingzoonosis that experts Pigs thatKida are alsocentralto atheory the lab(red). been generatedbygeneticreassortmentproceduresin of ducks(black).Seventysixothercombinationshave NA subtypeshavebeenisolatedfromfaecalsamples Inuenza virusesof68combinationstheHAand An inuenzaAviruslibraryofvaccinestraincandidates: N9 N8 N7 N6 N5 N4 N3 N2 N1 benet ofallhumanity.” says Kida. information isfor thecommon “This towould patent like thedatabasebut Irefused,” andsharematerials theirown. ifI “I wasasked allowing anyone to accessthedataandbiological portantly, thedatabaseismadeopenly available, more than1,200vaccinestraincandidates. Im- In
uenza Virus DatabaseSystem, whichcomprises establishedthe and humanin
uenza,in2008Kida vaccines anddiagnoses for thecontrol ofanimal havesome authorities advocated. measuremeasure as to culling, nottheprimary believes, shouldbeusedasanadditionalKida infections intheirtracks,” hesays. Vaccinations, should cull allaectedstopped the chickens ofAgriculture thatwe to Ministry theJapanese in 2011. allthree cases,“In my recommendation in 2004and2007,aswell asthelatest outbreaks www.hokudai.ac.jp/czc/index-e.html Tel: +81-(0)11-706-5207 001-0020, Japan Hokkaido N20, W10 Kita-ku, Sapporo, University Hokkaido Research Center for Zoonosis Control, In an eort to promote an eort thedevelopmentIn of 1H 3H 5H 7H 9H0H1H2H3H4H5H16 H15 H14 H13 H12 H11 H10 H9 H8 H7 H6 H5 H4 H3 H2 H1 Reassortants generatedinthelab(76combinations) Isolates fromwaterbirds(68combinations) RG RG RG RG RG RG

27 | NATUREJOBS 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS 28 | NATUREJOBS | 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS Feeding theworld HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITYRESEARCHFACULTY OFAGRICULTURE T on the mechanism by which plants absorb nutri- on themechanism by whichplantsabsorb on theotherhand, research has beenconducting the humandiet,” in lacking says. he Junpei Takano, ofironabsorption andcalcium,whichare often of to increase hastheability lactose thee
ciency from gut microbiota promotes humanhealth. “Epi- producedcalled epilactose by auniqueenzyme ple, Harahasfound Hiroshi thatanoligosaccharide that are inthefaculty.trition conducted For exam- many ofthestudiesonfood productionandnu- to reduce thoseemissions,” says Hirano. limantan, whichwillnow allow usto formulate ways dioxideof carbon emitted from thepeatlandinKa- ten years, levels our team theexact has determined source of greenhouse gas emissions. thepast “Over mantan Province hasbecomeamajor ofIndonesia the 1990s, thetropical peatlandintheCentral Kali- to accelerated deforestation anddrainagesince to helpreduce dioxide carbon emissions. Owing peat forests through whichhehopes in Indonesia, al projectonwildre managementin andcarbon ofaninternation- members ofthefaculty, ispart yond Japan’s borders. Takashi Hirano,the key oneof versity’s Research Faculty ofAgriculture. tion,” Uni- deanofHokkaido Matsui, says Hirokazu covers theenvironment, food productionandnutri- sion hasbecomemuchbroader. “Our research now century, however, thetwenty-rst lation. In thatmis- ofiso- competitivenessinternational centuries after backto andJapan ofHokkaido agricultural industry agricultural technologymodern inorder the to bring andonegoal:to introduceone faculty anddevelop as Sapporo Agriculturalthen known College, had University, When itwasfounded in1876,Hokkaido mission hasnow become global. Hokkaido’s renowned agricultural industry. That ing productivity, andcompetitiveness quality in sive andinnovative research focused onimprov- Microbiology and molecular biology support andmolecularbiologysupport Microbiology The university’s be- ambitionsnow alsoextend oldest witha135-yearofprogres- history University istheuniversity’sHokkaido he Research Faculty ofAgriculture at HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITYFACULTY OFENVIRONMENTAL EARTH in landwhere there are few nutrients,” says Takano. us grow cucumbersandtomatoes vegetables like ers are controlled sothatthisinformation canhelp the future, Iwantto outhow work thetransport- membranes inplantsare notevenly positioned. “In involved travel inhelpingnutrients through cell labelling, hehasdiscovered thatthetransporters boron. Usinguorescent proteinents, particularly Training scientistsforthefuture rently bemore developed than, for example, project. vironment observation “Japan may cur- network’,‘100-year observation en- along-term rently developing personnelto to contribute the searchers inthosecountries. Participants are cur- withre- to establish equalpartnerships Indonesia and Siberia has setupliaisono
cesinMongolia, University andabroad.ers inbothJapan Hokkaido tivities isthecontinuousdevelopment ofresearch- generations to come. Oneoftheprogram’s mainac- sity’s scienceandtechnology for isperpetuated program thattheuniver- entrusted withensuring ers, couldbelostforever,” ourscienticwork hesays. generationsofresearch-we donotdevelop thenext Science, doesnotintend to leaveEarth to chance. “If professor oftheuniversity’s Faculty ofEnvironmental is therefore somethingthat Yasuhiro Yamanaka, a overUniversity years thepast135 built atHokkaido hold. theexpertise Preserving andperpetuating can besure ofwhatdevelopments thefuture may The place, isanever-changing world andno-one intosurvive thefuture. thatknowledge withoutpeople, science willnot H Such research thewor- to contributes securing Yamanaka headsaGlobalCenter ofExcellence next generationnext ofresearchers inthe the Science isnurturing mental Earth University’sokkaido Faculty ofEnviron- ADVERTISERS RETAIN SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FORCONTENT a crucial part oftheeconomy ofHokkaido.”a crucialpart versely industry, aecting whichforms thesheries ecosystem inuence themarine and endupad- thatcaninturn the biogeochemicalcycle in change life.rine “Any abouta changeintheclimate brings eect felt notonlyby humanbeingsbutalsoby ma- Yamanaka oadamaging domino believes cankick is apressing ofMAREMIP concern scientists, which ecosystem models.lution ofmarine Climate change amongmodelersanddocumenttheevo- teractions ecosystem models, theproject aims to promote in- arounddition to buildingacommunity marine ers to conventions. gatheratinternational ad- In the projectislarge enoughfor tens ofresearch- Project (MAREMIP). 2009, EstablishedinOctober Ecosystem Intercomparison Model national Marine to teaching andresearch. thatepitomizestier spirit theuniversity’s approach theambitiousfron-the peopleofthesecountries University’s to researchers Japanese instilin to try Heregards itasoneofthedutiesHokkaido ka. future — the rolesmight bereversed,” says Yamana- whatwillhappeninthe butwhoknows Mongolia, by 10billionpeople?” to feed thatinthefuture aworld may beinhabited if we don’t dosomethingnow how canwe expect are currently strugglingto feed 6.9billionpeople, so be oneofthemainresponsibilities ofhisfaculty. “We ld’s food supply, whichisconsidered to by Matsui SCIENCE [email protected] Tel: +81-(0)11-706-2420 N9, W9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8589,Japan Hokkaido Research Faculty ofAgriculture, University Hokkaido www.ees.hokudai.ac.jp/gcoe/en/index.html Tel: +81-(0)11-706-4861 N10, W5, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan Hokkaido University Hokkaido GCOE Unit, Faculty ofEnvironmental Science, Earth Yamanaka himself acts as co-chair of theinter- Yamanakaas co-chair himselfacts ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE BIOIMMULANCE E Taking theghttocancer trials have been very promising. havetrials beenvery Eleven outof13 HospitalnearOsaka. University The results ofthe HospitalandKinki University tients atHokkaido with cancer pa- clinical trials tested inexploratory but nothelper T cells. therapies, whichfocus killer onactivating T cells peutic e
ect achieved by othercancervaccine contrast toThis the relatively isinstark poorthera- clinicaltrials,” casesinexploratory terminal hesays. has proved e
ective ateliminating cancercellsin stimulates bothhelperandkiller T cells. “H/K-HELP containing 40aminoacidsthatsimultaneously longpeptide cancervaccinecalledH/K-HELPbrid synthesized ahelper/killer-hy- ers thatarticially cancer. Afew years ago, heledateam ofresearch- could provide abreakthrough intheghtagainst many years beenconvinced thatusingthesecells has for of theimmunesystem, Nishimura part key for Medicine. Genetic University’s Institute also aprofessor atHokkaido patients andtheirfamilies,” whois says Nishimura, produce fewer sidee
ects, giving hopeto both increasing thestrength oftheimmunesystem immune system. “Cancer treatments by thatwork 1helper thetype activate ling cancer: T cell(Th1) ease, believes thathehasfoundto tack- thekey balance inprotecting thehumanbodyfrom dis- reer role to understandingthecritical ofimmune mulance andaresearcher whohasdevoted hisca- Takashi thefounder Nishimura, andchairofBioim- chance yet to ght o
thedisease. and cell therapy that gives patients thebest bination ofacancer vaccine called ‘H/K-HELP’ believes that itmay have come upwithacom- lance, abiotechnology company inHokkaido, focus ofgloballife science research. Bioimmu- for acomprehensive therapy remains themajor aid intheght againstthedisease, thesearch ADVERTISERS RETAIN SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FORCONTENT The ecacy of theH/K-HELPThe vaccine hasbeen ecacy of knowledge Th1Based onhisexpert cells, a many therapies have beendevised to people worldwide.million Although yearvery approximately cancer kills 7.6 cells. Dendritic cellsbreakcells. down Dendritic uniqueprotein role ofDCsininducing killer Th1-dependent T that itwillbeready for clinical usewithinfour years. iscondent andNishimura clinicaltrials ploratory Nishimura. The Th1 celltherapy iscurrently inex- it inducesasystemic anti-tumourimmunity,” says H/K-HELP and Th1 celltherapy ise
ective because 80% were completely cured. combinationof “The againstcancerand function hibited astrong killer cer. withcancertreated Mice withthistherapy ex- memory T cellsandprevent therecurrence ofcan- killer T cells to destroy cancerandcancer-specic create Th1 cells, whichfacilitate thegenerationof patient’s own lymphocytes. This therapy isableto panded withtheH/K-HELP volves cancer-specic administering Th1 cellsex- basedtherapy.(DC) therapies — Th1 cell celltherapy andadendritic immune-cell veloped othercomplementary two toLooking overcome this, Bioimmulancehasde- HELP issuboptimalto killer fullyactivate T cells. immunesystems. suchcases,weakened H/K- In is lesse
ective for cancerpatientswithseverely promising, hasfoundto bevery Nishimura thatit development oftheH/K-HELP vaccine. ceutical companiesto collaborate inthefurther for thisyear, for pharma- isnow looking Nishimura says Nishimura. planned trials With phaseIIecacy useassoon possible,”the vaccineinto practical and breast cancerpatientswiththeaimofputting for clinicaltrials colorectal outexploratory carrying Hospital. University kaido to“I would continue like lung metastaticcoloncancerinapatientatHok- therapy. The vaccinealsoinhibited thegrowth of ous treatments withanticancerdrugsandchemo- the vaccine, despiteresponse littleorno to previ- breastreceiving cancer after remission ofrefractory acomplete Hospitalexperienced University Kinki vaccinationwithH/K-HELP,after andonepatientat dependent cellularandhumoralimmuneresponse showedthe patientsintrials aheightened Th1- The DC-based therapy exploits the important The DC-basedtherapy exploitstheimportant Th1 celltherapy, proposed in- by Nishimura, Although the H/K-HELP vaccinehas proved in vitro from thecancer own orincombinationwithother celltherapies. basis for promising cancervaccinetherapiesonits oped by Bioimmunlanceand Tella isanovel Inc., for cancerpatients,” curing says Nishimura. dependent killer whichisessential T cellactivation, potent cancertherapy becauseitaccelerates Th1- “H/K-HELP-pulsed DC-basedcelltherapy willbea made goodprogress inDC-basedcelltherapy. velopment company Tella whichhasalready Inc., researchcollaborating withtheJapanese de- and HELP andDC-basedcelltherapy, Bioimmulanceis more ecientcancertherapy by combiningH/K- cancercells.the antigen-expressing To develop a killer T cells, activate whichinturn T cellsto destroy and thenpresent thesepeptideantigensto helper antigens ofcancercellsinto smallerpeptidepieces responses toghtcancerwithremarkableefcacy. epitope longpeptide(H/K-HELP)stimulatesTcell A potenttherapyforcancer: H epreioeKillerepitope Helper epitope elper/ [email protected] Tel: +81-(0)11-736-6033 Kita-ku, Sapporo, 001-0022,Japan Hokkaido Hokudai BusinessSpring, N21, W12-2, Bioimmulance H/K-HELP, discovered anddevel- by Nishimura Dendritic cell K iller- H MHC classII ybrid Helper Tcell E pitope The helper/killer-hybrid L peptide Helper ong MHC classI Th1 P peptide Killer eptide IL-2, IFN- (H/K-HELP) Tumor Help Killer Tcell γ CTL Kill

29 | NATUREJOBS 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS 30 | NATUREJOBS | 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS only facility in the world thatintegrates in theworld only facility research willalsobet environment.completely It articial tical compoundsusingtransgenic plantsina fority mass-producing high-value pharmaceu- genetically modiedplants. for vaccines, drugsandcosmetics, herbal using ticals, includinginterferonsandbasecompounds substances forsystem for pharmaceu- value-added Group, mass-production to establishalow-cost run by thePlant Molecular TechnologyResearch facility ready maintainsanadvancedplantfactory onplantproduction bywork theAIST, whichal- The projectbuildsonthegovernment-supported the formulation underoneroof. ofpharmaceuticals entire process from transgenicplantcultivationto poro atacostofonebillionyen, willintegrate the Center inSap- the grounds oftheAISTHokkaido hensive, to o beconstructed fullyenclosedfacility regarding geneticallymodiedcrops. concerns the sametimeaddressing theregulatory for themasscultivationoftransgenicplantswhileat projectthataimsto establishasystem a remarkable on government,Japanese NOASTEC hasembarked pounds more economically. ofthe With thesupport in higheryieldandto produce syntheticcom- modied plantsto obtainnaturaldrugcompounds cal companiesare to theuseofgenetically turning cally butathighcost.For thisreason, pharmaceuti- occur innature. canbeproduced syntheti- Others are produced from that only complexcompounds thatweMany ofthepharmaceuticals now rely on pharmaceutical compounds. controlled conditions for of theproduction to grow genetically modied plants under providing theunprecedented opportunity willbeuniqueintheworld, inHokkaido (AIST) Advanced Science and Industrial Technology (NOASTEC) andtheNational Instituteof Building theworld’s rsttransgenicplantfactory NORTHERN ADVANCEMENT CENTERFORSCIENCE&TECHNOLOGY, NATIONAL INSTITUTEOFADVANCED INDUSTRIALSCIENCEANDTECHNOLOGY A “The new factory willbetheworld’s factory new top facil- “The The Transgenic Plant Factory, anew, compre- Center for Science & Technology Advancementopment by theNorthern underdevel- transgenic plant factory

he n costs and suitability forcosts andsuitability massproduction. andstorage, lower ease oftransport production ticals from ofcontamination, plantsincludelow risk species. The advantagesofproducing pharmaceu- transgenicplant vaccine componentsusingvarious and able substancessuchasantibodies, cytokines expressing avian in
uenzavaccineandothervalu- lecular technologies to produce atransgenicpotato Center.Hokkaido attheAIST the BioproductionResearch Institute cured,” says Takeshi group Matsumura, leaderof disease,periodontal allofwhichwillbecompletely can beusedto treat aboutonemilliondogswith ofthetransgenicstrawberries using 250kilograms disease indogs. medicinesproduced “Veterinary compound usedinthetreatment ofperiodontal expressingstrawberries canineinterferon — a base isalineof AIST usingtheiradvancedplantfactory value products. establish venture businessesbasedonthesehigh- theresearch to and by taking results to industry ofthesubstancesproducedtionality by thefactory, comprehensive analysesofthefunc- to undertake aimoftheprojectis in pharmaceuticals. Afurther thedesiredpurify productsfor useasraw materials and environment, andextract yield inanarticial plants usingahydroponic culture system for high substances, cultivate those high value-added used to develop transgenicplantsthatproduce technology,”adds Tsunetoshi. andabroadJapan cometogether to develop plant where researchers, companies andinvestors from duction. “I wantitto becomeacentre ofexcellence transgenicplantresearchpharmaceutical andpro- world’s core research anddevelopment hubfor in
uenza vaccines,asthe andestablishthefacility medicine,for such as bothclinical and veterinary to produce thebasecompounds use thefactory NOASTEC thelongterm, of NOASTEC. plansto In tion,” says Masaru Tsunetoshi, executive director and plantproduction technology in a singleloca- The research institute hasalsodeveloped mo- One ofthetransgenicplantsdeveloped by the willbe The plant factory 915-square-metre ADVERTISERS RETAIN SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FORCONTENT and development onfood andhealth. hubfor research aworld-class Hokkaido to make aims theframework Chuokai, operatives Hokkaido nomic Federation, Agricultural andtheJapan Co- Eco- government, theHokkaido the Hokkaido Bureau ofEconomy,Hokkaido Trade andIndustry, opportunities. With collaborators includingthe versities andresearch labsto create business new companies,connecting government bodies, uni- projects, promoting cluster activit industrial researchten years by anddevelopment supporting food cluster initiatives forrole over intheHokkaido ties andlaboratories. NOASTEC hasplayed apivotal foods assetsoflocaluniversi- usingtheintellectual based around theproductionofhigh-added-value nomically independentby establishinganindustry regional economythe region andhelp make eco- framework. This initiative isintended to boostthe Strategicternational Comprehensive SpecialZone Food Complextivities promoting In- theHokkaido ofHokkaido’s ispart plant factory ‘food cluster’ ac- is microorganism-free to prevent contamination. areaduction isalsoacontrolled environment and liquids.nutrient pro- The adjacent pharmaceuticals dioxidecomposition, carbon concentrationand including temperature, humidity, and lightintensity complete control over thecultivationenvironment, relevant biosafety regulations. featuresThe facility ed genesandsoensures fullcompliancewiththe area provides complete containmentofthemodi- productionarea.pharmaceuticals The cultivation sists ofatransgenicplantcultivationarea anda www.aist.go.jp/index_en.html Tel: +81-(0)11-857-8492 062-8517,Japan Hokkaido 2-17 Tsukisamuhigashi, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo, and Technology National InstituteofAdvanced Scien Industrial AdvancementNorthern Center for Science & Technology The construction ofthenew,The construction comprehensive con- facility The AIST’s advancedplantfactory ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE ce ce ies, and ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE T Collaboration breedsinnovation NORTHERN ADVANCEMENT CENTERFORSCIENCE&TECHNOLOGY in thetransfer ofresearch results and intellectual to form R&Dprojects, assists and opportunities the regional economy. thatwillinvigorate industries businesses andnew tions, theHUR&BPprojectaimsto create venture universitiesassets of academic institu- andother government collaborations. Usingthe intellectual technologyof new through industry–academia– theR&Dandcommercialization system to support arena for ofacoherent theconstruction cluster Research Institute. Industrial asan acts The park as well asincubationfacilitiesandtheHokkaido ofLowand theInstitute Temperature Science, such astheResearch Center for Zoonosis Control centresuniversity collaboration facilitiesincluding andnow University hosts 16 campus ofHokkaido Project Promotion Council in2003. NOASTEC, whotogether establishedtheHUR&BP RegionalBureau Development and the Hokkaido Bureau ofEconomy Hokkaido Trade andIndustry, ofSapporo, government, theCity the the Hokkaido University, Federation withHokkaido inpartnership Economic veloped asaninitiative oftheHokkaido major focus cluster activities,de- ofsuchindustrial ment opportunities. The HUR&BP, establishedasa boost theregional economy andincrease employ- clusters topromoting ofindustrial help theactivities have beenactively ment communitiesinHokkaido Since 1998,theindustrial, academicandgovern- novation for thehealthscience industry. RB&P aimsto become centre aworld-class ofin- together R&Dinfood andmedicalcare, theHU demic andgovernment Bybringing partners. through collaborations amongindustrial, aca- researchcutting-edge anddevelopment (R&D) Project Promotion Council, asabasefor serves & Technology (NOASTEC) through theHUR&BP Advancementthe Northern Center for Science The HUR&BPProject Promotion Council seeks The research is located onthe andbusinesspark supported by 12organizations supported including ness Park (HUR&BP), aninnovation hub University Research &Busi- he Hokkaido Functional foodleadstheway hub. HUR&BPinitiative isnow expandinginto “The by government theJapanese asaglobalinnovation researchers andbusinessesalike. environmenta ful
llinglifestyle andcommunity for to develop andmaintain cil hasmadeitapriority oftheprogram,the longevity thepromotion coun- spin-os. anduniversity business startups To ensure organizations to theprogram, aswell aspromoting researching corporate facilitiesandotherresearch assets to sector. theprivate inrecruit- isalsoactive It T marketing support, and to construct evaluation evaluation and to construct support, marketing patents,tinctive to strive for commercialization and scienti
c innovation inorder to comeupwith dis- foods withproven healthpromotion properties. to food produced locallyanddevelop ‘functional’ theprojectaimsto evaluation, addvalue functional andbusinesscentresoping diagnostic for test kits offoodsto anddevel- evaluate thefunctionality hub. systems devising By health sciencesindustry area leadingto thedevelopment ofa Hokkaido offoods grown thefunctionality evaluating inthe by scienti
cally industry is to stimulate localprimary by theHUR&BP,three nationalprojectssupported project,oneof One ofthemaingoalsBio-S of whichrepresent thelocalcommunity. 8 universities andmore than40companies, 20 elds withcontributions by 20professors from andmanyfunctions othercross-disciplinary by R&Dinimmune, cognitive andmetabolic project,supported focus oftheBio-S primary the Knowledge ClusterInitiative. Food the is established by theJapanese government under In 2009,theHUR&BPwasformally recognizedIn “To commercializeresearch themes, we pursue regional innovation cluster programs in 2007,isoneofninegloballyoriented he Sapporo Biocluster ‘Bio-S’, launched

research science. business basedoncutting-edge foods ment offunctional andalsostimulate contract of aseamlessinnovation platform for thedevelop- centres are to expected to contribute thecreation studiesinvolving foods.”cohort These
ve research tion analysis, offoods clinicalevaluation andalsofor tioxidant analysis, advancedlipidanalysis, gutfunc- are alsocurrently buildingresearch centres for an- offoods. for thefunctionalities measuring kits “We form thebasisfor assay thedevelopment ofnew businesses.by Bio-S candidates These biomarker research conducted ples ofthebasicbutimportant Alzheimer’s diseaseandatherosclerosis are exam- businessesfor evaluation functional food.” up andstart wenostic test canbothsellthekits kits, offood isdeveloped,the functionality suchasdiag- director ofBio-S. ject asystem for evaluating “When bases for food innovation,” says Fumio pro- Suzuki, medical care integration hubwithinten years.” theworld’s Hokkaido besthealthscienceand make timistic for theproject’s future. to are seeking “We care,discovery/medical and Tsunetoshiop- isvery projects, infood, translationalscience, anddrug Tsunetoshi, executive director ofNOASTEC. nology currently available inHokkaido,” says Masaru biotechnology andlifecutting-edge sciencetech- tion basedonfood andmedicalcare utilizingthe R&Donhealthinnova- a solidplatform to support [email protected] Tel: +81-(0)11-708-6525 001-0021, Japan Hokkaido N21 W12, Kita-ku, Sapporo, & TechnologyScience AdvancementNorthern Center for The for discoveries ofprophylactic biomarkers The HU R&BP now supports three national The HUR&BPnow supports

31 | NATUREJOBS 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS 32 | NATUREJOBS | 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS HOKKAIDO RESEARCHORGANIZATION T Feeding Hokkaido,feedingJapan main island of Honshu to come to Hokkaido, which main islandofHonshu to come to Hokkaido, the maindrawcards thatenticedpeoplefrom the wasoneof the growing salmonshing industry industries. Asasthe1600s, early its mostimportant would bedeprivedofone without itHokkaido to the contribution ecosystem, and tally important butvi- of life, anoften-overlooked salmonmake feats ofnavigation innature. Through this circle spawning grounds inoneofthemostremarkable autumn, however, the salmonreturn to theirown lives ranging for thousandsofkilometres.Every grate outto seawhere willspendmostoftheir they the island’s freshwater streams, salmonsoonmi- chum salmonfor thousandsofyears. Spawning in have relied onthelocal The peopleofHokkaido Salmon’s circle oflife premium produce. ing research themostofHokkaido’s thatmake Station,arecultural Experiment eachconduct- Agri- Fisheries andKamikawa Research Institute Freshwater Fisheries Research Institute, Abashiri three leadingresearch institutes, theSalmonand ofthelocalindustry. sustainability The HRO’s food andthelong-term productioncapacity projects withtheaimofenhancingHokkaido’s natural environment andare pursuingarangeof have ofHokkaido’s developed a deepknowledge out theisland, theresearch institutes oftheHRO With atotal of700researchers stationedthrough- self-suciency. food supplyandsoincrease Japan’s food development oftechnologies that canboost conducted by theorganization targets the for Japanese researchers”. Research being Norihito Tambo represents “a treasure-trove tion ofdata that inthewords ofHROpresident institutes have amassedanenormouscollec- over 100years old. Together, theseresearch prefectural research institutions — many being together andcoordinate 22former (HRO) was establishedin2010to bring Research Organization he Hokkaido

nately, thesesalmon are shedbefore often th andhiscolleagues. to Izawa portance “Unfortu- ofthesetruewildsalmonisutmostim- identity some ofHokkaido’s rivers. Preserving thegenetic continueto befoundthe original native variety in naturally spawned wildsalmonwith ‘pure’ genesof gramme hasbeeninplacefor over ahundred years, intensify theirresearch intheseareas. released dieinthecoastalregions, needto they also insiststhatsinceabout80%ofallthejuveniles young whenthewater hasbecomewarmer. Izawa sidered by theresearchers istherefore releasing the perature isrelatively high.Onestrategy beingcon- some coastalregions where theseawater tem- in has shown are thatthey moreto survive likely salmon numbers. The tagging ofjuvenile salmon for in number ofpossibletheories the
uctuations Eniwa nearSapporo, hascomeupwitha Izawa and Freshwater Fisheries in Research Institute theircause.determine feelsthese
uctuations,Izawa thatitiscrucialto As thelivelihoods ofmany localsare aected by numbers ofreturning salmoniscausefor concern. ver ofcloseto ¥50billion,andany inthe aberration today hasanannualturno- salmon shingindustry the numbershave
uctuated.” Hokkaido’s xed-net Research Institute. eries recent years,“In however, Division attheHRO’s SalmonandFreshwater Fish- director oftheSalmonFisheriesIzawa, Research of about60millioneachyear,”2000s says Toshio increased rapidlyfrom the1980sto apeakinthe andthenumbersofsalmon wascorrected mistake inthetimingofrelease.was dueto amistake “The 1970s thatresearchers discovered thatthisdrop wasnotuntiltheearly eachautumn.It to Hokkaido sulted ina drop inthenumbersofsalmonreturning be released into Hokkaido’s rivers. cially inhatcheries, whichthejuveniles after would technology thatallows salmonto bebred arti- the late 1800s, thedecisionwasmadeto import muchJapan’sat thetimewasvery wildfrontier. In Although Hokkaido’s spawning pro- articial Leading ateam ofresearchers attheSalmon The useofthismethod, however, initiallyre- ADVERTISERS RETAIN SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FORCONTENT ey ey ing inthesamearea three to four years later. dredg- ture by scallops surface are thenharvested overand distributed adenedarea atsea. The ma- young scallopsare released from amoving boat ily raisedusingasowing culture method inwhich under development. environmental ofscallopeldsare monitoring managementand advanced methodsfor shery search onHokkaido’s Institute coast,where north focus ofresearch atHRO’s Fisheries Abashiri Re- andyieldofscallopsisthe thequality Maintaining sea. inthecoldwaters ofthisnorthern quickly istics ofthescallopsthemselves, whichgrow highly productive, andthebiological character- whichisrelatively calm and generally Okhotsk, ofinclude thegeographical oftheSea character factors majorcontributing lop production.Other a rapidincrease intheregion’s for capacity scal- aquaculture technology inthe1970sthatledto grew through theintroductionofshing industry oftheislandHokkaido. The scallop just north are ofOkhotsk mostlyintheSea caughtinJapan, 40%oftheworld’sOver naturallyraisedscallops Sowing astronger industry scallop wild salmongenes.” of thepurity management system thatpreserves in theprocess ofestablishinganecological-based of theirgeneticgenepool,” says Izawa. are now“We can lay theireggs, whichaects thesustainability Maintaining thecircleoflife: Scallops in the Sea of Okhotsk are primar- ofOkhotsk intheSea Scallops Articially hatchedsalmon ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE Sea ofOkhotsk A world-classindustry: ment,” hesays. ofthescallops’elements inthemonitoring environ- concentration ofscallops, whichisoneof thekey footage thatwillallow usto accurately measure the video image analysissystem underwater to take ments. alsoplanto deploy a moving“We automatic of 42metres for phytoplankton-related measure- a chlorophyll sensorwithdataloggeratadepth source for scallops, by willbedetermined mooring foodthe amountofphytoplankton, animportant environment.ture For oftheunderwater example, duced inthehopethatitwillgive anaccurate pic- is muchtrickier,” hesays. the development oftheircrops, butinourcasethis di
cult. “Farmers whotend eldscaneasilycheck environment, thoughheadmitsthatthismay be to obtainanaccurate pictureofthescallops’ food tain thecurrent level ofscallopproductionwillbe productionofscallops. tally aect theprimary intermediate coldwater layer detrimen- andinturn whichwilllower content inth thebrine will shrink, thattheareais apossibility ofseaiceproduction thetemperaturesion. If continuesto increase, there andEnhancement Divi- Resources Management tion ofscallops,” Miyazono, director saysofthe Akira temperature willadversely rise aectthe produc- researchers worried. are thatthis concerned “We of thecoastalseafrom 1980to 2010,however, has ADVERTISERS RETAIN SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FORCONTENT Cutting-edge visualequipmentwillbeintro- Cutting-edge believes thattheonlywayMiyazono to main- temperatureA steady increase inthesurface Scallopharvestingin the e largely overcome, atoll. the itstillexacts Over Station. Experiment Agricultural research managerattheKamikawa from ten to seven years,” says Takashi Sato, asenior thetimeto strain develop arice method shortened of thepollen-producing organs ofaower. “This strains usingaculture basedonanther — part was thedevelopment ofamethodto breed rice containsjust15%amylose.actually ofthisproject, part Yumepirika or dream’,‘beautiful developed as ofrice of 19%.Onethevarieties able to reduce theamylose content to anaverage were equipment,they troduction ofcutting-edge consumer.the Japanese Eventually, through thein- texture, whichispreferred astickier ofrice rieties by in rice, from 23%to 18%andthereby give theirva- the percentage ofamylose, ofstarch atype found are alsoresistant to thecoldanddisease. latest scientictechniques, suchasDNAmarkers, taste quality, butthrough theemployment ofthe to strainsthatnotonlyoer develop rice superio Station tural Experiment — to form aco ers — Prefectural Agricul- including theHokkaido This situationledfarmers, companiesandresearch- werefarmers strugglinginthefaceofpoorsales. the1980s, Hokkaido’scome easilythough.In rice than elsewhere inthecountry. harvest result inbetter-tasting andabigger rice Hokkaido thelower fact, summertemperatures In in Japan. to befound rice anywhere ofhigh-quality variety Tambo. Yet canboastth today, Hokkaido be better to focus onminingandlivestock,” says would not suitablefor andthatHokkaido rice “Capron suggested thatthearea reportedly was cultural advisorHoraceCapron inthelate 1800s. noted specialagri- bya fact thevisitingAmerican The coldclimate, however, anobstacle, iscertainly havefarmers successfullygrown for rice centuries. the coldest regionEven inJapan, in Hokkaido, Helping rice to thrive Although theobstacle ofthecoldhasbeen Another majorbreakthrough oftheproject One oftheconsortium’s strategies wasto redu TheHokkaido’s successof hasnot industry rice nsortium nsortium e widest ce r ever before. than rice to amore choiceofhigh-quality varied strains, rice consumerscanlookforward Japanese nities. With continuousimprovements to thelocal themintoopportu- has facedand turned stacles it development. now underfurther strains,rice andthemostsuccessfulofthoseare to display resistance were identiedandtested in withthepotentialblast disease. genetypes Several veloped thatare strainsofrice resistant to therice Agricultural Stationhave Experiment de- mikawa improved coldresistance. have withto experimented create strainwith arice researchers have identiedthree genesthatthey that are resistant to thecold, Sato andhisteam of strains rice ofvarious to parts identify the markers fouraverage years. onceevery UsingasetofDNA verely damagedby low temperature weather on past 120 years, crop the annual rice hasbeense- A high-qualityproduct: www.hro.or.jp/en/ Tel: +81-(0)11-747-0200 060-0819, Japan Hokkaido N19, W11, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Research Organization Hokkaido The Hokkaido rice industry hasgrasped theob- industry rice The Hokkaido years,Also inthelasttwo researchers attheKa- Developing newricevarieties

33 | NATUREJOBS 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS 34 | NATUREJOBS | 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS transport systemforthe future. The SmartAccessVehicle System(SAVS): Working withsocietytowardsasmarterfuture FUTURE UNIVERSITYHAKODATE T The university has a compulsory project-based The hasacompulsory university emphasis onsocialandeducationalinnovation. positivebring benetsto society. and mediated such that their cumulative e
ects technologies are strategically andwiselydesigned that emerging information andcommunication vision, promoting research thatwillhelpensure initsfuture-oriented in society. isalsodistinct It of information andcommunicationtechnology institution devoted to studyingtherole anduse highly focused intheseareas,itaunique making of values’.‘human The university’s are curricula and complexsystems withinaguidingconcept information andcommunicationtechnology togetherHakodate, theeldsof FUNbrings Located thebay in onahillsideoverlooking cation technology insociety. explore theusesofinformation andcommuni- educational system toa future-oriented hel established in2000withtheaimoffounding on thesouthernpeninsulaofHokkaido, was The Future University Hakodate (FUN),located rooted intraditional educational paradigms. learning systems, whichremain fundamentally the development ofacademicandinstitutional communication technologies hasfaroutpaced however, therapid progress ininformation and informed thanever before. At thesametime, ? Traditional system Supporting this endeavour is FUN’sSupporting universal society moresociety productive andmore information environment hasmade he increasingly globalandcomplex ! SAVS An integrated p sheries workers by, workers sheries for example, allowing them sensing,” says Nakashima. system willhelp “The buoy system designed forobservation ubiquitous improve andenhancevalue. eciency inorder to industry technology inthesheries aims to applyinformation andcommunication insocialinnovation. experiments This study onarea city withHakodate inwhichFUNworks oftaxisandbuses. that combinetheservices government endorsementto operate vehicles experiment. special The projectisnow seeking population of300,000,isaconvenient size for the inJapan. ofitskind trial area,The Hakodate witha andistherstis asocialinnovation experiment up request thepatienthome. to take The project pointment isover apick- willautomatically trigger patient’s Similarly, arrival. registering thattheap- patient andinforms theclinicorhospitalon for by taxiorgroup pickup busatthehomeof system, theSAVS thetime automatically arranges by registeringa doctor’s appointmentwiththe Forcoordinating publicservices. various example, by matedpublic transport system for booking rants, hospitals, spots.” andtourist libraries suchasrestau- help coordination withservices with central computer management, and that will andmore exibletem willbecomefarsmarter presidentFUN. of Nakashima, sys- Hideyuki “The to helpcontrolorganically,” thewholecity says system thatplays therole ofabrainandnerves seniors, live moreandconveniently. comfortably op systems thatwillhelpcitizens, andparticularly to devel- community in-hand withtheHakodate hand- sees FUNstudentsandresearchersworking Access the Smart Vehicle System (SAVS), which project thatwasociallyinaugurated in2011is communication technology insociety. Onesuch applicationsofinformationexperimental and ing incollaborationwithlocalcommunitieson ofaprojectteam work-FUN spendayear aspart course,learning through whichallstudentsat “We are developing“We asmall, oceanographic isanother information technology (IT) Marine The goaloftheSAVS is to provide anauto- SAVS isanintegrated “The transportation ADVERTISERS RETAIN SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FORCONTENT is very intriguing.”is very says Nakashima. solve problems isyet to bemadepractical,butit Prize twice. The conceptofusingslimemouldto interest inscience. tive, andatthesametimestimulates thoughtand annually for research thatisunusual andimagina- won theIg NobelPrize,twice whichisawarded solutions. For Nakagaki’s team has their work, generally considered torequire computational even design —bothproblems arailroad network solveof itsown, amaze caninfact puzzleand alum have shown thatslimemould andhiscolleagues Systems.Intelligent Nakagaki ofComplexa professorand oftheDepartment FUN researchers of isthework Toshiyuki Nakagaki, and insightfulresearch thatisbeingpursuedby IT,”with theintroductionofmarine says Nakashima. KoreaandOman,tocountries, suchasSouth help time. “FUN isnow receiving from inquiries other to share locationsandshinginformation inreal iPad vessel terminals. Suchasystem allows every the locationsandnumbersofshschoolsusing shingdiaries, includingcan maintainweb-based broadband workers accessatsea,sheries internet unions. collaboration withlocalshery With ing awireless broadband environment through by construct- the shingindustry to helpsupport broadband in theapplicationofmarine networks local scallopindustry.” also experimenting is FUN been requested issomethingthathas bythe It at atenth ofthecostexistingbuoy systems. remotely usingasystem thatcanbeimplemented to checkthewater temperature inscallopbeds www.fun.ac.jp/en/ Tel: +81-(0)138-34-6448 041-8655, Japan Hokkaido Hakodate,116-2 Kamedanakano-cho, Future University Hakodate “It israre for“It aresearcher to wintheIgNobel Epitomizing theunusual, thought-provoking , despite having nomeasurableintelligence ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE Physarum Polyceph- ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE T A boostforfunctionalfoods HOKKAIDO ASSOCIATION FORBIO-BUSINESS Ishimoto, president of Hokkaido Mitsui Chemicals. Mitsui Ishimoto, president ofHokkaido can beusedto create foods,” functional says Hiroshi by developing ingredientsportfolio from plantsthat Association for Bio-Business. Hokkaido of the that have beendeveloped withthesupport town Sapporo arefoods examplesofthefunctional nuts’ currently beingsoldata major hotel in down- pursued by theassociation. The ‘supplementaldo- benecial supplementsisanotherapproach being foods of functional ofspecic by theincorporation of regular onionsoreven more. The development cansellfor veOnions ofthisvariety timestheprice to reduce bloodpressure andincrease metabolism. avonoidquercetin, aplant-derived thatisreported tion thatcontainsthree amountof timesthenormal oftheassocia- of oniondeveloped withthesupport type isanew example ofthisenhancedfunctionality focus oftheassociation’sthe primary activities.An may they already have hancing thefunctionality is emphasizing theirfunctionality,” says Kosuna. value,giving whichcanbeachieved themextra by intend to increase salesrevenue offood productsby the region isalready atitspeak. “For thisreason, we al acceptancethatthefood of productioncapacity thegener- considering ambitious target particularly food by productsby 2015 ¥1trillion Hokkaido — an The oftheassociationisto objective increase salesof well asretail companiesandnancialinstitutions. association includes42bio-related companiesas sociation for Bio-Business. The membershipofthe As- president Kosuna, oftheHokkaido says Ken-ichi rate infood of200%,”rich thatithasaself-su
ciency food products. andmarine issonaturally “Hokkaido ral environment that generates a plentifulsupplyof isblessedwithanatu- Japan innorthern Hokkaido foods.functional andcreatinging theirfunctions innovative agricultural by andmarineproducts promot- ADVERTISERS RETAIN SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FORCONTENT “We are looking atways to are expandourproduct looking “We to foodAdding productsoren- functionality plan to increase salesofHokkaido’s Business isimplementing ave-year he Association for Bio- Hokkaido It’s partoftheculture HOKKAIDO MITSUICHEMICALS shouldbeconsumedonthelabel,they andunlike are notrequired orhow to display theirfunctionality health products, asopposedto medicalproducts, haul Japan’s ingredient laws. reporting As itstands, and supplements,isleadingadriveto over- Kosuna foods.”the safety offunctional “established platform anevaluation to determine Science, alsoproudly explainshow hiscompany has System Tsutomu ofHokkaido vice-president Inoue, rally. The rstcompound thatHMCcultured using produce compoundsthat are di
cultto ndnatu- approached HMCfor thecompany’s to mass- ability chemical Research Center. yield,” says Homare Tabata, director ofHMC’s Phyto- andwithhigh we canproduce componentsquickly industries. “Companies arethat by attracted thefact chemical compoundsthatare usedina range of plant cellculture technology to produce high-value a majorsuccess. HMChassincebeendeveloping its chemical components — outto be one thatturned direction forin amajornew thedevelopment of 70years abigstep ago, itwastaking tral Hokkaido chemical companies, openedaplantclose to cen- Chemicals, oneofJapan’sWhen Mitsui biggest development. theirproduct to helpsupport di
cult, many companies to are HMC looking the procurement plants increasingly ofcertain natural disasters andover-harvesting make useful for foods. cosmetics andfunctional As and highlyproductive yieldofcomponents culture technology that canproduce asteady H To foods thesalesofthesefunctional support Over theyears,Over many cosmeticcompanieshave world that possessesaplant cell is oneofthefew companies inthe Chemicals (HMC) Mitsui okkaido near future,” says Kosuna. ers to buyhealthproductswithpeaceofmindinthe could soonbeonthecards. willallow consum- “This governmentJapanese to amendthislaw, which a listofingredients. The associationhaspressed the foodnormal productsdonoteven have to display components they are looking for,” arecomponents they looking hesays. can provide asteady, highlyproductive yieldofthe eventually cometo ndoutthatwe uswhenthey of itsorder few bookover years. the next “Companies tothe company seeasubstantial expansion expects custom-made components. According to Tabata, tothat thecompany develop useswhenitisasked consistingofmore than40plantcelllines library forare arangeofothercomponents. observed mass. favourable Similarly results the productby dry upto threewhich cantake years andgive only2%of the speedandyieldofnaturalcultivation, surpassing weight basiswithin14days, produced far onadry cultured cells, approximately canbe 20%shikonin thecaseof time. In short culture process isthatitproduces highyieldsina product for many years. a ‘bio-lipstick’to out be abest-selling thatturned cosmetic manufacturerusedthisto manufacture to healscars. which hastheability AmajorJapanese plant cellculturetheir technology wasshikonin, the years,Over HMChasdeveloped asubculture One ofthemajoradvantagesplantcell www.hokkaido-bio.jp/e/ Tel: +81-(0)11-299-8878 001-0021,Japan Hokkaido N21, W12, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Association for Bio-Business Hokkaido [email protected] Tel: +81-(0)125-54-3131 073-0138,Japan Hokkaido 1 Toyonuma,Sunagawa-shi, Chemicals Mitsui Hokkaido Lithospermum erythrorhizon

35 | NATUREJOBS 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS 36 | NATUREJOBS | 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS it hasestablished with overseas institutions over sales strategy by building upontheconnections Amino Upplansto implementitsinternational International collaboration raise to 50%withinthree years,” hesays. up 20%ofourtotal sales — a gure thatwe aimto ing into overseas which currently make markets, targets. are focusing“We allourenergy onexpand- products willallow ittoachieve itsambitioussales condent thatthecompany’s rangeofattractive the body, maximizingitspotential health benets. conventional polyphenols, isreadily by absorbed rst low molecularized polyphenolwhich,unlike another ofthecompany’s products, isthe world’s of infectious diseasessuchashepatitis. Oligonol, of anticancerdrugsandeven helpinthetreatment theside-e
ects whichcanhelpinalleviating cytes, mushrooms to immuno- activate andisreported or AHCC, ismadefrom themycelia ofshiitake ments, hexose calledactive correlated compound plant-growth regulators. polyphenol, antiallergic agents, antioxidants and derived immunostimulators, low molecularized activity, includingfood containingmushroom- products andsupplementswithphysiological produce, food thecompany develops value-added UsingHokkaido found ontheislandofHokkaido. vantage oftheabundanceagricultural produce ofSapporo, ofthecity ad- AminoUphastaken skirts ontheout-Established in1977aleafysuburb to society. countries to pursueitsmissionofgiving back is now expanding to previously unexplored collaborativeconducts research. The company national network ofinstitutionswithwhichit researchestablishment andthe ofaninter- e
ects — the result ofyears ofinvestment in tion for withscientically proven products Functional foodbackedbyscience A AMINO UPCHEMICAL The chairman of Amino Up, Ken-ichi Kosuna, is ofAminoUp,The chairman Kosuna, Ken-ichi One ofthecompany’s supple- mostwell-known has gainedaworldwide reputa- food products,functional Amino Up ofpopular-selling rmed withaportfolio but sinceitgives ourproductsadeeper scientic research may notimmediately leadto directsales, ing out research free ofcharge. “Our collaborative for research themes — even to th suggestionsto AminoUp will sometimesmake ofcollaborators isthatthey network international says Fujii. Oneoftheunforeseen outcomes ofthis ingredients upAHCC thatmake andOligonol,” ofthe chemical ine themechanismand functions to exam- clinical studiesandanimalexperiments mechanisms. ofaction ents andclarication constitu- substances, analysesofactive structural with overseas institutionsinareas suchasbioactive research outcutting-edge tal science, whocarry chemistry, microbiologyricultural and environmen- inmedicine, pharmacology,experts chemistry, ag- researchers are employed atAminoUp, including sta
.possible withouttheright Awiderangeof rope whoare interested initsproducts. received many from enquiries institutionsinEu- of AminoUp’s R&Ddivision. The company hasalso over ten years,” says Hajime Fujii, executive director lationships withresearch institutionsintheUSfor institutions. st have“We maintainedvery universities to research andmedical laboratories research with35institutionsabroad, ranging from outcollaborative company iscurrently carrying its years ofresearch anddevelopment (R&D). The Ken-ichi Kosuna,chairmanofAminoUp “Many institutions want to carry outhuman “Many institutionswantto carry Collaborative research, however, would no e extent ofcarry- e extent rong re- t be ADVERTISERS RETAIN SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FORCONTENT year reached 350including100researchers from presence grew, sodid theattendance, whichlast ers inattendance.As AminoUp’s international ed inrelative withjustnineresearch- anonymity be heldinSapporo. Therst AHCC start- gathering is thelongest-running symposiumto international Association. Now inits19thyear, thesymposium oftheAHCCits role Research astheheadquarters symposiuminSapporo an international in ports closertoevident home. Eachyear, AminoUpsup- acceptable abroad. outatAminoUphas to be ofastandardcarried Fujii. thatany iscompany experiment policy It safety standards onallourfood products,” says management systems andISO22000for thefood ones. have“We obtainedISO9001for ourquality always fullledglobalstandards, notjustJapanese of itsresearch andstandard ofitsfacilitieshave domestic customers. With thisinmind, thelevel have requirements muchstricter thanAminoUp’s demands ofoverseas companies, whichtend to towards worked satisfyingthe start from thevery Amino Upplanstobe ready. The company has to grow strongly few over years, thenext and help thecompany achieve itsgoals. research in-depth inanarrowconducting eldwill erage. Fujiibelieves Amino Up’s that approach of research, av- considerablymore thantheindustry Fujii. AminoUpinvests 15%ofitsrevenue into grounding, thiseventually leadsto more sales,” says AHCC products AHCC The reach international ofthecompany isalso Product demandfrom overseas isexpected ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE on thebodyfor astronauts inspace. The report three years ofresearch into the e
ect ofrad research institutes haspublishedapaperbasedon consisting ofseveraluniversities Japanese and Japan’sering group current situation. Aworking timely consid- ofAHCCfunction thatisparticularly scientic publications. e
ects, of over andthesubject 60 international with results itssafety and lackofside conrming by more than70leadinginstitutionsworldwide than 20years inover 20countries, researched popularproduct:usedfor ofaclearly more story natural defence mechanisms. The numbers tell the ing theimmunesystem to increase thebody’s against infection andghtcancerby stimulat- AHCC to help defend haslongbeen known The science theproducts behind members.Japan-based includes 200overseas-based membersand1,100 China. The association’s extensiveglobalnetwork outsymposia intheUSand sociation alsocarries intheUS. Cancer Institute The AHCC Research As- Milner, aneminentresearcher from theNational last year’s speechwasmadeby John keynote posium’s signicance stage, ontheinternational foods. onfunctional ducted As asign ofthesym- things themostrecent results ofresearch con- whocameto discussamongother15 countries in Sapporo Medicine International CongressonNutritionandIntegrative ADVERTISERS RETAIN SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FORCONTENT Recent research,Recent however, hasrevealed anew iation

nese company, alltheemployees atAminoUpare unusualmeasure forsta
. aJapa- aparticularly In tohe continuously tries instilinthecompany’s believes in stronglyKosuna and it is amin ethosissomethingthat This community-oriented way to fulllingitsgoalofgiving backto society. andinclinicaltesting,ket AminoUpiswell onthe number ofe
ective productsalready onthemar- developmenthealth products andanincreasing of With theirfundamentallyscienticapproach to the back Giving disaster inJapan,” says Kosuna. to helppeoplewhohave su
ered from therecent induce sleep. compoundhasthepotential “This symptoms ofphysical and mental stress, andto to alleviate the a supplementthathastheability and isscheduledfor year is aproductlaunchnext compound thatisnow undergoing clinicaltesting interest. Another iscurrently ofparticular kaido stance derivedfrom agricultural productsinHok- products to addtoportfolio. itsproduct Asub- have alsobeenindicated inclinicalstudies. cardiovascular health,fatigueandpainreduction lism. Additional beneciale
ects ofOligonolin of lipidmoleculesaswell asstimulate fatmetabo- is alsoableto inhibit the absorption It and wrinkles. blemishes weeks reduces theappearanceofskin Oligonol over ofseveral aperiod shown thattaking results have ofaclinicalstudyintheUSandJapan ets withadailydoseofjust100milligrams. The fruit thatprovides ben- several well-documented Oligonol, isauniqueproductmadefrom lychee inuenza vaccination. boost to the immune system incombinationwith have alsoshown thatAHCC provides asignicant all over theworld.” clinicaltests Recent intheUS to seeitusedfor ofsuchaccidents like victims nuclear accidentinJapan,” says Kosuna. “I would est inusingAHCC onpeoplea
ected by therecent government Japanese hasexpressed aninter- “The andcongenitalanomalies. tion-induced leukaemia shows thatAHCC ise
ective insuppressing radia- Amino Up is continuously looking for new Amino Upiscontinuouslylooking Another ofAminoUp’s products, top-selling dset that

Up’s spirit,” corporate says Kosuna. which Ibelieve isatruerepresentation ofAmino was astrong advocate ofgiving backto society, nequin there thatAudrey becauseitiswell-known Audreyion icon Hepburn. chose to“I set theman- lmandfash- mannequin ofthetwentieth-century main buildingisabenchonwhichsitslife-sized to theentranceof of thespaciouslobby next to project.Locatedcompany inthemiddle istrying wonder messagethatthe aboutthecorporate are inlittle they left builtheadquarters, newly responsibility,” says Kosuna. community — employee should every a company simplyto say thatitgives backto the evaluation. their performance isnotenoug “It of out,whichforms have they work part carried ofvolunteer onthekind employee areport writes ple inretirement sixmonths, homes. each Every from care donatingbloodto helpingtake ofpeo- required volunteer dutiesthatran to perform Oligonol products www.aminoup.co.jp/e/ Tel: +81-(0)11-889-2277 004-0839, Japan Hokkaido Kiyota, Sapporo,363-32 Shin-ei, Amino UpChemical From themoment peopleenter AminoUp’s acceptthat h for ge

37 | NATUREJOBS 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS 38 | NATUREJOBS | 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS Japan’s one-stopDNA solutionprovider HOKKAIDO SYSTEMSCIENCE O ers in their work, which is why we started to which iswhy oer we started ers intheirwork, research. wasmy research- dream to“It support to helpJapanese saw theopportunity Mizutani fering DNAsynthesisbackinthosedays, and thesis, anemerging technology atthetime. basedaround DNAsyn- devoted itselfto services years later, thecompany changeddirectionand ment for physical andchemicalresearch. Three today, focusing instead onthesupplyofequip- model, however, wasradicallydierent from original businessrelated Its businessesinJapan. thatsaw rapidgrowth1988 inaperiod inbio- abroad,” hesays. ally. year we have thepush decidedto make “This his company’s available internation- services years, HSSCEO to make Yukio islooking Mizutani focusing onJapan’s for many domesticmarket microarray analysisto nameafew. Now, after DNA synthesisto DNAsequencingand for from DNA solutions, custom oering services company isnow Japan’s shop premier one-stop usingthelatest inDNAtechnology.services The hascontinuedto develop itsrangeof ing start analyses intheearly ‘90s, andfrom thatpioneer- tocompanies inJapan provide commercial DNA System wasoneofthe
rst Science Hokkaido researchers anywhere intheworld. the
rsttimemadeitstechnology available to reputation domestically, HSSthisyear hasfor from RNAsamples. Having earnedasteadfast create DNAlibraries full-lengthcomplementary technology thatvector-capping allows HSSto facilities. alsoholdsanexclusive It licence for a isms usingitsnext-generation DNAsequencing eective andprecise analysis ofmicro-organ- of theircompetitors, HSScanprovide fast, cost- System Science (HSS).Unlike thevast majority RNA synthesis andanalysis needs — Hokkaido Only one other Japanese companyOnly oneotherJapanese wasof- System wasestablishedin Science Hokkaido one company to meettheirDNAand in Japan have turnedtimeandagainto ver thepasttwo decades, researchers struction of full-length libraries of complementary ofcomplementary offull-length libraries struction ogy thatallows for theecientandaccurate con- been usefulintheresearch out. beingcarried havehave andwhetherthey metexpectations to ensure thattheresults delivery a monthafter by visitingorcallingcustomers service after-care on sequencingdata. The company alsoprovides analyses by conducting HSS goesastep further institutions thatown similarequipment,ernment synthesis andsequencing, however. gov- Unlike read consistingof350to 400sequences. produce upto 1millionreads atatime, witheach fromcompany overseas hasimported isableto DNAsequencersthatthe next-generation two time. Oneofthe inashort soil micro-organisms a large amountofprecise geneticinformation on
eld ofagriculture, to need HSSwhenthey turn micrograms ornanograms ofDNA,” hesays. our competitors’ synthesizers canonlyproduce can produce onagram DNAmaterial level, while success. “Our DNAsynthesizer is special becauseit it,butabsolutely vitalto thecompany’sonly worth lieves thatthe
nancialcostto thecompany isnot other technologies be- comeataprice, Mizutani cilities. Althoughthelatest inDNAsequencingand technology andfa- isitscutting-edge important its competitioninmany ways, most butperhaps premium DNA-related solutions,” says Mizutani. and remained committed to ourgoalofproviding risks business becausewe avoided unnecessary ourcompetitors,“Unlike we were ableto stay in of Japan’s leadingproviders ofDNAsolutions. has expandedandourished, emerging asone it System hasnotonlysurvived, Science kaido economic winter decades. ofthepasttwo Hok- tough thecountry’s during companies inJapan disappeared, afate metby many otherbio-related ray analyses,” hesays. custom DNAsequencingaswell asDNAmicroar- Another ofHSS’s unique oerings isatechnol- oeredThe by services HSSgo farbeyond many Japan, inthe researchers, In particularly System standsoutfrom Science Hokkaido Many ofHSS’s competitors have early since ADVERTISERS RETAIN SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FORCONTENT are looking for,”are looking says Mizutani. searchers abroad withtheDNAsolutionthatthey researchers willhelpusto inJapan provide re- ence inproviding to comprehensive support species thatare dicultto procure. outonrareanalysis isto plantoranimal becarried required. usefulincaseswhere This isparticularly ple onehundred timessmallerthanis normally outonasam- technology isthatitcanbecarried advantageofthevector-capping other important full complementofunbrokenmessengerRNA.An- oftheprocess,plexity andalsoallows results ina number ofsteps considerablyreduces thecom- provides highlyaccurate data,” says Kato. The small capping technology involves few steps and very the othermethodsthatare available, my vector- exclusive to thetechnology. rights contrastto “In Persons withDisabilities, andnow HSSholdsthe researcher Center attheNationalRehabilitation for The technology wasinvented a byKato, Seishi theirpromotering genesanddetermining regions. DNA, whichare essentialfor research onidentify- The HSS’s vector-capping technology www.hssnet.co.jp/index_e.htm Tel: +81-(0)11-768-5901 Sapporo, 001-0932,Japan Hokkaido 2-1, Shinkawa 2-1,Kita-ku, Nishi SystemHokkaido Science “We are con
dentthat ourextensiveexperi- “We C G mRNA m7GpppN m7GpppN cDNA synthesis Second-strand CN ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

vector primer First-strand cDNAsynthesisusing m7Gppp AAAAAA TTTTTT AAAAAA TTTTTT CN N Ligation Vector primer ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE OBIHIRO UNIVERSITYOFAGRICULTURE ANDVETERINARY MEDICINE,TOKACHIREGIONALPROMOTIONFOUNDATION T Preserving foodsafetyinHokkaido’s heartland by theObihiro ofAgriculture University and societies,”international says Nagasawa. mission isto to contribute localcommunitiesand Tokachi area. “From anacademic pointofview, our signicant for andfood farmers producers inthe matters. hasbeen The adoptionofthisprinciple all areas involved insafety, includinginternational to ensure thedevelopment ofhumanresources in offood safety ofthepreservation ed theprinciple the origin offeed andcattle, adopt- theuniversity factors.”onomic Toas provingsuch issues tackle of ourlivestock andagriculture, andalsosocioec- butalsowithproof evidence interms veterinary we hadto convince themnotonlywithscientic gered food amongconsumers, safetyconcerns and of madcow disease,” says Nagasawa. issuetrig- “The system su
ered in1949whenJapan theoutbreak just outsideitsdoors. hand-in-hand withlocalcommunitiesintheelds to work theopportunity ing studentsandfaculty are well matched with the regional industries, giv- the university. taughtattheuniversity The subjects subjects,” Nagasawa, president of says Hideyuki o
ers anoptimalenvironment for these learning and one that it inJapan the only institution like livestock studiesinto asingleschoolsystem. is “It medicineandagricultur integrate veterinary of the heart Tokachi Plain where itiswell placedto culture and issituated inthe Medicine Veterinary theObihiro ofAgri- University and buckwheat, andeldsofpotatoes farms Surrounded by dairy offoodprinciples thepreservation safety. by establishing as one of its coreset itself apart ofAgriculturesity and Veterinary Medicine, has the district’s onlyuniversity, theObihiro Univer- and souloftheeconomythe heart andsociety, economy. aregion In where food is production land andlivestock to production theregional ADVERTISERS RETAIN SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FORCONTENT The commitmentto food safety enshrined established thesingle-school “Our university tributes 250billionyen each year inup- island’s southeastern Pacic Coast con- he Tokachi onthe ofHokkaido district al and through our work at the inspection laboratory.”through attheinspection ourwork health benetsof thosefoods to beguaranteed metabolicsyndrome,”like says Ito, “and we wantthe the health ofpeople with conditions that support from food foods processing functional to make tionalities ofsuchfood componentsandresidues to usethephysical, scienticandwellness func- tial antioxidant-based healthprotective. want “We beans, apoten- ment, andhigh-polyphenolazuki inulin,a possible sugarreplace- such aschicory commercialize locallyproduced food components innovation inthefuture.” panded toinclude food development andregional agriculture. The cluster willalsobeex- framework in creating aregional biologycluster for food and to play avitalrole laboratory theinspection pect professorspecial duty atObihiro University. ex- “We offood materials,”the functionality says ShigeruIto, system, andanalyze inspection opment ofanew ed andproduced intheregion, continuethedevel- food willinspect harvest- materials laboratory “The of the Tokachi Regional Promotion Foundatio rently withthehelp beingsetupattheuniversity theproject’s to support researchlaboratory iscur- mercializing theresearch outcomes. Aninspection offooducts processing intheregion andcom- from agricultural andlivestockitems by-prod- and components identifying andisolatingfunctional isresearchject foods onfunctional withtheaimof from the Tokachi district. livestock productsandprocessed foods exported tems helpguarantee thesafety ofagricultural and be detected faster andmore accurately. These sys- allow contaminantsinfood hazardous bacterial to opment ofnew, systems that simpleinspection offood safety by promotingervation thedevel- the Tokachi ABCProject, to contributes thepres- Tokachi Agriculture, BioscienceProject, as known Program. Strategicgional Innovation Support The government’s oftheJapanese the support Re- al innovationwithin 2005 projectestablished ofaregion- alsoforms Medicine part Veterinary Through the Tokachi ABCProject, hopesto Ito The othermainfocus ofthe Tokachi ABCpro- n. collaborating centres.” from itsreferenceamong experts and laboratories obtainedthroughscientic evidence collaboration codes,international outusing whichare worked World Trade Organization complieswiththeOIE’s and aprofessor oftheNRCPD. “On trade issues, the animal vaccines,” Igarashi,anOIEexpert says Ikuo national standards onanimaldiseasediagnosis and products. isalsoresponsible for“It comp ofanimalsandanimal-derived andexport import mals — and drawing codesfor upinternational can betransmitted humansandani- between infectious diseasesandzoonoses — diseases that andprovidingcollecting information onanimal ber countries. oftheOIEinclude The activities organization andisrecognizednary by 178mem- analyze anddiscloseepidemiological information. diagnosisnew andcontrol methods, andcollect, controlof animaldisease, developand implement reagents andcompoundsusedinthediagnosis and Reference develop, laboratories andshare preserve for animaltrypanosomosis. ence Laboratory The OIE equine piroplasmosis, andthesecondOIERefer- forOIE Reference bovine babesiosisand Laboratory 2007thecentre becametheworld’szation. In only standardi- andindustry development ofexpertise fortories research ondiseasesandpromotes the labora- providesan Diseases(NRCPD) OIE-certied Disease. The NationalResearch Center for Protozo- andControl ofAnimalProtozoanthe Surveillance for AnimalHealth(OIE) Collaborating Centre for lowed itto establishAsia’s rst World Organisation The OIEistheworld’s veteri- onlyinternational Obihiro University’s food safety program hasal- [email protected] Tel: +81-(0)155-38-8808 080-2462,Japan Hokkaido 23-9, W22, N2,Obihiro, Tokachi RegionalPromotion Foundation www.obihiro.ac.jp/english Tel: +81-(0)155-49-5216 080-8555,Japan Hokkaido Inada-cho, Obihiro, Veterinary Medicine Obihiro University ofAgriculture and iling inter- the

39 | NATUREJOBS 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS 40 | NATUREJOBS | 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS Making theworldasmallerplace ASAHIKAWA MEDICALUNIVERSITY I snowcover of the Hokkaido winter.snowcover oftheHokkaido This meansthat severe by thesub-zero temperatures anddeep medical facility, ahindrance madeallthemore for many hoursto reach thenearest well-equipped fecture canmeanthatpatientscouldhave to travel majorcentreslong distancesbetween inthepre- area but just5%ofitspopulation. The relatively land ofthecountry’s counting for almostaquarter isonlysparselypopulated, ac- the south,Hokkaido contrast to thedenselyurbanizedmetropolises to out ofnecessity. muchborn In technology wasvery on thetechnology withthehelpofAMU. based implementing itsown telemedicine network medical institutionsinAsia, andChina iscurrently nology hasalready impressed many research and imagesproduced usingAMU’scrystal-clear tech- format. high-denition The in athree-dimensional real-time telemedicine transmission that supports cannowuniversity o
er atelemedicine system of AMU. Now, 20years after ofimprovements, the orpatients,”doctors says Akitoshi Yoshida, president information, not beginning wasto transport very losophy for ourtelemedicine technology from the examinations andconsultations. basicphi- “The platform to assistinremote medicalprocedures, information usinganinteractive audiovisual media that allowed for theremote of medical sharing developed telemedicine technology Hokkaido computer researchers networks, atAMU incentral Twenty years ago, before andmodern theinternet infrastructure inChina. medical support technology issoonto beadopted asanocial the US,Singapore and Thailand, and theAMU telemedicine linkswithmedicalinstitutionsin and beyond — the university hasestablish ofJapan’sisolated parts island, mostnorthern to besent tomedical expertise hospitalsin AMU’s pioneeringtechnology hasallowed its ofmedicalcare.delivery For almost20years, Asahikawa Medical University’s Medical telemedicineAsahikawa (AMU) in Hokkaido hasrevolutionized(AMU) inHokkaido the veloped by Asahikawa University Medical nnovative telemedicine technology de- ed

in thesuccessful expansion ofthetelemedicine telemedicine technology develop further, resulting from government theJapanese saw this support examination usingtransmitted images. Financial aneye attheruralhospitalduring guided doctors ophthalmologists atAMU bre expert connection, away.190 kilometres Usingananalogue optical AMUlink between and the Yoichi Hospital Society their time. That rsttransmissionwasmadeover a for crisp time visualsachieved backthenwere very technology employed today,cutting-edge thereal- the originalwith systemthe palesincomparison AMU 1994.Even took placeinOctober though ofthespecialist areaspective ofconsultingdoctor. forthan visittheuniversity treatment inperson,irre- atAMUspeak withdoctors viatelemedicine rather hospitals, 60%responded would thatthey prefer to technology. in ve the 218 patientssurveyed Of positive responsevealed to avery thetelemedicine telemedicine system in5,797patientcases. hours. 2009and2010,theAMU usedtheir Between and return to theoriginating clinicwithinjusttwo imaging scans, whichAMU specialistscanprocess computed tomography andmagnetic resonance diagnoses usingvisualmediasuchasX-rays,expert role inproviding important also plays aparticularly rural hospitalsto increase theirincome. Telemedicine stage,with by aspecialistatanearlier anditallows becausetheirillness has beendealt hospital earlier cost oftravelling to adistanthospital, canleave they are manifold: patientsare relieved ofthetrouble and with specialistdoctors. The benetsofthissystem consultations to have virtual with theopportunity with patienttreatment remotely, providing patients in orderthe university’s to assist medicalexpertise potential oftelemedicine technology to distribute remote clinics, researchers to at AMU the turned cal facility, orsendingequipmentandspecialiststo oftheprefecture’sproportion residents. AMU remainlike essentiallyinaccessibleto alarge an institution medical facilitiesof the advanced The very rsttelemedicine transmissionsat The very by government theJapanese hasre- A survey thanrequiring patientsto visitthemedi- Rather ADVERTISERS RETAIN SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FORCONTENT

pressed — seeing istrulybelieving,” says Yoshida. thatdiscovers itcanfailto beim- because no-one only amatter oftimebefore o
worldwide ittakes technology,world-leading andwe believe thatitis China, Singapore, Thailand andtheUS. tals throughout aswell Japan asmedicalfacilitiesin tohospital telemedicineinclude 49hospi- network researchers have thehospital-to- sinceextended the world. AMU With decadesofhard two work, generationofitstelemedicine technology tonext brought together, thattheAMU revealed the the operatingrooms hadbeen attheuniversity latest telemedicine diagnosis technology for allof wasfromcentre. thiscontrol It centre, where the telemedicine atwo-storey and in1999constructed improve itstechnology andexpanditsnetwork, oftheaudioandvideo.quality founder, ontherst-class Schepens, whoremarked The eye operationwaswatched by theinstitute’s School. Medical which is aliated with the Harvard Eyein theUS,Schepens Research Institute, video to oneofthelargest eye research institutes was relayed inreal-time in30-frame-a-second at AMU1996, whenaneye operationconducted sions took years placejusttwo later, inDecember of Honshuandinto Fukushima Prefecture. across the network Tsugaru Straitto themainisland telemedicine transmissionin1994 A breakthroughinmedicalcare: “Asahikawa hasdeveloped a University Medical Building onthissuccess, AMU continuedto The telemedicine rstinternational transmis- ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE The rstAMU

The Hokkaido Shimbun Press ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE ASAHIKAWA MEDICALUNIVERSITY I Bringing Asiatogether using AMU’s 3Dtelemedicine technology Another worldrst: is inreal life, withthesamedepthand realism that time we hadseenasurgical asit operationexactly many inAsia andaround theworld. wastherst “It link wasagroundbreaking advancethatimpressed 3Dtelemedicine thehigh-denition and Japan, abit-per-second research Singapore linkbetween ahigh-speed75meg- which atthetimesupported Transmitting over theAsia Broadband Network, Hospitalin University and Chulalongkorn Thailand. tres away attheSingapore NationalEye Center nition 3Dby eye surgeons thousandsofkilome- was beingwatched inreal-time andinhigh-de- routine, however, thattheprocedure wasthefact of a73-year-oldman. Japanese What wasfarfrom frommove andhaemorrhaging theeye acataract routine to buthighlytechnical re- microsurgery ophthalmologist,ly experienced wasperforming Akitoshi AMU incentralHokkaido, Yoshida, ahigh- the winter of 2006 in anoperating theatreIn at in theworld’s mostpopulousnation — China. larger role asakey medicalcare infrastructure searchers at AMU isnow destinedfor amuch telemedicine technology developed by re- gapore National Eye Center. This breakthrough (AMU) that was watched by surgeons at theSin- eye operation at Asahikawa University Medical ADVERTISERS RETAIN SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FORCONTENT tion transmission ofamedicalprocedure, an dimensional (3D) stereoscopic high-deni- 2006, theworld n witnessedtherstthree- Eye surgerytransmittedtoThailand a telemedicinesystem at theChina–Japan Frien nology inChina.Under theaccord, AMU willinstall agreement to withtheuniversity roll out thetech- 2009, theChinesegovernment hasnow signed an of Healtho
cialsto AMU since by ChineseMinistry pression withChineseo
cials. After multiplevisits of its3Dtelemedicine astrong technology left im- andCommunication of Information Technology. government’sand theJapanese NationalInstitute oftheSingaporean government with thesupport exercise. theend, thedatalinkwasimplemented In pore alsoproved andJapan to be a bridge-building data linkfor exclusive research Singa- usebetween technology andestablishingthehigh-capacity he says. The development of the 3D telemedicine surgical level shouldbethesameallover theworld,” techniques thatexistamongcountries. “I thinkthe break inthelevel down ofsurgical thedisparities however, ofthe event wasto themainpurpose da to demonstratehigh-levelhis surgical skills, thatwerethe microsurgery notvisiblebefore. surgeons thenerdetailsof inSingapore to observe er by AMU researchers, the3Dformat allowed the telemedicine platform developed many years earli- tier for medicine,” says Lye. Buildingonthe2Dvideo training andresearch; itisreally abrave fron- new to do.tunity removed isonemore barrier in “This donotalwayssomething thatthey have theoppor- inunprecedented detail,to surgery watch actual 25 surgeons attheSingapore NationalEye Center imagesallowed the audienceof 3D high-denition in southeastAsia. ing ofthemedicalcommunity The inthetrain- ahugeleapforward operation marked cedure. The telemedicine link usedto share the tient wasnottheonlyoneto benetfrom thepro- was, ofcourse,The surgery asuccess, butthepa- later usedacutter to cutaway thehaemorrhaging. ment ofOphthalmology, removed and thecataract oftheuniversity’sof AMU andchairman Depart- the Singapore NationalEye Centre. the surgeon sees,” saidAngChongLye, director of Asahikawa Medical University’s Medical demonstration Asahikawa Far for from beingsimplyanopportunity Yoshi- theeyeoperation, In Yoshida,is presidentwho d- telemedicine technology two majorChinesehospitalsfortheroll-outofAMU’s 3D into China: Expanding ernment’s minister ofhealth. deputy emphasis on,” Xiaowei, says Ma theChinesegov- is anarea ofmedicinethatwe are puttingalotof for University Medical telemedicine, which hikawa grateful are to receive very “We su tually plansto expanditstelemedicine network. pletely level. new The Chinesegovernmen promises medicalcare to take inChinato acom- provided by theAMU’s telemedicine technology andruralhospitals city the vastdistancesbetween care available inthecountry, the ‘shortening’ of inthelevel ofhealth disparities income-related undevelopedwith often infrastructureandhuge gets themostappropriate medicalcare. sure to hospitaldoctor make thatthepatient city willthenbeabletodoctor closelywiththe work tion in3D. When thepatientreturns home, therural theopera- the ruralhospitalwillbeableto observe hospitals for acomplexprocedure, backin doctors a patientfrom aruralarea visitsoneofthemajor dium thesystem theotherway works too: when dures andpatientconsultations. As atrainingme- rural hospitalsinorder to assistwithsurgical proce- provide remote medicaladviceto intwo doctors pitals willalsousetheirtelemedicine facilitiesto Chinese hospitals. The andShanghaihos- Beijing to inthose doctors vide real-time medicalsupport Shanghai, whichwillallow surgeons atAMU to pro- andtheRuijinHospitalin ship HospitalinBeijing Due to thesheervastnessofChinacoupled AMU signs an agreement with AMU signsanagreementwith pport from Asa- pport t even-

41 | NATUREJOBS 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS 42 | NATUREJOBS | 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON HOKKAIDO NATUREJOBS health statusanddevelop abetter understanding ownership oftheirownviduals canessentiallytake paper medicalrecords to patientssothatindi- portable-sized distributing stitutions have started somemedicalin- own Japan, medicalstatus. In withaproper understandingofone’s starts bility Yoshida, president ofAMU. health — areeven ifthey healthy,” says Akitoshi mately, peopleshouldberesponsible for theirown preventative medicineto helpstem thetide. “Ulti- to itselfhasbegunto turn the medicalindustry ingly ever-increasing burden ofpatientnumbers, searchingworld for ways to dealwiththeseem- With around themedicalsystems incountries the health risks. tools to manageandunderstandtheirown be, italsogives thepatients themselves the on apatient nomatter where they happento medicalinformation to themostup-to-date University (AMU) notonlygivesaccess doctors technology developed by Asahikawa Medical thanever before.important record Medical havemedical status andhistory become more centralized management ofanindividual’s and improve publichealth,systems for the Medical information at your ngertips Medical informationatyourngertips ASAHIKAWA MEDICALUNIVERSITY A According to Yoshida, thatpersonalresponsi- Sapporo medicine to reduce patient numbers embrace thepotential ofpreventative begins tothe medicalcare industry s Asahikawa services have been knocked outorrendered have beenknocked services national disasters even when othernetwork thatwillallowto it remainfact operableduring atAMU plementation ondedicated servers — a that cameto thefore in2011derives from itsim- says Yoshida. thissystem availablemake to peoplewithcancer,” Cancer Center for inJapan, example, to would like ing thesystem for theirpatients. National “The havezations inJapan expressed interest inadopt- update patientinformation. Anumberoforgani- record, to giving accessand clinicianstheability Patients canalsogrant accessto doctors their decideonacourseoftreatment.help thedoctor health information thatcan up vitalup-to-date codebrings phone. security theirprivate Entering formation stored onthesystem usingtheirmobile give accessto adoctor theirpersonalmedicalin- treatment options. example, canhave profound consequencesfor medicines, oranallergy for topacemaker certain orwhether a patienthas such as blood type have never seenthatpatientbefore. Information treatment planfor agiven patient,even ifthey needtotion they develop themostappropriate giving accessto doctors thepatientinforma- government. atThe system isaimedprimarily oftheJapanese was developed withthesupport an onlinesystem hosted onAMU’s server, which individuals inputtheirmedicalinformation into the AMU asa for‘hotline doctors’, by works having themselves canmanage,” says Yoshida. Recordsystem Linkthatpatients calledMedical have developed amedicalrecord management thisconceptastep further. hastaken versity “We Uni- Medical the caseofanaccident.Asahikawa information treatment to helpwithemergency in or ‘MedicTag’ eachperson’s carrying vitalhealthcare stick around amemory people are advisedto carry onasimilarscheme wherebyrecently embarked factors. of theirpersonalhealthrisk The US,too, has An added benet of the Medical RecordLink the Medical benet of An added RecordThe Linkallows Medical patientsto RecordThe Linksystem, Medical referred to at ADVERTISERS RETAIN SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FORCONTENT delivery ofmedicalcare. delivery in people’s lives to andcontribute theequitable adi
erencegies to thatare make already starting worldwide,now extends withmedicaltechnolo- with thelocalcommunity. spirit That community university, trainingphysicians closely thatwork hasbecome Hokkaido’sUniversity core medical university. Medical Establishedin1973,Asahikawa focused medicalresearch by beingconducted the cine technology, exemplies thecommunity- mobile phone. tor remotely thementalhealthofevacuees by system, psychiatristsatAMU were ableto moni- thatrockedthearea. Usingthe major earthquake hardest Japan hitby therecentareas innorthern oneofthe using mobilephonesinKesennuma, recentlythe university anexperiment conducted inaccessible dueto highcallvolumes. fact, In individuals morecontrolovertheirhealth Medical RecordLink: www.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/english/ Tel: +81-(0)166-65-2111 078-8510, Japan Hokkaido Asahikawa, 2-1-1-1 Midorigaoka-Higashi, Asahikawa University Medical The Medical Record Link, like AMU’s like RecordThe Link, Medical telemedi- Using mobile phones to give Using mobilephonestogive ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE