Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University

Medical Institute of Bioregulation (MIB) focuses on "biodefense", a crucial aspect of maintaining homeostasis in living organisms, as the core of its research. It aims to elucidate the control mechanisms at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels and to develop research aimed at overcoming diseases caused by the failure of these biodefense mechanisms. MIB has been internationally recognized for its outstanding contributions to understanding the nature of life phenomena and the mechanisms behind disease onset. By further strengthening the collaboration between biology and technology, it is working to become a global research and education center capable of comprehensively elucidating the biodefense system.

MIB was established in April 1982 by integrating and reorganizing Kyushu University's Hot Spring Therapy Research Institute (located in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture) and the Medical School (Hospital District) Cancer Research Facility. In April 2001, it underwent a major reorganization with the integration of the Genetic Information Laboratory Facility, resulting in three research departments (Department of Genome Function Control, Department of Cell Function Control, and Department of Organism Function Control: a total of 12 fields) and two affiliated facilities (Genetic Information Experiment Center, Infectious Defense Research Center: a total of 8 fields). In April 2009, the Infectious Network Research Center was established, and in April 2010, the Infectious Defense Research Center was reorganized into the Multilevel Biological System Research Center. In April 2018, the facilities related to the Multilevel Biological System Research Center and the Infectious Network Research Center were integrated and reorganized to form the Integrated Immunology Research Center.

Since being designated as a Joint Utilization/Research Center, "Multilevel Biodefense System Research Center" by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in fiscal 2010, MIB has conducted joint research with many domestic and foreign researchers and contributed to the research community by providing technologies and facilities. From April 2022, it received the renewal of its designation for the third phase of the Joint Utilization/Research Center, "Multilevel Biodefense System Research Center." It provides access to cutting-edge research equipment and support technologies (ultra-high speed DNA sequencers, electron microscopes, proteome/metabolome analysis, transgenic animal production services, etc.) to many domestic and foreign collaborative researchers. MIB recently focused on developing omics, establishing the Trans-Omics Medical Research Center in April 2013, following the reorganization and expansion of the Genetic Information Experiment Center. Particularly noteworthy is the development of nucleic acid omics, which led to the establishment of the "High-Deep Omics Science Center" in 2022, following the adoption of the "High-Deep Omics Medical Research Base Project" and the establishment of four new areas of pioneering medical biology research incorporating cutting-edge technologies such as spatial omics and multi-omics. This center collaborates with three other Joint Usage/Research Centers in Japan (Research Center for Diffict-to-Treat Diseases at Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Advanced Enzyme Research Institute at Tokushima University, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG) at Kumamoto University) to collect and integrate high-precision, high-resolution big data along temporal and spatial dimensions for diseases such as infectious diseases, allergies, and cancer, and to standardize and model the data for constant global dissemination. From fiscal 2023, the project was adopted into the "Coalition of Universities for Research Excellence Program" as part of the "Joint Usage/Research System Project," and the "4D System Development and Regeneration Science Initiative" will be launched to apply technologies developed at the High-Depth Omics Science Center to research in the fields of development and regeneration. This project, in collaboration with the Pan-Omics Data Driven Innovation Research Center at Kyushu University, IMEG at Kumamoto University, Institute for Life and Medical Sciences at Kyoto University, aims to elucidate the entire process of organ formation using mathematical methods.

In graduate education, MIB is responsible for teaching and research guidance in the Medical Sciences (Master's Program in Medical Science, Doctoral Program in Medicine) and the Graduate School of Systems Life Sciences (5-year continuous Doctoral Program in Life Medical Sciences), acting as the core of interdisciplinary cooperation. From 2024, a system of cooperation in educational activities between the Graduate School of Medical Sciences and the Graduate School of Systems Life Sciences will also be launched.

The Common Research Facilities have also undergone flexible reorganization to fulfill new roles in response to the demands of the times. The Laboratory of Embryonic and Genetic Engineering and Laboratory for Technical Support were integrated into a Research Promotion Unit to streamline support activities. In addition, the Laboratory of Data Analysis and Infrastructure was established in 2023 to work on big data and information security, and the Advanced Research Initiative have been established in fiscal 2024 to support the independent activities of young researchers and promote the recurrent education of faculty members. As part of the industry-academia collaboration activities, two departments, the High-Depth Omics Analysis Department and the Network AI Statistical Analysis Department, were established in 2023 to start active corporate collaboration. Thus, in 2024, MIB will advance biodefense medical research under a new structure, hoping that all faculty, students, and staff will contribute to creating new medical innovations by elucidating the mechanisms of life phenomena and disease onset through vigorous research activities. We sincerely request your support in this endeavor.