iCeMS-MacDiarmid Institute Online Workshop

On April 15, an online workshop was held between researchers at Kyoto University’s iCeMS and New Zealand’s MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology. iCeMS, which aims to create a new field of study at the border of cell biology and materials science, and the MacDiarmid Institute, which comprises of laboratories from various universities and aims to evolve New Zealand from an agricultural economy to a sustainable high-tech economy, both wanted to explore opportunities for research collaboration. The exchange covered the four sessions “porous materials,” “(organic) materials for (bio)interfaces,” “cell mechanics and engineering,” and “simulated systems and materials characterisation.” Scientists from both institutes gave flash presentations about their research and engaged in lively discussion. Overall, participants were excited by both the research results as well as the methodology and technology employed. Daniel Packwood (iCeMS) and Justin Hodgkiss (MacDiarmid), who jointly hosted the event, agreed that there was great potential for future collaboration and that this would be only the first of many meetings.