Division of Health and Clinical Data Platform Program for Promotion of Genome Medicine

This program aims to achieve realization of genome medicine and reconstruction of existing BioBanks and other infrastructures as a research hub for collaboration, and to promote the target-setting-type advanced R&D by utilizing these research infrastructures together.

"The Advanced Genome Research and Bioinformatics Study to facilitate Medical Innovation"  is a research program that covers general diseases that may involve multiple factors, such as the interrelation of multiple gene polymorphisms and the impact of environmental factors (lifestyle/behavior, etc.). It facilitates the clarification of how genomic information and environmental factors affect disease development, and in this program, we aim to establish the methods for disease prediction and realize personalized medicine (in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention), by identifying the genetic factors and environmental factors such as lifestyle and behavior through exploration and discovery of biomarker candidates and therapeutic technology seeds.

Feature of this program

• Securing the R&D period necessary for genomic medical research of multifactorial diseases and developing flexible research design
• Promotion of data sharing
• Training for young researchers (especially young researchers and engineers in the fields of bioinformatics and genetic statistics)

“Leading the way to Genomic Medicine by ELSI Research Program" is a research program that promotes to address ethical, legal, and social issue (ELSI) in order to realize genome medicine. It aims to create the knowledge that contributes to the promotion of genomic research projects such as the Platform Program for Promotion of Genome Medicine, through practical R&D with a combined approach of two aspects (case studies and research from a medium- to long-term perspective).  It aims to address the apparent ELSI caused from the insufficient social understanding and support in the field of genomic research, which may cause research stagnation, and solve potentially concerned ELSI, when targeting social implementations such as realization of genomic medicine.

PS (Program Supervisor)

• KASUGA Masato, M.D., Ph.D., President, The Institute for Adult Diseases, Asahi Life Foundation

PO (Program Officer)

• OKADA Yuki, Ph.D., Professor, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo
• OZAKI Norio, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine
• KOSAKI Kenjiro, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Center for Medical Genetics, Keio University School of Medicine
• SUGANO Sumio, M.D., Ph.D., Project Professor, Future Medicine Education and Research Organization, Chiba University
• MINARI Jusaku, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Uehiro Research Division for iPS Cell Ethics,
  Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University