A study on new Virology as a dirving force of life science

1993 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 04306022
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Co-operative Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Institution: KYOTO UNIVERSITY
• Principal Investigator: HATANAKA Masakazu Inst. for Virus Res., Dept.of Viral Oncol., Director, ウイルス研究所, 教授 (30142300)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SUGIMURA Takashi National. Cancer Center Inst., President emeritus, 名誉総長 (70076959) ; SEKIGUCHI Mutsuo Medical Inst. of Bioregulation., Kyushu Univ., 生体防御医学研究所, 教授 (00037342) ; TOMIZAWA Junichi National. Inst. of Genetics., Professor, 教授 (60227618) ; EBASHI Setsuro Okazaki National Res. Inst., Former director, 前機構長 (10009863) ; ITO Yoshiaki Inst, for Virus Res., Dept. of Viral Oncol., Professor, ウイルス研究所, 教授 (80004612)
• Project Period (FY): 1992 – 1993
• Keywords: difference in US and Japanese systems / independence of young scientists / "choking" status of Japanese research organization / creative research / life science / strenght of American science / a reform of Japanese system / frontier of research

Research Abstract

The detailed record of this study is presented in a separate booket. Itwas recognized that future of life science is bright and a number of exciting frontiiers which attract young scientists were discussed : they inculude brain science, high order of intrand inter-cellular signaling, developmental biology, regulation of cell growth and differentiation. It was also noted that these basic studies are inseparable from those required for elucidating the cause of human diseases.
With respect to the overall regulations to govem organizations, a number of defects or shortcomings built in the Japanese system have been pointed out. Dr. Sugimura's remark, "The present Japanese system is choking", eloquently described the curent status. Those whe are currently working or have experience in the US system (including Dr. Susumu Tonegawa) and those who have experienced to create new research organizations in Japan (including Drs. Setsuro Ebashi, Takashi Sugimura, Yoji Ikawa, Mitsuru Takanami, Mutsuo S ekiguchi) pointed out the difference in the US and Japanese systems and the problems that Japanese system have which need to be improved quickly. A particularly noteworthy point of discussion was that one of the most important basis of the strenght of American sceince is the power of young scientists who can express themselves freely and independently. Most of the participants agreed that this is one of the most significant reason why there are far more truly creative research accomplished in the US than in Japan. In a number of universities and research institutes in Japan, new plans are being considered for reorganization of groups, creation of life science centers or a graduate school specifically aimed at life science studies. A number of suggestions for improvements that have been made throughout this study would be valuable for those who are engaged in a reform of their research organizations. Almost al the participants in this study expressed their wish that someone should make efforts to make bareakthrough which would eventually hepl improving the whole system in Japan in such a way that Japanese scientists accomplish tryly creative research as much as scientists in other countries do.