Hokuriku Life Science Cluster for Opening up Healthy Aging Society
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Regions focused on : strengthening international competeitiveness MEXT Regional Innovation Strategy Support Program ( Toyama Prefecture ) ( Ishikawa Prefecture ) ( Fukui Prefecture ) Hokuriku Life Science Cluster for opening up healthy aging society Hokuriku Life Science Cluster Promotion Council Hokuriku Industrial Advancement Center Message from Top Management In July 2013, the “Hokuriku Life Science Cluster for Opening up Healthy Aging Society” Making efforts to improve the quality of medical care is a fundamental issue when it project, based on a collaborative proposal by the three prefectures of the Hokuriku region, comes to ensuring a society in which citizens can live with peace of mind. In this project, was selected as a Regional Innovation Strategy Support Program of the Ministry of we seek to face the issues accompanying an aging society to come up with solutions and Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology( MEXT). create a global model where human resources, technology, products, facilities and funding The aim of this project is to develop new pharmaceuticals and medical equipment over the come in from outside the region in a continuous, self-sustaining manner. next five years, utilizing results obtained from the “Hokuriku Innovation Cluster for Health There are three priorities in our strategy for achieving this goal, namely(1)strengthening Science” project implemented jointly by Toyama and Ishikawa up until 2012. The three of development through strategic gathering of researchers(, 2)acceleration of prefectures of Toyama, Ishikawa and Fukui will come together and utilize their respective commercialization and practical application of R&D results and(3)promotion beyond the strengths in preventive medicine, diagnosis and treatment in collaboration with various Hokuriku region and internationalization. In regards to strategic gathering of researchers, industry, academic, financial and government bodies, as well as local communities to we will engage in R&D on 10 themes in the fields of prevention, diagnosis and treatment. promote cyclical activities, including prevention, diagnosis, treatment and post-treatment As for accelerating the commercialization of R&D results, we will prepare a regional prevention. We will work on creating social value that contributes to solutions for the techno-map and patent map, create a human resource development program and looming challenges of an aging society with a declining birthrate and establish strengthen efforts to acquire competitive external funding. In our promotion beyond the internationally competitive life science research facilities to promote development of Hokuriku region and internationalization, we will create new businesses in the regional industry through broad-based health-related industries via the integration of pharmaceutical field through collaboration with the Basel agglomeration in Switzerland advanced pharmaceuticals, functional foods, medical equipment and other technologies in and other large regions. We will develop activities centered on collaborative councils with aim of creating economic value. cluster members and others in order to increase the number of companies participating in the project and create synergy in aim of achieving the goal. Chairperson Project Director Hokuriku Life Science Cluster Promotion Council Hokuriku Life Science Cluster The Hokuriku Industrial Advancement Center Isao Nagahara The Hokuriku Industrial Advancement Center Yukihiro Fukui What is the Hokuriku Life Science Cluster? Aims of the Hokuriku Life Science Cluster Concentration of researchers who play core roles in regional innovation strategies We are promoting efforts in the fields of biomedicine, functional foods We will invite first-class life science researchers from outside the region and work on expanding research and medical equipment with the aim of forming a life science cluster that fields and further promoting R&D in order to implement integrated efforts that include prevention, diagnosis, will lead in the development of a healthy aging society in the Hokuriku treatment and post-treatment prevention ( see pages 5 and 6 for details ) . region. In order to create a healthy aging society, we must develop a social Establishment of knowledge networks of universities and system in which both young and old, male and female can lead vibrant other research institutions lives. In this project, we will promote efforts that address pervasive We provide support for practical application of research results as developmental disorder, dementia, cancer, lifestyle-related diseases and well as other broad-based support including the securing of R&D other illnesses so that children can grow up healthily and senior citizens funds by our support team and organic linking of research themes. can lead healthy lives. Advisors possessing specialist knowledge provide specific advice In this region, efforts to enhance and utilize local strengths have been and other support with respect to patent applications to secure carried out through MEXT’s Knowledge-Based Cluster Creation Project intellectual property and utilization of the Pharmaceutical Affairs and other such initiatives. Fukui has become the newest participant in Act and Foods for Specified Health Uses ( FOSHU ) . this project, and the aim is to improve quality of life by incorporating new technologies into new products and services through R&D and bringing them to market to create new economic value. Development and implementation of human resource development programs toward the realization of regional innovation strategies An important challenges to form a life science cluster is securing and training human resources from a The Hokuriku Life Science Cluster seeking growth on the global stage long-term standpoint. It requires comprehensive regional efforts through collaboration between industry, academic, financial and government bodies. For this reason, we will engage in systematic efforts covering a wide scope from basic knowledge to Diagnostic kit Magnetoencephalograph (MEG) pharmaceuticals, patent applications and other specialist knowledge, according to the targets ( universities, companies, local residents, etc. ) and the fields of prevention, diagnosis and treatment while incorporating Toyama Pharmaceutical Biocluster Ishikawa High-Tech Sensing Cluster national and regional projects. FY 2003 - FY 2007 FY 2004 - FY 2008 Consolidation of clusters Support for sharing of research facilities and equipment of Hokuriku Innovation Cluster for local universities and other research institutions Health Science Cell chip FY 2008 - FY 2012 Home-based long-term We provide matching services so that equipment for trial manufacture, development and assessment of healthcare system functional foods and medical equipment at various institutions in the Hokuriku region can be utilized smoothly according to need. cDNA synthesizer Participation by High-speed AFM Fukui Prefecture International Technology and Trend Study Unit Collaboration with Collaboration with other regions Hokuriku Life Science Cluster overseas regions In order to form a life science cluster in Hokuriku, it is also important August 2013 – March 2018 Basel, Switzerland Jena, Germany that we collaborate widely with other regions and foreign countries and Establishment of Establishment of Establishment of preventive methods diagnostic methods treatment methods London, England share technology and information in our fields of specialty. Up to this Sydney, Australia point, we have promoted joint research and other specific collaboration Others Target molecule Solution with clusters from Hokkaido, Nagano, Kurume, Jena ( Germany ) and Nanodevice material Basel ( Switzerland ) , as well as various foreign universities. Measuring Sensor instrument Measuring chip This project is a visionary effort for other regions and countries that will be facing aging societies, and it is expected that the results will be incorporated in business development in Japan and other countries. For that reason, we will establish an International Technology and Trend Study Unit to study the international competitiveness of technologies and market trends, reviewing our R&D policy and business plans. Concentration of researchers who play core roles in regional innovation strategies Takatsu Laboratory, Department of Immunobiology and Takamura Laboratory, School of Materials Science, Development of immunomodulatory drugs targeting the Pharmacological Genetics, University of Toyama Creation of a point-of-care nano-bio-sensing system using Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology innate immune system utilizing newly identified TLR ligands [ Invitation of researchers from Teika Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. ] innovative integrated devices to achieve a healthy and aging society [ Invitation of researcher from the University of Tokyo ] Chronic inflammation causes and exacerbates the development of many diseases, including We will develop new high-sensitivity biosensors to detect target biomaterial from blood Target molecule Prevention Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and lifestyle-related diseases. Our goal is to develop medicines Diagnosis and saliva. Solution or functional foods useful for the treatment of obesity and diabetes based on natural In recent years, the potential applications of biosensing have greatly expanded through the products that suppress chronic inflammation in immune and metabolic systems. We will also development of new materials such as nano-carbon, oxide semiconductor and