NEWSLETTER
2022.03.02

Salutation
Professor Tetsuya Sakurai
 University of Tsukuba Institute ofSystems and Information Engineering Director, Center for Artificial
Intelligence Research
JST COI-NEXT "Tsukuba Digital-Bio
International Center Project" Deputy
Project Leader

Today, artificial intelligence (AI) is
required for various fields andindustries. Data is critical for AI
learning but, due to theconfidentiality and privacy thatdata contains, there are still
limitedexamplesofAI
applications
using
data
distributed
acrossmultipleorganizations.
Ourresearchgroup is developing techniques to analyze distributed
data without directly sharing the original data. Thecenter is expected to realize new value co-creation
through the use of distributed data analysis technology
in data collaboration among companies andorganizations at the center, where many research
institutes and companies are gathered with digitalbiotechnology as a cross-spot. We intend to utilize theresearch capabilities and network in the digital field of
the Artificial Intelligence Science Center at the Universityof Tsukuba to support data analysis and AI applications
for research institutions and companies clustered at thiscenter. The Tsukuba Digital Bio Consortium is scheduled
to be established in the future to further strengthen
cooperation and collaboration within and outside thecenter.

vol.2. 2022 Spring

Participating Researchers
Assistant Professor Yasunori Futamura
 University of Tsukuba Institute ofSystems and Information Engineering
Center for Artificial Intelligence
ResearchIt has been a long time since theera of big data acquired its moniker
and there is a demand for theutilization of vast amounts of data inall fields. AI is rapidly gaining
attention,
andknowledge
discoveryplus
automatic,
autonomous
controlatanunprecedented level is being
implemented in society in the form of advanced
machine learning technologies and applications.
However, it is not possible to simply throw the data at
hand into machine learning, and the knowledge ofexperts in each field (domain knowledge) is essential for
its effective use. Recent advances in machine learningtechnology are driven by large volumes of data from theWeb, sensor networks, etc. However, a supercomputerclass computing environment is required to handle sucha large amount of data. So far, my collaborators and I
have been working with supercomputers to develop
algorithms to accelerate simulation and machinelearning. We will contribute the power of informationengineering to the interdisciplinary digital developmentof the medical, food, and environment-related fields at
this center through the domain knowledge of everyonein these fields.

Tsukuba Digital-Bio International Center Newsletter 2022.03.02

vol. 22022 Springcenter to contribute to the realization of drug discovery
based on data obtained from clinical practice.

Assistant Professor Anna Bogdanova
 University of Tsukuba Institute ofSystems and Information Engineering
Center for Artificial Intelligence
ResearchI
havebeen
workingondeveloping collaborative machinelearning techniques on data
distributed across organizations.
Thistechnology
enablesadvanced analysis of large
volumes of data while ensuring thesecurity of highly confidential data,
and aims to contribute to data
analysis in the medical field and to improved
productivity in inter-company collaboration and multiorganization within a company. Analysis of distributed
data shared by various research institutes is important forthis center, and we would like to make use of our past
research experience in this kind of data analysis.
Furthermore, up to now, we have collaborated withseveral U.S. universities to conduct research and engage
in joint research with overseas researchers. I would like touse this experience to contribute to the formation of aninternational
networkandindustry-academia
collaboration at this center.

Introduction of Participating
Companies
MITSUBISHI SPACE SOFTWARE CO.,LTD.
Kansai Office
Bioinformatics Development Department
Department Head Shigeki Tanishima
We are specialized in clinical genome data analysis, andhave commercialized genome data analysis for theTsukuba Preventive Medical Research Center's"Genome Doc" and "Cancer Exome Test Plessision"
based on the iLac Hygienic Laboratory Dry Lab in theUniversity of Tsukuba's Precision Medicine Center (PMC).
We are also accelerating the accumulation of our own
cancer genome database, including clinical progress,and will work with the Tsukuba Digital-Bio InternationalTOPICS
Professor Isoda of the University of Tsukuba,
Project Representative, received the 17th JICA
President's Award.
Principal Investigator and Project 5 Leader, Professor
Hiroko Isoda (University of Tsukuba Institute of Faculty ofLife and Environmental Sciences, Mediterranean andNorth Africa Research Center), received the 17th JICA
President's Award for her longstanding scientific andtechnological contributions to Tunisia, Morocco, andother North African countries.
For more information, click here. →https://www.tsukuba.ac.jp/journal/awards/2021121710
4122.html

The research results of Associate Professor
Mizuno of the University of Tsukuba and Dr.
Ayabe, Senior Research Scientist (RIKENBioResource Center) have been published inPLOS Biology.
A research group led by Associate Professor Seiya
Mizuno of the University of Tsukuba Institute of Medicine
and Shinya Ayabe, Senior Research Scientist in theExperimental Animal Division (RIKEN BioResource Center)
have published their findings in the journal PLOS Biology.
For more information, click here. →https://www.tsukuba.ac.jp/journal/medicinehealth/20220119040000.html

Project Leader Nishiyama gave a lecture atthe 41st General Meeting of the Tsukuba Life
Science Promotion Council.
On December 24, 2021, Project Leader Hiroyuki
Nishiyama gave an online lecture titled "The State ofDigital Biotechnology" at the 41st General Meeting ofthe Tsukuba Life Science Promotion Council (TLSK).

Tsukuba Digital-Bio International Center Newsletter 2022.03.02

vol. 22022 SpringCOI-NEXT Support Program for the Formation of a Placefor Co-Creation has decided to make a tentativetransition to full-fledged support for this center.

The 1st Tsukuba Digital Bio International
Center Vision Committee meeting was held
The first Tsukuba Digital Bio International Center Vision
Committee meeting was held on Thursday, January 27,
2022, to receive various opinions on the vision andmanagement of the Center from professors affiliatedwith companies, universities, and national institutes.
(Members of the Vision Committee, without titles)
Kazumasa Yoshida：Mynavi Corporation (BoardDirector)
Nobuyuki Chosokabe：Hitachi, Ltd.( CSO and General
Manager, Planning Division, Life Business Headquarters)
Yosihiro Ohishi：Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc.
(Executive Research Councilor)
Shunichi Amemiya：NTT DATA, Inc. Technology
Innovation Management Division, General Manager,
Technology Development Division
Yoshiaki Satake：S&B FOODS INC (Executive Officer,General Manager, Central Research Laboratory）
Katsuhira Tsukahara：Eisai Pharmaceutical Co.
（Executive Officer, Chief Data Officer and General
Manager, Tsukuba Research Laboratory)
Hiroyuki Nishiyama：University of Tsukuba Institute ofMedicine Professor Tsukuba Digital-Bio International
Center Project leader
Tetsuya Sakurai：University of Tsukuba Institute of of
Systems and Information Engineering Professor Tsukuba
Digital-Bio International Center Deputy Project leader
Hiroko Isoda：University of Tsukuba Institute of Faculty ofLife and Environmental Sciences Professor Principal
Investigator of the Research and Development Center
Hiroshi Wada：Vice President and Director, University ofTsukuba（Research Director）
Yasunori Kanaho：Vice President and Director,
University of Tsukuba（In charge of Industry-AcademiaCollaboration）
Toshihiko Shiroishi（observer）：RIKEN BioResource
Center Center director
Yasuhiro Yasutomi（observer）：National Institutes ofBiomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition
Tsukuba Promate Research Center Center director
Mari Yamamoto（observer）：Research Center for
Agricultural Information Technology, NARO
Division of Food Research Executive Scientist

In the Support Program for the Formation of Places for
Co-Creation Policy Focus Area/Biotechnology, thereview for transition to full-fledged support is being
conducted from December 2021 to May 2022. On
January 13, 2022, the JST (Japan Science andTechnology Agency) conducted a hearing review, thefirst stage of evaluation, and officially notified theCenter of its tentative transition to full-scale support.

The 20th Anniversary Symposium of theCenter for Life Science and Animal Resources
was held

The symposium was held tocelebrate the 20th anniversaryof the University of Tsukuba'sAnimal Resource Center forLife Science, which is directedby Professor Satoshi Takahashi,
the leader of the Center's
Research and Development
Project 3. More than 220
people attended the event,which featured lectures by four
professors with close ties to thecenter.

For inquiries about this office or to request
an article to be published, please contact
us at the Tsukuba Digital-Bio InternationalCenter
digitalbioeco@md.tsukuba.ac.jp
Tsukuba Digital-Bio International Center
Websitehttps://tsukubadigitalbio.jp/

Tsukuba Digital-Bio International Center Newsletter 2022.03.02

vol. 22022 Spring