History of Establishment

Participant researchers of HiHA have so far independently conducted joint researches (including long-term dispatches of young researchers) with overseas research agencies such as Cancer Research UK, Harvard Medical School, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Based on such efforts, HiHA researchers were selected for the fiscal 2012 The JSPS Strategic Young Researcher Overseas Visits Program for Accelerating Brain Circulation (International Joint Research of Young Researchers Promoting Healthy Aging Sciences), and subsequently, it has continued to work on nurturing young researchers and conducting international joint research geared to promoting healthy aging sciences. Meanwhile, having been selected as a research university in the Ministry of Education’s “Program for Promoting the Enhancement of Research Universities” in fiscal 2013, Hiroshima University has strived to reinforce its research capabilities. Moreover, in line with this strategy of reinforcing research capability, the President of Hiroshima University, on January 8, 2014, appointed Dr. Takashi Toda, Laboratory Head of the Cell Regulation Team of Cancer Research UK, as a visiting professor of the university (Dr. Toda is scheduled to become a specially appointed professor from October 1, 2015). Based around Dr. Toda, the present JSPS Brain Circulation Program is being further advanced while strengthening collaboration with the biomedical sciences to establish the Hiroshima Research Center for Healthy Aging (HiHA).

Mission (Ideals, Goals, and Operating Policy)

The primary ideal behind establishment of HiHA is to contribute to better welfare, in particular promotion of healthy aging, via life science research. Through effectively utilizing various model biological systems in both basic and applied research, HiHA aims to promptly and effectively apply the knowledge and information acquired from such research to the welfare of humankind. In terms of operating policy, HiHA provides an unfettered research environment to foster the originality of young researchers, while at the same time promoting international scientific learning, academic exchange, and joint research. Furthermore, HiHA hopes to enhance the reputation and quality of Hiroshima University as a research university and international research organization via its research activities. With a view to achieving the above goals, HiHA has posited the following priority items:

1. Promotion of international joint research
2. Long-term dispatch of young researchers
3. Exchange of researchers (dispatches and invitations)
4. Strengthening of cooperative setups with overseas research agencies (signing of agreements, etc.) Cancer Research UK, University of Sussex, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Harvard Medical School, etc.
5. HiHA as a base for dispatch to overseas partner research agencies (contribution to increasing graduate students (inside and outside Japan))
6. Nurturing of a future Nobel Prize winner