Research activities are evaluated by three outside members of advisory board.

Research facilities, apparatuses, and equipment
[Facility]

[Apparatus and equipment]

[Research expenses]

Core members of the Center

Advisory board members

Foundation of research base and cultivation of young researchers in Molecular Imaging Center of Diseases (MICD)

 MICD was moved from Takii campus to the 5th floor of the north wing of Hirakata campus in March 2013. Laboratories belong to individual departments are located on 2 and 8-12 floors of the central building of Hirakata campus and researchers of all departments can access to the MICD within a few minutes’ walk. Many conventional microscopes such as fluorescent microscopes and confocal microscopes as well as all-in-one fluorescence microscope are gathered in the microscopic room (Fig.1, upper left) and two-photon microscope and imaging mass microscope are set in respective rooms (lower left) of the MICD. To translate basic research to clinical application, SPECT/CT instrument was installed in RI imaging room (upper right) in December, 2014. The idea of Clinical Central Research Laboratory (CCRL) (lower middle and right) is unique to Japanese medical schools and will promote the collaborative research among clinical departments. To proceed research smoothly and efficiently, a technical assistant is arranged for management and maintenance of CCRL.

Fig.1 Map of MICD on 5th floor of the north wing of Hirakata campus

 To promote collaborative research beyond divisions of Neuroscience, Cancer and Metabolic Disorders, and translational research from basic to clinical medicine such as early diagnosis and treatment, three activities started on the occasion of consolidating the campus in Hirakata in April 2013 (Fig.2). 1) Cancer-oriented consortium forms a group research concerning diagnosis, treatments and complications of cancer in clinic, 2) Regenerative medicine consortium which accelerates translational research from basic to clinical research and will extend to the treatment by regenerative medicine, and 3) research talk at lunch where an outline of research and experimental data are presented and discussed mainly by researchers of departments belonging to basic medicine at lunch once a month.

Fig.2 Management of MICD and 4 research activities of the University

1)Cancer-oriented consortium aims at promoting collaborative research among departments concerning identification of caner stem cells, development of diagnosis and treatment of cancer, and complications of cancer. Research grant for cancer-oriented consortium was founded in 2013 and the application was classified into 4 themes: 1. medical treatment and cancer stem cells, 2. group research on novel anti-cancer drugs (e.g. tyrosine kinase inhibitors), 3. study on cancer therapy and its complications, and 4. cancer research contributing to opening endowed departments. In 2013 and 2014, 12 and 10 themes were chosen. In 2015 the themes were narrowed down to 4. The research outcomes of the grants were presented at the annual academic meetings of the University on February 12, 2014, March 13, 2015, and March 18, 2016 (Supplementary Information 1).

2) Regenerative medicine consortium held a research meeting for promoting translational research and clinical application every 3 months. The participating departments introduced their research activities and discussed toward clinical application. In parallel, research grant for it was founded and 2 to 3 research groups were selected every year. “Development of regenerative technology for elastic fibers” and “Surgical resection of breast cancer and breast restoration” were selected in 2014, 2015. The outcomes were presented at the annual academic meetings of the University (Supplementary Information 2).

3) Research talk at lunch among basic medical science departments is held on the third Tuesday of every month starting on April 16, 2013. Research outlines of departments, progress reports or technical notes were introduced by researchers. Every time, 2 researchers present their work and 50-70 members attend the meeting. After 1st round where chief investigators or professors outlined research themes and prominent results of the departments, senior members of the department and young researchers have introduced their own research or technologies useful for other researchers. Research talk at lunch is worthy to promote collaborative research and exchange information among young researchers. In 2016, this activity will expand to researchers in clinical departments (Supplementary Information 3).

 In 2013, 2 students were permitted to increase admission capacity as physician scientist by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan and the training course of future physician scientists was established in the Medical School of the University (Supplementary Information 4). In parallel, we started a consortium of the training course of future physician scientists in liaison with Nara Medical University, Osaka Medical College, Hyogo College of Medicine and Kobe University Faculty of Medicine to foster research mind in medical students and cultivate young researchers of basic medical science.

 In 2014, head scientific physicians were assigned in clinical departments for enhancing their research activities, and supporting young researchers and their meeting is held every month (Supplementary Information 5). In 2015, the Clinical Research Support Center was established to assist clinical research.

 In addition to the annual meetings of MICD, special lectures by Prof. Hideyuki Okano (Keio University Faculty of Medicine) and Group Director the late Yoshiki Sasai (RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology) were held on March 21, 2013 and March 22, 2014. In 2015, Drs. Shigetada Nakanishi, Shigekazu Nagata, Yoshimi Takai and Masatoshi Takeichi gave lectures for graduate students and MICD members. During this 5-year project, 70 lectures were held by invited speakers including above mentioned well-known researchers. Technical seminars were also held for researchers and graduate students. Young researchers had an opportunity to give a talk at meetings including annual meetings of MICD and academic meetings of the University.

　As shown in Fig.2, these 5 years MICD has centered various research activities of the University and collaborative research, translational research and clinical research have been gradually cultivated and sprouted among researchers. This 5-year research project will have served as a launch pad for a new program that continues research initiated by the project and a new institute that will be established in the near future at the Hirakata campus.

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