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Cooperation with MIT and Minister Tanigaki's Visit |
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On April 27 and 28, 1998 in Tokyo, the RIKEN Brain Science Institute (BSI) held a joint international symposium with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), entitled "Challenges in Brain Science". The purpose of this symposium was to promote the development both of brain science research collaboration between the two institutes and a understanding of the brain science to the general public.
Lectures were given by four professors from MIT, including Professor Susumu Tonegawa as well as by Professor Stephen Heinemann (Salk Institute) and Professor Mark F. Bear (Brown University), et. al. Lectures from the BSI were composed of Director Masao Ito and six other laboratory heads. The symposium was attended by a total of 600 people, who actively participated by addressing lively questions following the presentations of the researchers.
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On May 2, the Minister of State for Science and Technology Sadakazu Tanigaki visited MIT to hold high level talks with President Charles M.
Vest, Dean Robert J. Birgeneau and Professor Tonegawa, and reached basic agreement with them on strategies for the promotion of collaboration in brain science.
With regard to the future shape of this collaboration, the BSI and MIT will organize international joint research teams to promote research and technological development that can contribute to the progress of brain science by making full use of the capabilities of both organizations.
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A Conference at MIT
From Left:Prof.Tonegawa,Minister Tanigaki,From Right:President C.M.Vest
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Brain Science Advisory Council (BAC) |
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In order to obtain a wide range of advices on management, programs, methods, and results of the research in BSI, and also to perform an overall evaluation of the BSI every year, the BSI organizes the Brain Science Advisory Council (BAC, chaired by Prof. Michel Cuenod, Secretary General of HFSP).
This council is composed of 19 experts of established academic standing from both inside and outside Japan and its first meeting was held on February 19 and 20, 1998.
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A Conference at BAC
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After a preliminary planning meeting on February 18, the meeting of the 19th consisted of an explanation of the outline of the BSI and of the research programs of the each research groups, as well as carrying out visits to the laboratories and holding discussions in the laboratory. The meeting of the second leg on the 20th consisted of free discussions by all members and agreement on the final report. The report was as summarized in the following.
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- The BAC finds that the creation of BSI is an excellent step for the development of worldwide brain science research and hopes that it will continue to expand.
- The BAC agrees that the organization of the three major fields namery understanding the brain, protecting the brain and creating the brain as well as the research programs and systems of each of these fields are appropriate, and fully approves the cooperation of experimental brain science and modelling of brain activity.
- The BAC recommends that the BSI should in the future develop research in the areas of language and communication, aging control, recovery control, neuropsychology and disease-oriented studies.
- The BAC requests the enhancement of cooperation with universities and research institutions inside and outside Japan, particularly with the clinical and medical fields, the further development of the ATDC and the transfer of its results to the relevant industries.
- The BSI should expand its activities in training and the acceptance of the younger researchers and also in public relations aimed at society in general.
- As the activities of the BSI can be taken as a model for brain science research promotion by other countries, its future development is keenly awaited.
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Public Advertisement for Laboratory Heads |
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At BSI, the laboratory heads are recruited from talented researchers at the international level based on public advertisement both inside and outside Japan.
In FY1998, the laboratory head for the Neuronal Function Research Group has already been appointed, and a laboratory head in the Molecular Neuropathology Group and two more heads at the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) are going to be selected soon. After that, it is also scheduled to accept applications for the posts of four heads in the Developmental Brain Science Group, Brainways Group and other Neuro-informatics related laboratories.
As the BSI is planning to eventually establish 58 laboratories, it will continue to invite talented top scientists from a wide range of disciplines and organizations. It also accepts applications for the posts of staff scientists, technical staff and assistants widely. Those who are interested are advised to refer to the RIKEN web pages
(http://www.riken.go.jp).
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Invited Seminar Series |
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The BSI has started an Invited Seminar Series aiming at triggering intellectual interaction among researchers and promoting international exchanges by inviting top-class researchers worldwide to present lectures.
The first seminar held in March 1998 invited Professor John G. Nicholls of Basel University, who gave a lecture entitled "Regeneration of connections in immature mammalian spinal cords after injury". The second and third seminars were planned to invite Professor Peter Somogyi of Oxford University (Compartmentalization and variability in the location of GABA and glutamate receptors) and Professor Nancy Ip of Hong Kong University of Science & Technology (Trophic factors and neuronal development).
The invited seminar series do not consist only of lectures but they will also provide the opportunities for visits to research laboratories, interaction between researchers and discussions with the leaders of the BSI. This series are scheduled to hold about ten times a year.
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Establishment of RIKEN Venture Businesses |
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To promote the practical implementation of research results and the technology transfer into the industries, RIKEN decided to support venture businesses based on the research results by its staff from FY1998. Six venture businesses are to be started in the first year, including the BrainVision inc. born from the research of the Brain-Operative Device Lab. (Head, Dr. Michinori Ichikawa) at the BSI.
The BrainVision inc. is a unique business focusing on the development of new measurement technologies to promote brain research from both the technical and business aspects. Since the return of research results to the society is one of the main objectives of the BSI, the RIKEN venture businesses are expected to play an important role in this field. Especially, the results of research for protecting and creating the brain have a high potential for social contributions through their implementation.
The start of the second and third venture businesses of the BSI is soon to be expected.
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Construction of the BSI Central Building |
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At present, 23 research laboratories of the BSI are conducting research in the BSI West and East buildings.
As the number of research laboratories will increase in the future, a BSI Central building is to be built and the first-term work is currently under way. The steel reinforcement work up to the 9th floor has already been completed as of August 1998, and the concrete placing and equipment installation work will start to aim at a completion date scheduled for April 1999.
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The BSI Central building will be the core facility of the entire BSI. After the first-term construction work, the second-term construction work will be started in March 1999. When it is completed by the summer of 2000, the BSI will own a group of research facilities in the Wako Campus with a total floor space including existing facilities of more than 30,000 square meters.
As the BSI Central building will be able to accommodate 38 research laboratories after completion, all of the initially programmed 58 laboratories will then be able to be accommodated in the BSI facilities.
In parallel with the construction of buildings, the BSI will also energetically promote the expansion of its research systems.
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BSI Central building Under Construction
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Director Ito Decorated with the Knighthood of the French Legion of Honor |
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Director Ito of BSI has received the French decoration of the Chevalier Class of the National Order of the Legion of Honor (Grade de Chevalier dans l'Ordre National de la Lègion d'Honneur). The ceremony was held on June 26, 1998 at the French Embassy in Japan.
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An address at the Ceremony |
The decoration was presented by the French Ambassador His Excellency Jean-Bernard Ouvrieu and is awarded for the contribution of Director Ito to the development of relations between Japan and France over many years in the fields of science and technology.
Prior to this decoration, Director Ito had also been elected as a foreign member of the French Academy of Sciences.
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