Call for Proposal
Basic information of the Research Area
[Life and Information]Life and Information
Research Supervisor
Yuji SugitaChief Scientist, RIKEN Pioneering Research Institute
Strategic Objective
Research innovation through autonomous-driven research systems
Measuring “resilience of life” — Discovery and exploration of unknown biological response mechanisms
Development of innovative cell manipulation technologies and elucidation of cellular regulatory mechanisms
Elucidation of the mechanisms relating to changes in biological robustness associated with aging and control of age-related diseases
Toward scientific discoveries through DX in life science research
Integrated understanding of human multi-sensing networks and elucidation of their control mechanisms
Design of plant-derived molecules building up the foundation for plant synthetic biology
Functional dynamics in the cell
Linked to the page of the National Diet Library Web Archiving Project (WARP).
Overview
Life sciences play a pivotal role not only in contributing to drug discovery and medical advancements for a healthy and long-lived society but also as a foundation for biotechnology essential for realizing a sustainable socio-economic environment. Recent research in life sciences has increasingly utilized information science, incorporating simulations based on physical models, theoretical approaches, and machine learning/AI with big data, alongside traditional experimental methods. The cultivation of researchers proficient in both life sciences and information science is urgently needed. It is imperative to support and nurture outstanding young researchers with innovative ideas spanning both research fields.
In this Research Area, we aim to integrate the two key concepts of "life" and "information", with a focus on fostering innovative research in life sciences utilizing information science. Our goal is to innovate research that involves machine learning/AI with big data, mathematical science, physical model-based simulations, and other information science. The diverse "data" dealt with in advancing research encompasses not only data generated from unique experimental results but also data obtained through collaborations and public databases. The research subjects include fundamental life sciences, for example, molecular and cellular biology, and biophysics, as well as applied challenges in drug discovery, medical sciences, and biotechnology.
In implementing research, we prioritize the development of researchers and emphasize the establishment of platforms for interaction and mutual inspiration among young researchers from different research areas. Furthermore, efforts are actively made to build a broad human network that will facilitate future collaborations among researchers.
This Research Area participates in the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)’s Advanced Integrated Intelligence Platform Project on Artificial Intelligence/Big Data/IoT/Cybersecurity (AIP Project).
Research Area Advisors
| Kazuhiro Aoki | Professor, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University |
|---|---|
| Sachiko Isobe | Professor, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo |
| Shuichi Onami | Team Director, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research |
| Hiroyuki Ogata | Professor, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University |
| Akio Kitao | Professor, School of Life Science and Technology, Institute of Science Tokyo |
| Kiyoko F. Aoki-Kinoshita | Deputy Director & Professor, Glycan and Life Systems Integration Center, Soka University |
| Teppei Shimamura | Professor, Medical Research Laboratory, Institute of Science Tokyo |
| Kaoru Sugimura | Associate Professor, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo |
| Kentaro Tomii | Team Leader, Artificial Intelligence Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) |
| Taro Toyoizumi | Team Director, RIKEN Center for Brain Science |
| Ryuichiro Nakato | Associate Professor, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo |
| Takatsugu Hirokawa | Professor, Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba |
| Kenji Mizuguchi | Professor, Institute for Protein Reseach, The University of Osaka |
Schedule of Selection Process
| Deadline for application | 2025/05/27 at 12:00 noon, Japan time |
|---|---|
| Document-based review | 2025/6/26 |
| JST will contact to the interviewees no later than | 2025/7/3 |
| Interview-based review（ONLINE） ※Interview date and time will be assigned by JST. |
2025/7/18, 22 |
Research Supervisor's Policy
Research Supervisor's Policy of this Research Area can be downloaded from below.
【Research Supervisor’s Message】
In this research area, early-career researchers in life sciences and information sciences will interact and inspire each other to develop novel algorithms and analysis methods and conduct research to answer questions in life sciences utilizing information sciences. We hope that discussions across a wide range of research fields will lead to the creation of new science.