iCeMS ties MoU with AO Research Institute Davos of Switzerland

On September 3, 2018, Kyoto University's Institute for Integrated Cell Material Sciences (iCeMS) established a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Switzerland's AO Research Institute Davos (ARI).

The ARI is the research arm of the AO Foundation and aims to advance patient care through innovative orthopedic research and development. Their goal is to contribute high quality basic and translational research and development in musculoskeletal, spine and cranio-maxillo-facial trauma, degenerative musculoskeletal diseases, infections, and congenital disorders.

The exchange between the two institutes began in 2014, when Dr Ganesh Pandian Namasivayam of iCeMS met Prof Martin Stoddart. Dr Ganesh, later joined by members of iCeMS PI Hiroshi Sugiyama’s Laboratory, and Prof Stoddart had exchange visits on several occasions to foster their scientific collaborations.

iCeMS Director Prof Susumu Kitagawa, Dr Ganesh, the ARI Director Prof Geoff Richards, Vice-Director Prof Mauro Alini and Prof Stoddart attended the signing ceremony, which about fifty researchers from both institutes celebrated at the site.

This agreement is hoped to open doors for future collaboration that will compliment both the institutes. ARI is expected to advance the materials developed in iCeMS for high quality applied “Preclinical Research and Development” focused towards clinical applications/solutions.