News Releases & Research Results Memorandum of Cooperation signed with NIH / Three overseas offices to be established

Key Points

• On January 11, 2016, AMED and NIH signed a Memorandum of Cooperation.
• AMED plans to establish overseas offices in Washington, DC (USA), London (UK), and Singapore in FY 2016 with the aim of gathering information and strengthening collaborations abroad.

On January 11, 2016 (local time), the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED; President: Makoto Suematsu) signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) with the National Institutes of Health (NIH; Director: Francis S. Collins) in the United States.

NIH is one of the world’s largest funding agencies in the fields of biology and medicine. Both AMED and NIH being agencies that fund research and development projects ranging from basic to clinical research, their collaboration has been highly anticipated.

Based on the MOC, it is planned to conduct cooperative research, joint seminars and symposia, and exchange of personnel and researchers, as well as to share data associated with research outcomes. Collaborative initiatives are presumed to initially start in areas such as rare and undiagnosed diseases, measures against multidrug-resistant bacteria, infectious disease surveillance, cancer, neuroscience, and glycobiochemistry. In addition, the US-Japan Cooperative Medical Sciences Program* and other existing partnerships will be strengthened, and a workshop for discussing concrete collaborative activities will also be held.

A decision has been made to establish offices in Washington, DC (US), London (UK), and Singapore in FY 2016 with the aim of: promoting and coordinating collaborative research in partnership with government agencies, funding agencies, and universities and other research institutes around the world; gathering and analyzing technical and policy information on medical research and development; and supporting AMED’s international affairs and public relations activities.

US-Japan Cooperative Medical Sciences Program

A cooperative program established in 1965 with Cabinet approval under a joint statement by Japan’s then Prime Minister Eisaku Sato and then US President Lyndon Johnson. By conducting joint research by Japan and the United States on diseases in Asia, the Program has helped enhance healthcare standards in Asia including Japan. In addition, such joint research initiatives have contributed to the development of Japanese researchers. The program marks its 50th anniversary this year.

Inquiries for further details

Department of International Affairs
Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development
7-1, Otemachi 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
Tel: +81-3-6870-2216

Inquiries concerning media coverage

Department of Planning and Management
Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development
7-1, Otemachi 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
Tel: +81-3-6870-2245
E-mail: contact“AT”amed.go.jp

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