12-9 Moonshot program for human well-being
In the attached article published in Nachrichten aus der Chemie| 69 | September 2021 | p. 55 – 57 (in English), a brief summary of the program and some current highlights are provided (see downloads).
1-7 Demonstration plant for manufacturing materials from PEG-modified lignin
Based on technology of the Forest Research Institute, the plant will be operated by a consortium consisting of seven companies, including Ligno Materia (Shinjuku, Tokyo, President Zenji Miura). A method was developed for extracting lignin using polyethylene glycol...
22-6 NEDO tests ship transport of liquefied captured CO2 for later underground storage
In this project on CO2 capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), research and development on liquefaction and storage systems for CO2 suitable for long-distance and mass transportation will be done. From around the end of fiscal 2023, the project will verify the...
18-6 Nihon Shokubai develops catalyst for hydroxycarbonylation
Formic acid can be prepared through hydrogenation of CO2. The hydroxycarbonylation reaction of alkenes using formic acid has conventionally been catalyzed by a rhodium complex, Rh2Cl2(CO)4, and additives, triphenylphosphine (PPh3) and methyl iodide (CH3I), which have...
18-6 NEDO aviation fuel produced from wood waste and microalgae supplied to scheduled flights
NEDO has commissioned Mitsubishi Power, JERA Corporation, Toyo Engineering, and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for the development of fuel production technology using wood waste as raw material, and IHI Corporation for fuel production technology using...
24-6 Tsukuba University Hospital launches “Genome Dock” service for genome analysis data of healthy people
The service comprises initially 76 genes related to 18 diseases such as tumors, cardiomyopathy, congenital hearing loss, and immune disorders. Among these genes are APC, BRCA1 / 2, RET, SMAD4, TP53 and other genes familiar in cancer medicine, as well as the KCNH2 gene...
11-6 Team at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology develops DNA aptamer that enhances luminol reaction more than 300 times
The group around Kazunori IKEBUKURO has used the SELEX method to develop an aptamer which binds to myoglobin and changes the three-dimensional structure of the active site. As a result, the enzymatic activity of myoglobin and the substrate specificity for luminol are...
10-6 Japan’s NEDO publishes database on current „smart cell projects“ (genome editing etc.)
The database is available from the National Institute of Technology and Evaluation of Products (NITE) under its Data and Biological Resource Platform (DBRP) website https://www.nite.go.jp/nbrc/dbrp/taglist and currently (June 2021) contains the following projects:...
28-5 Japan starts genomic cohort study involving over 360,000 people
Under an initiative of Japan’s Agency for Medical Research and Development AMED, this collaboration among six institutions and five sites will sequence and mutually utilize genomic cohort data of 366,000 people. The project is expected to promote the elucidation of...
3-6 NEDO starts million project on innovative storage batteries (2021 – 2025)
In this project, the partners will conduct R&D of fluoride and zinc anode batteries that can achieve both high energy density and safety while using inexpensive materials with fewer resource constraints than lithium-based batteries. NEDO will work with industry,...
18-5 Researchers at CiRA develop transform universal iPS cells for allogenic T-cell-based cancer immunotherapy
A research group led by Professor Shin KANEKO at the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, have developed a universal iPS cell in which multiple genes were modified by genome editing, e. g., by knocking out the PVR gene related to the...
30-4 Sanatec starts to distribute free seedlings of genome-edited “Sicilian Rouge High GABA” tomatos
Sanatec Seeds, a venture spin-out of the Japan’s University of Tsukuba, is the first company in the world to commercialize genome-edited tomatoes, "Sicilian Rouge High GABA" "Sicilian Rouge High GABA" is a strain (variety registration pending) that contains four to...
31-3 Will artificial intelligence help us to healthier intestinal microbiomes?
AuB, a Tokyo startup whose president Keita Suzuki is a former member of Japan’s national soccer team, has analyzed the stool of over 700 athletes and analyzed the type, number and composition of their intestinal bacteria, combined with information on eating...