NEWSLETTER
2023.02.08

Deputy General Manager ShojiNakayama

Project Participants
Executive Researcher Mari Yamamoto(née Maeda)


vol.5. 2023 WinterNational Agriculture and Food
Research Organization
Research and Development Task 3
LeaderNarrowing the gap between life
expectancy and healthy life
expectancy is one of the mostimportant factors in achieving
the well-being of all generationsof citizens. As the phrase"medicine and food have thesame origin" states, it has been
believed since ancient times that there is a strong
relationship between food and health and this has beenpracticed in accordance with experience. In recentyears, biotechnologies, such as comprehensive analysis
of functional ingredients and breeding based on
genome information, have been developing at ageometric rate. In this research project, we will focus on
MHC (Minor Health Complaints), which are considered
to be the onset of various diseases, and clarify how MHC
occursineachgeneration,
designinganddemonstrating food and diet (self-care) to alleviate
MHC. We aim to contribute to solving social problems bycreating functional agricultural products that alleviate
MHC using genetic resource crops, elucidating foodcomponents and living environments related to MHC
using a health survey of 1,000 healthy people, anddesigning and demonstrating diets and meals (self-carediets) that alleviate MHC by using the results of the survey.

National Institute for Environmental
Studies
Health and Environmental Risk Division(Japan Environment and Children'sStudy Programme Office)Deputy Leader of Research andDevelopment Project 3

We
conduct
research
onexposomes, biomonitoring, andquantification
ofexposure
coefficients
andexposure
scenarios.
Wewillresearchmethods for evaluating the healtheffects of chemical substances incollaboration with epidemiological and toxicologicalresearch, with a particular focus on the disposition ofchemical substances in the body after exposure to them.
We have introduced advanced analytical equipment toobserve the distribution of chemical substances in the
body and changes in tissues in humans and laboratory
animals and to study their effects. For example, precisionmass microscopy can be used to visualize the distributionof substances of in vitro and in vivo origin in tissues. We
examine the distribution of chemicals in which tissues
and confirm the results of epidemiological studies, suchas the Japan Environment and Children's Study
Programme survey, from a mechanistic point of view.
We also use artificial intelligence (AI) and otheradvanced analytical methods to explore the factorsthat affect the disposition of chemicals in the body.

Tsukuba Digital-Bio International Center Newsletter 2023.02.08 vol. 5 2023 WinterSenior Research Fellow Kyoko Toda
National Agriculture and Food
Research Organization
Genetic Resources Research Center“Mild disorders," which are not adisease
butsomehowa
physical or mental condition,
are expected to be improvedby dietary habits. The National
InstituteofAgrobiologicalSciences(NIAS)
holds
approximately 230,000 plant
genetic resources (the 6thlargest in the world), including domestic and foreigncultivated species, wild species, and ancestral species in
its genebank and is also breeding crop varieties withenhanced functional components. The Organization isparticipating in COI-NEXT Research and Development
Project 3 to develop and socially implement a healthcare diet for alleviating minor ailments that utilizes
functional agricultural products. In collaboration with theNational Institute for Environmental Studies, we areaiming to develop not only functional but also safe food,and with Tsukuba University, we are exploring the newpotential of crops by evaluating the functionality oflegume crops, including ancestral wild species, using ahuman cultured cell experimental system.

President Katsuhisa Tanaka,

TOPICS
Happiness Life Health Checkups will belaunched! (Research and Development
Project 2)
Tsukuba Happiness Life Research will start "Tsukuba
Happiness Life Health Examination" in February. From therespondents of the "Health and Life Survey for Tsukuba
Citizens" conducted last year, we will select those withcognitive decline, sleep disorder, and tendency todecline in life function, and ask them to cooperate invarious examinations and surveys at the ResearchCenter for Preventive Medicine, University of Tsukuba
Hospital. Using these results, we plan to conduct joint
research with companies. For more information on thisstudy,
pleasecontact
theSecretariat.

Notice of Symposium(Research and Development Project 3)
Strategic Innovation Program (SIP) ‘Consortium for theCreation of a Food-Based Health Care Industry’“Food Health Care! Symposium - Thinking about ahealthy and long-lived society where individuals can beproductive and thrive"
Date & Time February 28, 2023 (Tue) 13:00 17:00
Form of the event Online distribution(deadline for first 400 applicants)
Registration Please click here website

FLOWING Co., LtdPresident Hajime Shimazaki,Medical Front Corp
Flow Wing Co., Ltd. produces theNARO Style®PLUS
MEAL SET, a diet for maintaining good healthdeveloped with the National Institute of AgroEnvironmental Sciences, to a wide range of healthmanagement companies, while Medical Front, Inc.
provides health visualization services using the Pocket
Pharmacy (an electronic medication and healthnotebook used by 600,000 people nationwide) andwearable devices. We hope we can be of some help in
improving your health.

Activity Report(Research and Development Project 3)
Executive researcher Mari Yamamoto (née Maeda),Food Research Division, National Institute of AgroEnvironmental Sciences (President, Self-Care FoodCouncil), gave a lecture and panel talk at "Symposium
on 'Extending Healthy Life Span through Food': 'MildIllness' that Reduces QOL and Productivity" (December17, 2022). For more information on the Council's activities,
click here.

Tsukuba Digital-Bio International Center Newsletter 2023.02.08 vol. 5 2023 WinterThe Tsukuba International Center for Digital
Biotechnology Public Symposium 2023:
Happiness Life from Tsukuba: Toward a WellBeing Society
The Symposium for Citizen Participation at this Center will
be held. Information on the Tsukuba Happiness Life Study,
which aims to improve the lifestyle, health status, etc. ofcitizens, as well as dementia prevention by experts fromTsukuba University, will be provided. Simple exercises arealso planned. We will support your wellbeing through thesymposium.

Date & Time March 5, 2023 (Sun.) 14:00-16:30
Form of the event Tsukuba International Congress
Center, Medium Hall 200 On-site registration is here
and Online Online registration is here

For inquiries about this office or torequest an article publication, pleasecontact us at the Tsukuba Digital-Bio
International center
digitalbioeco@md.tsukuba.ac.jp
Tsukuba Digital-Bio International center
Websitehttps://tsukubadigitalbio.jp/

Tsukuba Digital-Bio International Center Newsletter 2023.02.08 vol. 5 2023 Winter