Japanese Government Body Funds iCeMS Scientists for Life Science and Green Technology Innovations

February 14, 2011

Japan's Cabinet Office Council for Science and Technology Policy announced on the 10th that five researchers from Kyoto University's Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS) are to be among the recipients of its Funding Program for Next Generation World-Leading Researchers.

Chaired by Prime Minister Naoto Kan, the Council's mandate for the program includes guidelines to promote young and female scientists, as well as innovative life science and environmental research.

According to the program accouncement, 329 projects were chosen out of 5,618 applications. Program funding will total 48,600 million yen.

The iCeMS recipeints and their project titles are as follows:

• Prof. Motonari Uesugi
"Control and analysis of cells by synthetic small molecules"

• Prof. Yoshie Harada
"Development of a novel single-molecule imaging technique using fluorescent diamond nanoparticles and its application to biomolecule observation"

• Assoc. Prof. Mineko Kengaku
"Mechanisms underlying the critical period plasticity of dendrite arborization and neural circuit formation"

• Assoc. Prof. Takafumi Ueno
"Design of biosynthetic materials to control cell functions by bio-gas molecules"

• Assoc. Prof. Sengoku Shintaro
"Integrative innovation management research, human resources development, and support for commercialization in the stem cell science and technology sphere"