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BSI
Research Ethics Committee Meeting Held |
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guidelines for the research of human genomes/genes came into effect last March.
The Research Ethics Committee was organized on the basis of these guidelines and
the first committee meeting was held on September 12 of last year. Director Yoshitaka
Nagai of the Mitsubishi-Kasei Institute of Life Sciences was elected chairperson
of the Committee. In the committee meeting, three research projects were deliberated
on and the chairperson received the suggestion that it be appropriate to approve
each project subject to some conditions. A 2nd committee meeting is to ensue and
further efforts will be made to promote research that satisfies the ethical guidelines. |
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The
2nd RIKEN-MIT Neuroscience Symposium Held |
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For
three days from November 18 to 20 last year, the 2nd RIKEN-MIT Neuroscience Symposium
was held at the RIKEN-MIT Neuroscience Research Center, which has been set up
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). At the symposium, Nobel Prize
winner Dr. Bert Sakmann delivered the keynote speech and 18 lecturers were invited
from around the globe (including three professors from the RIKEN-MIT Center, one
of whom was the Group Director of the RIKEN-MIT Neuroscience Research Center,
Susumu Tonegawa, and three laboratory heads from BSI, one of whom was the Director
of BSI, Masao Ito) to present their latest research achievements.
A poster session was also held outside the hall where the symposium was given.
The entire event has proven a vital stepping-stone in furthering personnel exchanges
and closer research collaborations. |
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The
Japan - South Korea - China Joint Workshop Held |
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From November
20 through 23 of last year, the Japan - South Korea - China joint workshop, entitled
"Neurobiology and Neural Information Science, was held in Hangzhou, China which
is known for its scenic beauty.
Marking the launch of a national project under the "Brain Science Promotion Law"
in South Korea, this joint workshop project commenced for the purpose of propelling
front-line basic research collaborations and exchanges between the two countries.
On the Japan side, BSI has been serving as host organizer.
The first workshop was held at RIKEN, followed by the second one held in Kyongju,
South Korea. For the third workshop that ensued, China took part to advance the
meeting into a joint workshop project involving the three countries.
This workshop encompassed the three major areas of "Understanding the Brain,"
"Protecting the Brain," and "Creating the Brain." It is playing a core role in
the exchange of views among brain scientists in Asian nations.
The participants also included some researchers from the U.S. and Europe. At the
workshop, the current status of research in each country was introduced and lively
discussions were held to address details of the research activities.
The 4th Joint Workshop is to be held at RIKEN in the fall of 2002. |
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Performance
Evaluation for the Cognitive Brain Science Group |
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For
three days from November 27 to 29 last year, the Research Review Committee met
and carried out a five-year performance evaluation of the Cognitive Brain Science
Group, which consists of four research laboratories headed by Group Director,
Keiji Tanaka.
The Review Committee, which is made up of experts from both inside and outside
Japan, is an integral part of BSI that serves to evaluate each labﾕs progress,
research results and overall future orientation every fifth year after a Research
Group is set up. The Committee uses a strict set of criteria to evaluate a Research
Group, and the results of their review (Review Report) provide the necessary background
information from which the next five-year plan for each Group and its associate
laboratories can be formulated.
The current Review Committee Meeting was made up of 12 members chaired by Prof.
Charles Gilbert (Rockefeller University, U.S.). The Review Report provided the
following assessment (summary) of the Group as a whole:
･ The Cognitive Brain Science Group has developed a cross-disciplinary approach
by combining the following: functional imaging techniques such as optical recordings,
fMRI and MEG; electrophysiological research techniques using the apes in both
anesthetic and vigil states; and a series of modern, neuroanatomical methods.
As a result, the Group has yielded prominent research achievements and become
one of the vital and integrated components of BSI able to fill an essential role
in the field of research into neural systems. It is strongly recommended that
this Group continue its research efforts for another five years.
･ The greatest advantage with this Group is that they are able to use cross-disciplinary
approaches to address specific neuroscientific issues, in which they utilize every
form of state-of-the-art technology available in the field of research into neural
systems. It is fair to say that this Group is distinguished in this respect, in
that there are very few research bodies in the world that can implement this.
Recognizing this advantage, the Group has already started intensifying cooperation
among the associate laboratories through comparisons between analyses using fMRI
and MEG techniques or through research combining optical imaging methods and anatomical
binding methods. It is suggested that the Group further promote synthetic approaches
such as these in order to bring out their maximum potential.
･ It is recommended that a sufficient length of time be given to young researchers
to pursue untried research themes that may involve risk. This will be of much
help to the career improvement of young researchers, as well as to their continued
pursuit of research themes. In addition, consideration should be given to establishing
a permanent position or equivalent for senior researchers in an attempt to attract
as many competent researchers as possible to BSI. |
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