- Exhibition
- Planning number
- A18 / A19
SFC Bio
Presentation Group Representative : Masaru Tomita (Faculty of Environment and Information Studies)-
Tokyo Midtown East B1F Hall
- A18 / A19
Bio-venture company from SFC being listed at the Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers Market
Person in Charge of the Project : Masaru Tomita
We have developed a novel technology for high-throughput metabolome analysis, which can simultaneously quantify a large amount of metabolites.
Based on this technology, we founded Human Metabolome Technologies, Inc. (HMT), and the company was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers in December, 2013.
Using this technology, HMT has discovered a biomarker of major depression, Ethanolamine Phosphate (EAP), and is trying to make the diagnostic service commercial world-wide.
Based on this technology, we founded Human Metabolome Technologies, Inc. (HMT), and the company was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers in December, 2013.
Using this technology, HMT has discovered a biomarker of major depression, Ethanolamine Phosphate (EAP), and is trying to make the diagnostic service commercial world-wide.
Bioprinting: life science & design
Person in Charge of the Project : Josephine Galipon
The bioprinting project aims at visualization of scientific data by 3D printing, making it possible to touch what is invisible to the naked eye. We are also designing shapes inspired by biological structures, with the aim to improve the quality of life, including regenerative medicine applications.
The new era of personal genomes
Person in Charge of the Project : Kazuharu Arakawa
With the rapid advance in DNA sequencing technologies, we will soon be able to sequence our own personal genomes with less than $1,000. This has the potential to transform modern medical care, which currently centers around treatment during illness, to preventive medicine, where the illness is prevented before its onset in the first place. On the other hand, many social and ethical issues exist as well. For this purpose, we have sequenced the whole personal genome of Professor Masaru Tomita, and made it open in public DNA databank for educational use.
Does saliva can detect cancers?
Person in Charge of the Project : Masahiro Sugimoto
Saliva is a biofluid enables easily, noninvasively, and safely collection of physical condition of oral cavity as well as whole body. We already found potential salivary biomarkers for detecting several diseases. Now, we are developing versatile system to monitor your health status using these markers.
Spider silk: the next generation of industrial material
Person in Charge of the Project : Masaru Tomita
Spider silk is a super fiber that is tougher than iron and as light as nylon. As it does not rely on oil as a source and there is little emission of carbon dioxide in its production/disposal process, it is gathering public attention as the next-generation environmentally friendly fiber. Up to now, we have attempted the manual production of spider silk using forefront biotechnology. We continue to strive further to develop technology that allows the production of spider silk at large quantities.
Elucidation of the host defense mechanism by commensal microbes
Person in Charge of the Project : Shinji Fukuda
A wide variety of commensal microbes are colonized in our gut. They exert several physiological and pathological effects on our health via host-microbial crosstalk. It has been postulated that imbalance of the commensal microbes could be a risk factor for human disorders such as obesity, colonic cancer, as well as infectious diseases. Our recent research demonstrated that bifidobacteria, known as one of the 'good' commensal microbes, could prevent enterohemorrhagic E. coli O157:H7 infection through the up-regulation of gut epithelial barrier function. Further analysis showed that acetate produced by bifidobacteria is a key molecule for the inhibition of E. coli O157:H7 infection through the up-regulation of gut epithelial barrier function.
Feces for a healthy society: A gut-environment-design venture "MetaGen"
Person in Charge of the Project : Shinji Fukuda
There have been numerous recent studies highlighting that a person's fecal sample contains abundant health and disease risk information. Thus, due to wealth of information it encompasses, we consider them as "brown gems." MetaGen, Inc. is a leading venture company originating from Keio University and Tokyo Institute of Technology where we evaluate an individual's human health condition based on their own "brown gems" analyzed by our cutting-edge technology, MetabologenomicsTM. The mission of MetaGen, Inc. is to develop a novel healthcare industry, and with the valuable information we have collected, we hope to ultimately create a "disease-free society."
Heart regeneration with ES/iPS-engineered myocardial tissue
Person in Charge of the Project : Takahiro Iwamiya
We revealed the certain fibroblasts expressing proliferated and migrated pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. And it contributed to fabricate a functional myocardial tissue beating evenly. This research aims to establish an easy minimally invasive method of isolating its fibroblasts by taking advantage of our bioinformatics technology expertise. It is our goal that fabricating functional tissue grafts only from ES/iPS-derived cells. For patients who have heart disease included ischemic cardiac disease, we hope to supply minimally invasive engineered myocardial grafts.
How to create a living organism from pluripotent stem cells
Person in Charge of the Project : Hiroki Kuroda
Is it possible to create living organism from the mass of iPS cells? In addition to social-ethical problems of the mammalian cloning, technical difficulties on cell culture make it more difficult. Therefore, we are trying to create living organism using ectogenesis system of amphibian and AC cells, which has pluripotency as same as iPS cells. Today, we will show you the progress of this study.
Elucidation of the extremotolerant abilities of tardigrades
Person in Charge of the Project : Kazuharu Arakawa
Tardigrades, commonly known as water-bears, are small animals found throughout the globe, from rooftop of houses in cities to Antarctica, and even in deep sea basin. The majority of the limno-terrestrial tardigrades can withstand dehydration by turning into a "tun" state, at which tardigrades can withstand extreme environments such as extremely high and low temperatures, pressure, and radiation. In fact, tardigrades are the first animals that survived exposure to space vacuum and solar radiation. Here we are actively analyzing the molecular mechanisms for such extremotolerant abilities of tardigrades with the latest technologies of modern biology.
Nutriomics: The science behind "You Are What You Eat"
Person in Charge of the Project : Wanping Aw
In modern day where increased life expectancy and high quality of life is of increasing importance, maintaining and promoting good health via a healthy dietary lifestyle is vital. Via metabolomics and other omics-based studies, we comprehensively analyze the beneficial effects of functional foods system-wide. We envision that the methods of this study-nutriomics, a first in the field of nutrition, will serve as a clarion call to uncover new dietary intervention strategies designed to recover normal homeostasis in disease states and to maintain healthy well-being, bringing forward a new evolution in nutritional science.
Residential program of experiment classes in Tsuruoka Town Campus of Keio
Person in Charge of the Project : Takahiro Masuda
"Biocamp" is a program that allows SFC undergraduate students to stay at the dorms at Tsuruoka Town Campus (Yamagata Prefecture) for one to two semesters, and acquire the fundamental and practical skills of biotechnology. At the end of each semester there are English presentations, and we aim to nurture students that will actively participate in scientific research around the world. It is possible to get up to 20 credits, and participants can develop creative ideas, studying in the natural environment of Tsuruoka.
Astrobiology - understanding the Origin of Life in the universe -
Person in Charge of the Project : Kosuke Fujishima
Astrobiology is a new field of study defined by NASA which covers the origin, distribution and future of life in the universe.
The possibility of the secret of the immunity
Person in Charge of the Project : Jo Inoue
In recent years, infection of viruses and bacteria has become a threat. In such situations, it is essential for the development of immunotherapy to induce a strong and effective immune responses. We have revealed that the immune response can be very strongly induced under special condition. To clarify this mechanism, we are examining the development of immunotherapy and vaccine to bring out the possibility that the secret of immunity.
