Application for Academy Center Certification
World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI)
Host Institution

National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)

Research Center

International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics

Host Institution Head

Kazuhito Hashimoto

Center Director

Takayoshi Sasaki

Administrative Director

Tomonobu Nakayama

1. Overall Image of Your Center

1-1. MANA background
When MANA was established, nanotechnology (and the nanoscience on which it is based) was in astate of rapid development globally and becoming an essential part of materials science. It was in thiscontext that we designed MANA with the intention of creating a world-class research center that would
effectively employ nanotechnology to make powerful advances in the research and development of newmaterials. In designing MANA, we were strongly aware of the common mistake of considering
nanotechnology to be a continuation of conventional microtechnology, and moreover that
nanotechnology’s true power cannot be effectively harnessed unless nanotechnology is properly
recognized as being qualitatively different from microtechnology. The concept of “nanoarchitectonics”
was proposed as a straightforward expression of these truths. Nanoarchitectonics is a new technologicalparadigm built on the following four primary pillars:
1) Create reliable nanomaterials or nanosystems by organizing nanoscale structures (nano-parts)
even with some unavoidable unreliability.
“Unreliability-tolerant reliability”
2) Note that the main players are not individual nanoparts but their interactions, which cause a new
functionality to emerge.
“From nano-functionality to nanosystem-functionality”
3) Recognize unexpected emergent functionalities that can result from assembling or organizing ahuge number of nanoparts.
“More is different”
4) Create a new theoretical field where conventional first principles computations are combined withnovel bold approximations.
“Truth can be described with plain words”
The concept of nanoarchitectonics is a distinguishing part of MANA’s research and makes MANA
unparalleled among the world’s nanotechnology research institutions.
1-2. MANA: Vision, missions, and organization
MANA’s guiding vision is “Toward a better global future, we pioneer a new paradigm in materials
development on the basis of nanoarchitectonics concept.
The following four missions are in place to achieve this vision:
1. World leader in new materials development, based on nanoarchitectonics
2. Fusion of interdisciplinary research fields to open up new research fields
3. Fostering next-generation young research leaders
4. Creation of an international research collaboration network
1-3. MANA today
Founded on the concept of nanoarchitectonics, today MANA has grown into a world-class research
center that produces much ground-breaking research and attracts global attention.
The present state of MANA can be summarized by the following five points:★ World-class research activities★ International character due to nearly half of researchers being of foreign nationality★ Active fusion research that combines nanotechnology and other fields★ Steadily fulfilling its responsibility to reform its host institution, NIMS
★ Training excellent young researchers who work throughout the world

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MANA

2. Research Activities
2-1. Research Results to Date
MANA was established for the purpose of establishing a new nanotechnology paradigm based on
the concept of nanoarchitectonics, and to bring about innovation in new materials development throughthis paradigm. These objectives are steadily being accomplished. In reality, a number of concepts basedon nanoarchitectonics have emerged from MANA’s research, including soft chemical nanoarchitectonics,
interface nanoarchitectonics, neuromorphic nanoarchitectonics, topological nanoarchitectonics, andin-vivo nanoarchitectonics. Research based on these topics is steadily progressing.
In March, 2017, MANA published a summary of 42 research achievements selected from MANA’swork. The selected ones are only a part of “world-top level” achievements, such as artificial materials
creation through nanosheet technology, atomic switch research from the fundamentals through topractical applications, ultrasensitive/massibely parallel molecular sensors and the development of
surface/local superconductors; as well as the development of new nano-level measuring techniques.
Here, we describe MANA’s results by several key indicators. MANA has published 3,840 papers till theend of 2016 and, among these, A) 142 of MANA’s papers are now among the top 1% most cited papers
in the world (2008-2016); B) MANA has achieved an extremely high score of 2.41 for Elsevier’s Field
Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI), a new index created to “fairly compare the quality of papers publishedby research institutions that work in different fields” (2008-2015 average); and C) MANA’s papers are
printed in journals with an extremely high average Impact Factor (IF) of 6.25 (most recent average for2015). MANA’s scores for these indicators are superior to those of many world-class research
institutions.
2-2. Research plan towards the future
MANA will generally continue to maintain and develop the present direction of research in the
future, but it will attempt the following two new developments. After analyzing MANA’s researchaccomplishments thus far, the efficacy of two areas was brought into sharp relief: the fusion of“theoretical research and experimental research”, and the creation of nanoarchitectonic perception by
merging “nanotechnology”, “atomic/molecular science”, “informatics” and “mathematics”. Therefore,
these two fusional areas will be the focus of intensive research in the future.
MANA’s research were divided into five fields: Nano-Materials, Nano-System, Nano-Power,
Nano-Life and Nano-Theory, and now has been reformed into three fundamental fields:
Nano-Materials, Nano-System, Nano-Theory. This simplification gives more freedom to create newideas based on “Nanoarchitectonics” towards the future.
The Nano-Theory field will further empower MANA to effectively utilize some of the world’s mostadvanced computers (K-computer, etc.). However, one of MANA’s most important objectives is to leadthe world to a new paradigm of theoretical research that is free from a prioritization of first-principles
calculations over all else. Despite the fact that many interesting nanoscale phenomena areaccompanied by excited states, dynamic processes, and many-body effects, contemporary methodsof first-principles calculation are not necessarily good at handling these elements. To overcome thisobstacle, MANA will introduce bold yet appropriate methods of approximation to inspire newdevelopments in theoretical research. Further, this will serve to promote the fusion of theoretical andexperimental research. Moreover, not only will the field of Nano-Theory serve to fuse theory andexperimentation, it will also play a role in promoting interdisciplinary fusion research among MANA's
four other fields of research, all of which have experimental research at their core.
Although MANA’s research has thus far been conducted, in accordance with the WPI program’s
basic policy, under the leadership of the former Director Masakazu Aono, Dr. Takayoshi Sasaki (MANA
PI of Nano-Materials Field, NIMS Fellow), has taken over the Director position from April 1st, 2017.
2-3. MANA’s Grand Challenge research themes
MANA has had three Grand Challenge research targets thus far:
★ Nanoarchitectonic artificial brain★ Room-temperature superconductivity★ Practical artificial photosynthesis
These are long-term research targets, and no achievements are expected from this research inthe short term. However, certain interesting results have already emerged, and hence this research
will be continued on into the future.
Now, MANA is adding a fourth Grand Challenge research target as follows.

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MANA

★ Nanoarchitectonic perception systems: This target is closely related to efforts so far toopen up a new area of study within MANA. We will further try to develop nanosystems andtechnologies, which will eventually leads to unprecedented artificial perception. To do this, it will benecessary to make full use of MANA’s original nanoarchitectonic materials and systems, which havenot been achieved anywhere else. These include tailored assembly of nanosheets which exhibit exotic
physical and chemical properties, multiple-probe scanning probe microscopy to analyze signaling
between specifically selected points in neuromorphic network systems, and ultrasensitive / massively
parallel molecular sensors that can sense stimuli at more than 1000x the sensitivity of human sensory
organs. The ultimate aim of this Grand Challenge goal is to generate innovation to support futuresociety of mankind by striving to develop sensing systems based on nanoarchitectonics concept.
2-4. Research in the fields of Nano-Materials, Nano-System, and Nano-Theory
The initial four Grand Challenge fields form the core of MANA's research. In these fields, clear
distinctions were made between clear opposites: e.g., fundamental vs. applied research, materials vs.
systems, and experimental vs. theoretical. Below are representative examples of the challenging
research that will be undertaken in these three fields.
Nano-Materials field: This field aims to exploit the science and technology for the creation of
new nanosheet-based materials that MANA has accumulated to date to realize metamaterials (e.g. amaterial not found in nature that possesses a negative refractive index) and room-temperature
superconducting devices by using nanosheets with massive electric permittivity, etc. MANA will also
develop more novel nano-measurement methods to support these kinds of research projects.
Nano-System field: This field aims to use a network of atomic switches to realize the basic unitof a nanoarchitectonic artificial brain; to achieve the world's first truly monomolecular device; todevelop a new, decoherence-free quantum bit using topological insulators; to develop a room
temperature superconducting device etc. MANA will also promote the development of methods toenable the measurement of local (i.e., nanometer scale) electrical conductivity at any position,
something that is essential for conducting these kinds of research.
Nano-Theory field: As mentioned above in “Fusion of theoretical and experimental research,”
MANA aims to develop new theoretical research techniques driven by rare event sampling instead of
the high-level first-principles calculations performed on the world's fastest supercomputer like
K-computer. MANA will promote the fusion of theory and experimentation in a wide range of research,
including theoretical research into the latest topological insulators.

3. System for Managing the Research Organization

MANA has already implemented structural reforms based on the following key points:i) From April 2017 Dr. Takayoshi Sasaki and Dr. Tomonobu Nakayama are the new Center Director
and the new Deputy Director of MANA, respectively. Dr. Nakayama also takes the responsibility as the
Administrative Director. Dr. Masakazu Aono, a former Center Director, and Dr. Yoshio Bando, a former
Chief Operating Officer (COO), provide advice to MANA on research and management.
ii) PIs will be replaced to breathe new life into the ranks of PIs. Associate PIs (aPIs) will bepromoted to PIs, and new aPIs will be appointed from young researchers. The performance of all PIs
will be evaluated by professionals from outside MANA.
iii) MANA will maintain its satellites, which have contributed significantly to MANA's
achievements by raising the quality of research, training young researchers, and internationalizing thecenter, among other things.
iv) To further activate the Nano-Theory field, MANA will continue a “Theory-Experiment Pairing
Program” or equivalent to enforce the fusion of theoretical and experimental research.
v) Nano-mechanical sensors and other top nanoarchitectonics technologies will be combinedwith other research to realize new type of perception that is unique to MANA.
vi) Aiming to achieve the four goals of the MANA Grand Challenges, MANA will strategically invest
research resources (e.g., research funds, post-docs etc.) into these topics. MANA will also invite guest
researchers to lead workshops and brainstorming sessions on specific topics.
vii) MANA will continue encouraging efforts to tackle innovative and challenging topics, as well as
conduct interdisciplinary research by holding topical meetings and setting up special funding
programs. In particular, MANA will engage in efforts to acquire research funding through collaboration
with universities.

4. International Circulation of Best Brains

4-1. Participation of top-world researchers from abroad

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MANA

MANA has established satellite labs (hereinafter “MANA Satellites”) at research institutions towhich satellite PIs (sPIs) belong. MANA Satellites have been established at four institutions: theUniversity of California Los Angeles (UCLA, sPI: Prof. James Gimzewski), the Georgia Institute ofTechnology (GETECH, sPI: Prof. Zhong Lin Wang), the Center for Materials Elaboration and Structural
Studies of French National Centre for Scientific Research (CEMES-CNRS, sPI: Dr. Christian Joachim),
and the University of Montreal(sPI: Prof. Francoise Winnik). These satellites play a role in MANA’s
research in various fields and are also training grounds for young scientists of MANA. MANA willcontinue reforming MANA satellites depending on the progress of MANA’s activity.
4-2. Employment of young researchers at the Center and their job placement after
leaving the Center
Young researchers, mainly fixed-term researchers consisting of doctoral students andpost-doctoral scholars, account for more than half of all researchers. In addition to typical post-docs,
MANA is going to create a higher position, “ICYS-WPI-MANA researcher.” This is a post-doctoral scholar
who is independent of any specific group and pursue their own individual research topics. With this,
MANA can keep close relationship with ICYS which is an organization that serves as a tenure-track
system leading to permanent researcher positions at NIMS.
MANA’s policy is not merely to gather young researchers from throughout the world and cultivatethem into excellent researchers. Rather, MANA seeks to endow these researchers with a thoroughunderstanding of Japan such that they can advance their careers in countries throughout the world. Till
March 2017, 298 MANA’s young researchers have “graduated” MANA. 4.7% of them were selected forpermanent research positions at NIMS and 35% became faculty members (professor, associate
professor and so on) of universities inside and outside Japan. Also, 43% have advanced in their careers
to become researchers at universities and research institutions, and 11% have moved to privatecompanies. 36% of those who made research at MANA found employment within Japan, and theremaining 64% found positions in the world, primarily in Asia. In this way, there is a growing networkof nanotechnology researchers for which MANA is the hub.
4-3. Overseas satellites and other cooperative organizations
Building a network of the world’s nanotech centers with MANA as the hub is one of MANA’sorganizational missions. MANA has to date signed MOUs with 60 research institutions in 19 countries
with which it conducts research and personnel exchange.
In order to strengthen MANA research conducted by PIs at MANA satellites, NIMS/MANA has
established a system through which it provides funding for joint research. Under this system, NIMS
contracts with satellite institutions for joint research and allocates the necessary funds to the satellites
from NIMS’s management expenses grant. This enables effective coordination between MANA and its
satellites, and enables satellites to make large contributions to MANA in return.
4-4. Holding International Symposia, Workshops, Research Meetings and Others
Each MANA international symposium brought over 400 participants and was praised as a fruitful,high-level event. In order to promote interchange between young personnel and the world-leading
researchers at the MANA International Symposium, a new award was created called the Best Poster
Award. All invited speakers were asked to attend the poster session and to grade the posters after
engaging in direct discussion with the presenters.
Meanwhile, there are many government agencies, universities, research institutions, and otherorganizations that issue requests for MANA to host research conferences. As a result, country-levelbilateral workshops have been hosted with Canada, Australia, Switzerland, Spain, and Taiwan, while
symposiums have also been conducted with several Japanese and non-Japanese universities.
Furthermore, MANA is contributing in training PhD candidates through “Nanotechnology Students’
Summer School” co-organized by UCLA, UCL, Flinders University and other overseas organizations foreducating and encouraging younger generations and for expecting future international collaborations.
4-5. System for Supporting the Research Activities of Overseas Researchers
All staff in MANA’s Administrative Office speak English and provide comprehensive Japanese-styleservice to all researchers, regardless of age and nationality. According to one non-Japanese researcher,“Although I have worked at several institutions in America and Europe, MANA provides the best
research environment.”
4-6. Others
In terms of acquiring and training young researchers, both independent researchers who do notbelong to any specific group and the ICYS researcher system have made notable achievements. In
particular, the 3D System (Triple Double: double-mentor, double-discipline, double affiliation system)
serves to promote diligent study by young researchers overseas by allowing such researchers to
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MANA

pursue interdisciplinary, fusion research under first-tier mentors. This system has a record ofencouraging great growth in young researchers and imbuing them with global sensibilities. Also, MANA
promotes long-term residencies to perform research at major research institutions overseas as aneffective way of cultivating young Japanese researchers into talent of an international andinterdisciplinary character.
Thus, MANA plays an important role in NIMS’s effort to build an international research center, and
MANA’s efforts to create an environment where non-Japanese researchers can succeed was featured
as a “best practice” case study in the 2014 White Paper on Science and Technology.

5. Support by Host institution

For sustaining and advancing MANA as a World Premier International Research Center, NIMS haspromised to provide MANA with the following supports and to continue its basic activities.
i) Approximately 90 core members, including principal investigators, associate principal investigators,
group leaders, MANA researchers, independent researchers and administrative staff will be kept
assigned to MANA as “permanent employees of NIMS assigned to MANA.”As of April 1st, 2017, MANA has a total of 98 permanent staff.
ii) R&D expenses required to sustain basic and fundamental research at MANA such as research project
expenses, fees for inviting and dispatching researchers, facility utilities, and other expenses
necessary in performing fundamental / foundational research (1.6 billion JPY for FY2016) will becontributed out of NIMS’s management expenses grant.
iii) Post-doctoral scholars and other fixed-term staff hired using WPI grant funds will be replaced withothers hired using external funding.
iv) A part of programs characteristic of MANA—such as young researcher training programs(ICYS-MANA, independent scientist, etc.) and—will be transferred to and implemented at NIMS toensure sustainability of the programs.
v) NIMS keeps technical support that are of especially high quality developed in MANA.
vi) NIMS established the Materials Open Platform which provides opportunity to work with external
institutions especially with private companies. Also, NIMS helps international networking of MANA
through Materials Global Center for sustainable operation of MANA.

6. Financial Measures

NIMS plans to maintain the MANA research workforce of about 90 permanent staffs (scientists,
engineers and administration staffs) after the WPI program concludes. Also NIMS plans to maintain oreven increase the size of MANA by hiring several permanent researchers every year.
NIMS has allocated the two buildings to MANA: MANA Building (12,934m2) in October 2008 and
WPI-MANA Building (7,629m2) in April 2012. NIMS renovated an old building (519m2) adjacent to the
two MANA Buildings and reopened it as Theoretical Research Building in April 2014. NIMS allocates thisbuilding to MANA in April 2016 when NIMS moves a large part of theoreticians from NIMS’s
Computational Materials Science Unit to the new Nano-Theory Field of MANA. NIMS keeps allocatingthese buildings and facilities to MANA.
MANA continues tremendous efforts to increase the amount of funding from external sources, such as
CREST, PRESTO, and Kakenhi grants by promoting strategic research collaborations between MANA andmajor universities in Japan. Also, MANA will explicitly participate in the NIMS’s strategy to realize
open-innovation with private companies to increase investment from the companies.

NIMS - 5
MANAAppendix 1

World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI)
Appendix 1. List of Principal Investigators for Progress Plan

Name

Age

Current affiliation(organization, department)

Academic degree andcurrent specialties

Notes(Enter “new” or“ongoing”)

61

Director,
International Center for
Materials Nanoarchitectonics(WPI-MANA)

Ph.D. (Science)
University of Tokyo, 1986
OngoingNanosheetandsoftchemistry

2. NAKAYAMA,Tomonobu 55

Deputy Director /Administrative Director,
International Center for
Materials Nanoarchitectonics(WPI-MANA)

Ph.D. (Physics)
University of Tokyo, 1999
Scanning probe
microscopy

3. OSADA, Minoru

International Center forTokyo Institute ofMaterials Nanoarchitectonics
Technology, 1998
(WPI-MANA)

1. SASAKI, Takayoshi*

Ph.D.

47

Nanosheet Functionality
Ph.D.

4. YAMAUCHI, Yusuke

36

International Center for
Waseda University, 2007
Materials Nanoarchitectonics
Mesoscale Materials(WPI-MANA)
Chemistry

5. GOLBERG, Dmitri*

Ph.D.
Moscow Institute for
Ferrous Metallurgy, 1990
Nanotubes and nanowires

Ongoing

Ongoing(FY2016~)

Ongoing(FY2016~)

56

International Center for
Materials Nanoarchitectonics(WPI-MANA)

54

International Center forTokyo Inst. Tech., 1990
Materials Nanoarchitectonics Supramolecular chemistry Ongoing(WPI-MANA)
and surface science

58

International Center for
Waseda University, 1989
Materials Nanoarchitectonics
Ongoing
Semiconductor and electric(WPI-MANA)

Ongoing

Ph.D.

6. ARIGA, Katsuhiko*

Ph.D.

7. CHIKYOW, Toyohiro

materials

International Center for
Ph.D.
Materials Nanoarchitectonics Nagoya University, 1992
(WPI-MANA)
Nanoionics

Ongoing(FY2016~)

9. TSUKAGOSHI,Kazuhito 49

International Center for
Ph.D.
Materials Nanoarchitectonics Osaka University,1995
Nano electronics(WPI-MANA)

Ongoing

10. HU, Xiao

55

International Center for
Ph.D. (Physics) University
Materials Nanoarchitectonics of Tokyo, 1990
Ongoing
Condensed matter physics(WPI-MANA)

51

International Center for
Yokohama City University, OngoingMaterials Nanoarchitectonics
1995(FY2016~)(WPI-MANA)

8. TERABE, Kazuya

54

Ph.D.

11. TAKANO, YoshihikoSuperconducting materials

NIMS - 1

MANA

Appendix 1

12. GIMZEWSKI,
James K.*65

13. JOACHIM Christian*59

Dinstinguished Professor,
Chemistry & Biochem. Dept.,
UCLA
Director, Nano/Pico
Characterization Lab, UCLA
California NanoSystems Inst.
Centre National de laRecherche Scientifique(CNRS)
Lab: CEMES (UPR8011)
Toulouse (France)

Ph.D. (Physical Chemistry)
Univ. of Strathclyde, 1977 Ongoing
Nanoscience and nanobio
Ph.D. in Applied
Mathematic
Ph.D. in Quantum physics, Ongoing
computer science andnanoscience
Ph.D.
University of Tokyo, 1990
Photocatalyst, ecomaterials

14. YE, Jinhua*

54

International Center for
Materials Nanoarchitectonics(WPI-MANA)

15. MORI, Takao

50

International Center for
Ph.D.
Materials Nanoarchitectonics University of Tokyo, 1996
Thermoelectric materials(WPI-MANA)

Ongoing(FY2016~)

16. TATEYAMA, Yoshitaka 46

International Center for
Ph.D.
Materials Nanoarchitectonics University of Tokyo, 1998
Condensed matter theory(WPI-MANA)

Ongoing(FY2016~)

17. WANG, Zhong Lin*

Professor, School ofMaterials Science andEngineering, Georgia
Institute of Technology

Ph.D.
Arizona State University,
1987
Nano chemistry andnanodevices

18. WINNIK, Françoise M.* 65

Faculty of Pharmacy andDepartment of Chemistry,
University of Montreal,
CanadaPh.D. (Chemistry)
Univ. of Toronto, 1979
Ongoing
Polymer chemistry andphotochemistry

19. SASAKI, Taizo

International Center for
Ph.D.
Materials Nanoarchitectonics Tohoku University, 1987
(WPI-MANA)
Condensed matter theory

20. MIYAZAKI,

55

58

Tsuyoshi 50

21. BOWLER, David

Ongoing

Ongoing

Ongoing(FY2016~)

International Center for
Ph.D.
Ongoing
Materials Nanoarchitectonics University of Tokyo, 1995
(FY2016~)(WPI-MANA)First-principles calculations
Ph.D.
Oxford University, 1997
Condensed matter theory
and calculations

46

Condensed Matter andMaterial Physics, University
College London, UK

50International Center for
Waseda University, 1995
New
Materials Nanoarchitectonics SurfaceNanophotonics,(FY2017~)(WPI-MANA)
Condensed Matter Physics,

Ongoing(FY2016~)

Ph.D.

22. NAGAO, Tadaaki

Infrared NanoTechnology

NIMS - 2

MANA

Appendix 2

World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI)
The number of Center personnel

FY2017（as of April 1）
Principal Investigators

22

Other Researchers

83

Post-Doctor researchers

55

NIMS Junior Researchers

41

Research Support Staffs

49

Administrative Staffs

27

NIMS

MANA

Appendix 3

World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI)
Diagram of management system

SASAKI Takayoshi(Director)

NAKAYAMA Tomonobu(Deputy Director)

MORI Takao(Field Coordinator)

AONO Masakazu
BANDO Yoshio(Executive Adviser)
Nano-Materials Field

TERABE Kazuya(Field Coordinator)

Nano-System Field

SASAKI Taizo(Field Coordinator)

MORI Takao (PI,GL)
SASAKI Takayoshi (PI,GL)
OSADA Minoru (PI,GL)
YAMAUCHI Yusuke (PI,GL)
GOLBERG Dmitri (PI,GL)
ARIGA Katsuhiko (PI,GL)
CHIKYOW Toyohiro (PI,GL)YE Jinhua (PI,GL)
FUKATA Naoki (GL)NAKANISHI Takashi (GL)
WANG Zhong Lin (PI)*TERABE Kazuya (PI,GL)
NAKAYAMA Tomonobu (PI,GL)
TSUKAGOSHI Kazuhito (PI,GL)
HU Xiao (PI,GL)
TAKANO Yoshihiko (PI,GL)
NAGAO Tadaaki (PI,GL)
WAKAYAMA Yutaka (GL)UCHIHASHI Takashi (GL)YOSHIKAWA Genki (GL)NAKANISHI Jun (GL)KAWAKAMI Kosaku (GL)GIMZEWSKI James (PI)*
JOACHIM Christian (PI)*WINNIK M. Françoise (PI)*SASAKI Taizo (PI,GL)MIYAZAKI Tsuyoshi (PI,GL)TATEYAMA Yoshitaka (PI)Nano-Theory Field

BOWLER David (PI)*Independent Scientists* Satellite PI

NAKAYAMA Tomonobu(Administrative Director)
MANA Administrative Office

NIMS -1

Administrative Office Staff
General Affairs Team
Planning and Outreach Team

MANA