Progress Plan for Maintaining Academy Center Certification
World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI)
Host Institution

Kyoto University

Research Center

Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS)

Host Institution Head

Minato Nagahiro

Center Director

Uesugi Motonari

Administrative Director

Ueda Kazumitsu

Please prepare this Progress plan based on your application for WPI Academy. Summarize the Center’s future plans with regard to thefollowing 8 items within five A-4 pages. (Also fill out the appendices at the end of this form.)

1. Overall Image of Your Center* Describe the Center’s overall image including its identity.

Chemistry and cell biology are the research flagships of Kyoto University, and WPI-iCeMS will lead theharmonizing of these two fields, involving faculty and students from across the university. Through thiscoordinated fusion, we endeavor to understand the intracellular self-assemblies at the boundary between
life and matter and inspire the innovation of functional self-assembling materials. iCeMS is a test bed for
Kyoto University, and as such will lead the way as a proof-of-concept for university-wide planned reforms
and next-generation research laboratories. We will continue to collaborate with Kyoto University to share
the results of our experiments throughout the organization. Particular emphasis will be placed on
globalization, equipment sharing through the Analysis Center, innovation through start-ups, and diversity
and inclusion. The Research Administration Division (RAD) of iCeMS plays an important role in these testbed endeavors and in promoting the WPI Academy program. After iCeMS was certified as a “WPI Academy”
in 2017, young talents have been recruited as PIs from outside iCeMS. The average age of eleven core PIs
is 44.7.

2. Mid- to Long-term Research Objectives and Strategies* Describe new challenges in the Center’s research objectives and plans after FY 2020.
* Describe your future research strategy and plans and research organization including your line-up of Principal Investigators, and youroutlook for fostering and securing the next generation of researchers.

Life is, in essence, made of chemicals. However, chemicals are not life. At what stage do chemical
substances begin to exhibit "life-like" characteristics? At iCeMS, we believe that self-assembly lies at thecore of the division between chemicals and life. There are many self-assembling structures in cells thatmaintain life. Principal examples include membrane structures, membraneless organelles (liquid-liquid
phase separators), cytoskeleton, and chromatin. At iCeMS, we aim to understand the self-assembly insideof cells and use that wisdom to create innovative self-assembling materials to solve global problems. To
achieve our goals, we will bring together researchers - inside and outside the university, domestic andinternational, young and old, male and female - whose work is related to self-assembly in cell biology,
materials science, chemical biology, synthetic chemistry, and computational science. Through this, we hopeto achieve both diversity and focus.
One of our most important mid- to long-term strategies is the further facilitation of iCeMS’ collaborativelaboratories with overseas research institutes. The “Smart Materials Research Center” with
Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (VISTEC) in Thailand, which aims to synthesize newmaterials inspired by the biological reactions to solve environmental and energy problems. Looking to the
future, Horike focuses on the education of doctoral students and also works on the technical needs of

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the Thai chemical companies that are collaborating with VISTEC. At the “Center for Integrated
Biosystems”, collaborative research with Academia Sinica researchers is on-going. The joint research isbased on unbiased screening to identify new molecules which regulate and control important physiologicalreactions, which is Suzuki's specialty. The iCeMS Taiwan Office, which was established in 2019, isworking to deepen exchanges between universities in Taiwan and Kyoto University. In the “Kyoto
University Shanghai Lab”, Uesugi is conducting advanced collaborative research in the three fields ofchemical biology, new materials, and energy conversion between Shanghai area universities, and utilizing
this On-site Lab to give lectures and interviews to recruit graduate students from top-tier Chinese schools.
The “Quantum Nano Medicine Research Center” was established by cross-appointed professor
Tamanoi for a collaboration between iCeMS and California Nano-Systems Institute (CNSI) of UCLA. The
aim of the center is to highlight the recent emergence of a new field of science created by the convergenceof quantum beam research and nanomaterial studies. It is now operated as an in-bound type laboratory
with plans to develop this center into a cross-bound type by establishing a laboratory in UCLA. The “Center
for Integrated Data-Material Sciences” was established by Packwood and Fukazawa to deepen
the paradigm of data-driven materials science while aiming to establish a next-generation materials
development process. Towards this end, it combines the expertise in material informatics of iCeMS withthe expertise in physical property characterization of the MacDiarmid Institute in New Zealand. The“Laboratory for Green Porous Materials” was established by Kitagawa with the Institute of Materials
Research and Engineering (IMRE) of A*STAR in Singapore. This laboratory aims to conduct research on
environmental catalysis using porous materials and develop new fields that contribute to the environment.
The “Small Molecule Laboratory (Smolab)” is an International Research Project (IRP) with the French
National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) established by Furukawa which aims to synthesize newmaterials inspired by biological reactions to solve environmental and energy problems. In 2022, twointernational laboratories started as iCeMS Project Units. One is the “India Japan Initiative forIntelligent Biomaterials” (INJA IN BIO), established by Namasivayam. It is a collaborative research
initiative that brings together experts from different disciplines from India, Japan, Switzerland, the UnitedStates of America and Malaysia to address the overarching aims such as developing omics-directed
intelligent biomaterials. The other is the SUSTech-Kyoto University Advanced Energy Materials
Joint Innovation Laboratory (SKAEM-JIL), established by Kitagawa. It is promoting cutting-edge
joint research in materials science for advanced energy applications and exchanging human resources
between Southern University of Science and Technology in China and Kyoto University. These tencollaborative projects promote international brain circulation and strengthen and energize theinterdisciplinary research of iCeMS.

3. Management System of the Research Organization* Describe the system of organizational management via which the Center will execute the above-described research strategy and plans.
* In Appendix 1-3, list the Principal Investigators, enter the number of Center personnel (researchers, research-support staff, andadministrative staff), and provide a diagram of the Center’s organizational management system.

In order to make prompt decisions, iCeMS has implemented a top-down decision-making process. The
Director is empowered with strong decision-making authority which is supported by the Executive
Board, which consists of the Director, Deputy Directors, PI Board Chair, Research Administrative Director,
and Deputy Research Administrative Director. In the PI Meeting, the decisions are shared with PIs andresearchers, while management tasks suggested by PIs are brainstormed and brushed up. iCeMS has set
up five committees comprised of PIs, RAD members, and administrative staff who devise improvement
plans and solutions to various problems: Facilities Management Committee, Outreach Committee,
Fundraising Committee, International Laboratories Steering Committee, and COVID-19 Task Force
Committee. This year, a sixth, the Diversity and Inclusion Committee was established to create a research
environment that is inclusive for a diverse group of researchers.

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4. Plan for Promoting the International Circulation of World’s Best Brains* Describe your policy and concrete plan for promoting the international circulation of the world’s best brains, which is an importantfunction of the WPI Academy.

4-1. Strategic Recruitment of Talented International Students and Young Researchers
The number of international students enrolled in Kyoto University's graduate schools has increased. To
continue this trend and secure top-tier students and researchers, iCeMS will pursue further strategic
recruitment activities in collaboration with the Division of Graduate Studies.
4-2. International Symposia Held for Brain Circulation
iCeMS actively hosts international research meetings both in Japan and abroad. Most are currently held
as hybrid on-site and online meetings to allow for both direct interaction and a diverse audience. This
provides a place not only for the young researchers of iCeMS to expand their career opportunities throughpresenting their work, but also for researchers from different disciplines to gather and exchange ideas toacquire new insights. iCeMS places special emphasis on the opportunities to hold international symposia
with the partner institutes of collaborative projects. Using new tools which promote virtual interaction such
as Gather and SpactialChat iCeMS is creating a new model of a symposium combining the advantages ofreal meetings and virtual ones.
4-3. iCeMS Retreats with Invited Overseas Prominent Researchers
iCeMS holds its annual retreats for the purpose of sharing on-going, unpublished multidisciplinary
research activities. iCeMS is planning to invite several overseas cutting-edge scientists to encourage iCeMS
young researchers.

5. Plan for Disseminating the WPI Program Achievements* Describe your policy and concrete plan for disseminating WPI center achievements both within the host institution and to otheruniversities, especially their experience and know-how accumulated on establishing top world research institute and advancing system
reforms.

5-1. Global Development through On-site Labs
iCeMS operates Kyoto University On-Site Labs in six locations around the world. These on-site labs willserve as a test bed for globalization of Kyoto University. In addition to joint research and equipment sharing,
the laboratories can serve as experimental hubs for student recruitment, graduate school admissions
testing, and donation fund acquisition. As a test bed, iCeMS collaborates with two university-wide divisions:the International Strategy Office (iSO-KU) and the Division of Graduate Studies.
5-2. Promotion of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I)
At iCeMS, the percentages of female and foreign faculty members are higher than the percentage offemale faculty members in natural science departments within the university and are closer to the situationin Western countries. In order to address the disparity in numbers as well as illuminating issues such as
unconscious bias, iCeMS will lead the university in raising DE&I to Western levels.
5-3. Cooperation with URA in Kyoto University
Kyoto University Research Administration Center (KURA) facilitates an environment where researchers
can concentrate on their research activities by supporting the planning and operation of research projects
and then working to return the benefits of research to society. The iCeMS RAD cooperates with KURA to
support grant applications by iCeMS PIs and also to share the RAD’s experience and knowledge with otherdepartments in the university. Moving forwards, several new initiatives by iCeMS such as the promotion ofinternal communication will be shared with KURA to suggest to other departments in Kyoto University.
5-4. Analysis Center
The iCeMS Analysis Center continues to serve as a core facility model for Kyoto University. The Materials
Analysis Unit and Bioanalysis Unit maintain facilities and cutting-edge analytical instruments both formaterials science and for cell biology and also offers workshops and hands-on training to researchers. The
center includes the “Zeiss-iCeMS Innovation Core”, where the development of new bio-imaging
techniques has been conducted in collaboration with Carl-Zeiss. The center’s Shared Equipment Support

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Unit manages shared use across Kyoto university. This center makes it possible for junior PIs to set up
their research environment without their own equipment. Through these initiatives, the center is expected
to function as a hub for domestic and overseas instrumental analysis in cell-material science.
5-5. Innovation through the Establishment of Start-ups
For the future development of iCeMS, it is necessary to give back to society through start-ups. The
Innovation Unit of the iCeMS RAD will test experimental methods in cooperation with the Office of Society
Academia Collaboration for Innovation (SACI) of Kyoto University.
5-6. Cooperation with Other WPI Centers
Since iCeMS covers a wide range of scientific fields, iCeMS has a high potential to promote collaboration
with researchers at other WPI centers. In addition to collaboration by individual researchers, iCeMS isplanning to have opportunities of joint symposia with other WPI centers.
Outreach activities will also be collaborative with other WPI centers. iCeMS regularly takes part in
exhibition booths at WPI Science Symposia. iCeMS also presents a booth at the European Materials
Research Society (E-MRS) conference to introduce the research environment in Japan and WPI to materials
scientists from all over the world.

6. Plan for Sustaining the WPI Brand* Describe your plan for sustaining and enhancing the WPI brand.

6-1. Research Administration Division
The iCeMS Research Administration Division (RAD) is responsible for promoting international brain
circulation, managing outreach activities, and fundraising. The RAD also plays a role in implementing
various new efforts to improve the environment for researchers and staff at the university. Successful
cases are to be recognized as the achievements of the WPI Academy and will be shared with other WPI
centers as well as other departments in Kyoto University.
6-2. Publication of Brochures and Newsletters
iCeMS publishes brochures with general information on the institute, and the newsletter "Our WorldYour Future" (two or three times a year), all in both English and Japanese, electronic and print media toreach high school students and the general public.
6-3. International and Domestic Dissemination of Research Results
iCeMS actively disseminates research results both domestically and internationally. Each press releaseis distributed along with an artistic and approachable illustration to represent the news. Using illustrations
increases the visibility of press releases on science press release portals such as Asia Research News andEurekAlert!, and web-based international news sites tend to share the story with the image provided withthe press release. An attractive image makes the news easier to be shared and featured.
6-4. Posting Information through Social Media
iCeMS makes frequent postings to its social media: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram. iCeMS’postings are viewed by many people and receive active responses. iCeMS is also utilizing social media toacquire research resources, such as the recruitment of young researchers, donations, and opportunities
for collaboration. To boost international recognition and recruitment, iCeMS manages a targeted website
and Twitter account to reach overseas young researchers and graduate students.
6-5. Activation of Fundraising
iCeMS actively accepts donations through the “iCeMS Fund”, one of the Project Support Funds of
Kyoto University, and through the “Yahoo! Internet Donations”, a website well-known in Japan. These
initiatives contribute to the increase in donations and the improvement of iCeMS visibility. Furthermore, tosystematically build opportunities for funding from partner companies and large donations from
benefactors, iCeMS has appointed an advisor to the director and has begun working with financial

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WPI-iCeMSinstitutions. From April 2021 to November 2022, iCeMS received approximately 130 million yen in large
donations and is now implementing a systematic approach to building and sustaining long-term
relationships with donors and further expanding donation channels.
6-6. Construction of Alumni Database
iCeMS is building a database of alumni who are currently, or were formerly, members of iCeMS. The
purpose is to centralize the iCeMS membership information and use it to expand donation and recruitment
opportunities. We have been working to establish a system for database management and personal
information protection, and we plan to begin exchanging of research resources with alumni.

7. Support by Host Institution* Describe measures that the host institution is and will take to support and sustain your Center.

7-1. Support Policy of Host Institution to Sustain the Center
To secure resources for operations and research activities of iCeMS, Kyoto University will continuously
implement the following measures:
1. As a necessary financial measure for iCeMS’ operation, the university will provide indirect costs
associated with competitive grants to iCeMS.
2. The university will provide 12 positions and expenses for principal investigators (PIs).
3. The university will provide 10 young researchers.
4. The university will provide 9 full-time positions and expenses to support the administrative part.
5. The university will offer a research environment of the highest quality, with a total area of about
11,000 square meters and fully-equipped facilities for exclusive use.
6. The university will support maintenance cost for large-scale facilities and equipment.
7-2. Operation of On-site Laboratories
The pursuit of “a flexible and dynamic approach to knowledge creation” is one component of Kyoto
University’s strategy as a Designated National University. As part of those efforts, the university isimplementing an initiative to establish locally-managed “On-site Laboratories” in cooperation with overseas
partner universities and research institutions. By the end of FY2021, Kyoto University has authorized atotal of eleven centers for this project. Six of these are run by researchers belonging to iCeMS (Smart
Materials Research Center, Kyoto University Shanghai Lab, Quantum Nano Medicine Research Center,
Center for Integrated Biosystems, Center for Integrated Data-Material Sciences, and Laboratory for Green
Porous Materials). Kyoto University will provide financial support for these On-site Laboratories
continuously through adoption processes in Kyoto University.

8. Resource Allocation Plan

* Describe your plans over a 5-year period for allocating resources acquired from the host institution (e.g., financial resources andpositions) and from external research funding to use in carrying out the Center’s functions and activities described above.
* In Appendix 4, enter concrete numbers in the Resource Allocation Plan.

8-1. Funding Support by Host Institution
Until FY2024, Kyoto University plans continuous support of more than 1.6 billion yen annually for iCeMS.
iCeMS is drawing a blueprint for self-reliance by increasing large-scale external funds acquired by iCeMS
active researchers, as the support from the university will be declining gradually.
8-2. Personnel Support by Host Institution
Kyoto University plans to maintain the current status of personnel support for five years from FY2020.

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Form 2WPI Academy Center
Form 2 FY 2023 List of Principal Investigators
NOTE:*Underline names of principal investigators who belong to an overseas research institution.
*Indicate newly added researchers in FY 2020 (2020.4.1-2021.3.31) in the “Notes” column.
*Enter the host institution name and the center name in the footer.

<Principal Investigators at the beginning of FY 2023>
Name

Age

Affiliation(Position title, department, organization)

Academic degree,
Specialty

Uesugi Motonari

56

Professor, Institute for Chemical Research,
Kyoto University

Ph.D.
Chemical Biology

Kitagawa Susumu

71

Kengaku Mineko

Principal Investigators Total: 24
Starting date ofparticipation

Status of participation(Describe in concrete terms)

50

Oct. 1, 2007

Director
Stays at the center more than 2working days a week

Distinguished Professor, Institute for
Ph.D.
Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, Institute Coordination
for Advanced Study, Kyoto University
Chemistry

60

Oct. 1, 2007

Usually stays at the center

56

Professor, Institute for Integrated CellMaterial Sciences, Institute for Advanced
Study, Kyoto University

Ph.D.
Developmental
Neurobiology

60

Oct. 1, 2008

Deputy Director
Usually stays at the center

Sivaniah Easan

51

Professor, Institute for Integrated CellMaterial Sciences, Institute for Advanced
Study, Kyoto University

Ph. D.
Physics

60

July 1, 2013

Usually stays at the centerSuzuki Jun

45

Professor, Institute for Integrated CellMaterial Sciences, Institute for Advanced
Study, Kyoto University

Ph.D.
MedicalBiochemistry, Cell
Membrane Biology

60

January 1, 2017

Deputy Director
Usually stays at the center

Fukazawa Aiko

43

Professor, Institute for Integrated CellMaterial Sciences, Institute for Advanced
Study, Kyoto University

Ph.D.
Organic Chemistry

60

November 1, 2018

Deputy Director
Usually stays at the center

Furukawa Shuhei

45Professor, Institute for Integrated CellMaterial Sciences, Institute for Advanced
Study, Kyoto University

Ph.D.
Chemistry of
Molecular
Assemblies

60

October 1, 2010

Usually stays at the center

Yuichi Taniguchi

44

Professor, Institute for Integrated CellMaterial Sciences, Institute for Advanced
Study, Kyoto University

Ph.D.
Biophysics, System
Biology60

October 1, 2020

Usually stays at the center

Tamanoi Fuyuhiko

75

Program-Specific Professor, Institute for
Ph.D.
Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, Institute Nanoparticles andfor Advanced Study, Kyoto University
Cancer Therapy

36

April 1, 2017

Cross-appointed with UCLA

Ueda Kazumitsu

69

Program-Specific Professor, Institute for
Ph.D.
Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, Institute Cellular Biofor Advanced Study, Kyoto University
chemistry

60

Oct. 1, 2007

Research Administrative Director
Usually stays at the center

Nakanishi Kazuki

62

Program-Specific Professor, Institute for
Ph.D.
Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, Institute Sol-Gel Science,
for Advanced Study, Kyoto University
Porous Materials

12

August. 1, 2019

Cross-appointed with Nagoya
University

Horike Satoshi

45

Associate Professor, Institute for Integrated
Ph.D.
Cell-Material Sciences, Institute forMaterials Chemistry
Advanced Study, Kyoto University

60

January 1, 2017

Usually stays at the center

Fujita Daishi

39

Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Institute for Integrated
Supramolecular
Cell-Material Sciences, Institute for
Chemistry, Chemical
Advanced Study, Kyoto University
Biology60

April 1, 2018

Usually stays at the center

Packwood Daniel Miles

37

Ph.D.
Junior Associate Professor, Institute forAppliedIntegrated Cell-Material Sciences, Institute Mathematics andfor Advanced Study, Kyoto University
Theoretical
Chemistry60

April 1, 2016

Usually stays at the center

Namasivayam Ganesh
Pandian43

Ph.D.
Junior Associate Professor, Institute for
Bio-inspired
Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, Institutetherapeutics,
for Advanced Study, Kyoto University
Epigenetics

60

October 1, 2010

Usually stays at the center

Kyoto University-1

Effort(%)*

Note

WPI-iCeMS

Form 2Name

Age

Affiliation(Position title, department, organization)

Academic degree,
Specialty

Effort(%)*

Starting date ofparticipation

Status of participation(Describe in concrete terms)

Imahori Hiroshi

61

Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, Ph.D.
Kyoto University
Organic Chemistry10

Tanaka Motomu

52

Professor, Center for Integrative Medicine Ph.D.
and Physics, Institute for Advanced Study, Medical Physics,
Kyoto University
Soft Matter Physics

Oct. 1, 2007

Adjunct PI

10Apr. 1, 2018

Adjunct PI

Tanaka Koichiro

60

Professor, Graduate School of Science,
Kyoto University

Ph.D.
Terahertz Optical
Science10Apr. 1, 2008

Adjunct PI

Mori Yasuo

63

M.D.
Professor, Graduate School of Engineering,
Ph.D.
Kyoto University
Molecular Biology

10

Apr. 1, 2017

Adjunct PI

49

Ph.D.
Artificial
Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, photosynthesis,
Kyoto University
Solar hydrogenproduction,
Photocatalysts

10Apr. 1, 2017

Adjunct PI

Kitagawa Hiroshi

61

Professor, Graduate School of Science,
Kyoto University

Ph.D.
Solid-state
Chemistry:
Electron-proton
Coupled System

10

May 1, 2017

Adjunct PI

Hamachi Itaru

62

Ph.D.
Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, Chemical Biology,
Kyoto University
Supramolecular
Biomaterials

10

May 1, 2017

Adjunct PI

Kageyama Hiroshi

53

Ph.D.
Professor, Graduate School of Engineering,
Solid-state
Kyoto University
Chemistry10

May 1, 2017

Adjunct PI

10

May 1, 2017

Adjunct PI

Abe Ryu

Matsuda Michiyuki

64

Professor, Graduate School of Biostudies,
Kyoto University

Ph.D.
Bio-imaging,
Visualization ofinter- and intracellular signaltransduction

Note*Percentage of time that the principal investigator devotes to his/her work for the Academy center vis-à-vis his/her total working hours.

Principal Investigators resigned since FY 2020

Name
Sugimura Kaoru
Hasegawa Koichi
Wang Dan Ohtan
Kageyama Ryoichiro
Sugimoto Kunihisa

Next Affiliation(Position title, department, organization)

Period of participation

Associate Professor, Graduate School of
Science, University of Tokyo

Apr. 1, 2011-Dec. 31, 2020

Apr. 17, 2011-July 31, 2020
Staff, StemRIM Inc.
Team Leader, Laboratory for
Neuroepitranscriptomics, RIKEN Center for May 1, 2011-Mar. 31, 2021
Biosystems Dynamics Research
Team Leader, Neural Stem Cell Research,
Feb. 2, 2013-Mar. 31, 2021
RIKEN Center for Brain Science
Professor, Graduate School of Science andJan 10, 2019-Mar. 31, 2022
Engineering, Kindai University

Sugiyama Hiroshi

Specially Appointed Professor, Institute forIntegrated Cell-Material Sciences, Institute Apr. 1, 2008-Mar. 31, 2022
for Advanced Study, Kyoto University

Kamei Kenichiro

Associate Professor, Programs of Biology
and Bioengineering, Divisions of Science
May 24, 2010-Jan. 31, 2023
and Engineering, New York University Abu
Dhabi

Carlton Peter

Associate Professor, Graduate School of
Biostudies, Kyoto University

Mar. 1, 2010-Mar. 31, 2023

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WPI-iCeMS

Appendix 3

Appendix 3

Diagram of Organizational Management System- Diagram separately the Center’s organizational management system and its position within the host institution in an easily
understood manner. If you are planning to change your organization management system and/or its position within the host institution inor after FY 2020 compared to their description in Appendix 3-1 of Activities report, show the changes in the diagram.

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Appendix 3

Kyoto University -2
WPI-iCeMS

New Vision
WPI-iCeMS Center Director Prof. UESUGI Motonari[Research]
Chemistry and biology are flagship areas of research at Kyoto University (KU). WPI-iCeMS takes
the lead in harmonizing these two fields, driven by faculty and students across the university.
Through the organic fusion of these fields, we are endeavoring to gain an understanding (theory)of the intracellular self-assemblies at the boundary of life and matter, while seeking to inspire
innovations (application) driven by functional self-assembled materials. Our aim is to more
explicitly clarify and realize WPI-iCeMS’s previous research goals.
－ Life is essentially made up of chemical substances; however, chemical substances are not life. The
question is at what stage do chemical substances manifest “lifelikeness.”－ WPI-iCeMS regards the “self-assembly of chemical substances” to lie at the core of the division
between chemicals and life.
－ Intracellular self-assemblies are what maintain life. They include membrane structures, nonmembrane organelles (liquid-liquid separation bodies), cell skeletons and chromatin.
－ WPI-iCeMS seeks to understand intracellular self-assemblies and to utilize this knowledge to tackle
global issues through the creation of innovative self-assembled materials.
－ Introduction of the concept of self-assembly has necessitated a significant shift in perspective
regarding both chemical and biological reactions. Computational sciences such as machine learning
can accelerate the pace of this research.
－ Toward achieving these goals, WPI-iCeMS brings together a team of researchers from both in andoutside the university, Japan and abroad, who are young and old, male and female, and whose work
is related to cell biology, materials science, chemical biology, synthetic chemistry, and computational
science. We aspire to achieve both diversity and focus.

Specific Research Projects
1. Understanding intracellular self-assemblies at the boundary of life and matter
Life is the ultimate example of self-assembly. WPI-iCeMS is working to gain a molecular-level
understanding of intracellular self-assemblies that control compartmentalization, informationtransfer, gene expression, and energy metabolism, and to lead the way in developing chemical toolsthat will enable this understanding.
2. Creating functional self-assembled materials inspired by intracellular self-assemblies
Chemists can gain inspiration from self-assemblies within cells. Impelled by such inspiration, WPIiCeMS is working to create novel functional materials and to use them in meeting the challenge offinding solutions to global issues. Examples of these materials include self-assembling
pharmaceuticals, self-assembling materials for purifying substances, self-assembling materials forenergy-storing, and materials that self-assemble to initiate chemical transformation of carbon
dioxide.
1

[System Reform and Globalization]
WPI-iCeMS is a test bed for Kyoto University, as such it leads the way in conducting proof-ofconcept experiments for university-wide planned reforms and next-generation researchlaboratories, the results of which are shared throughout the organization. Special emphasis isplaced on the following points.
－ Strategic Recruitment of Talented International Students and Young Researchers
The number of international students enrolled in Kyoto University's graduate schools has increased.
However, their quality is not sufficient when compared to international students in Europe and theUnited States. Through strategic recruitment initiatives, an effort is being made to secure top-tierinternational students and talented young researchers. In this effort, we are working with KU’s
Division of Graduate Studies.
－ Active Participation of Undergraduate Students in Research Activities
To raise the level of research at Kyoto University, it is important to foster a research mindset among
undergraduate students before they matriculate to graduate school. Working together with iUP,
measures are taken to receive not only Japanese but also international undergraduate students in
the research laboratories.
－ Global Development through On-site Labs
WPI-iCeMS operates Kyoto University’s On-Site Labs in six locations around the world. These onsite labs serve as a test bed for the globalization of Kyoto University. In addition to joint research andequipment sharing, these labs serve as experimental hubs for student recruitment, graduate school
admissions testing, and local fundraising. In operating these labs, WPI-iCeMS collaborates with two
university-wide divisions: the International Strategy Office (iSO-KU) and the Division of Graduate
Studies.
－ Operation of Core Facilities
Core facilities, which efficiently share, maintain and manage cutting-edge research equipment, areoperated in a manner similar to those in Europe and the United States.
－ Innovation through the Establishment of Start-ups
For the future development of WPI-iCeMS, it is necessary to give back to society through start-ups.
The Innovation Unit of the Research Administration Division (RAD) of iCeMS tests experimental
methods in cooperation with KU’s Office of Society Academia Collaboration for Innovation (SACI).
－ Efficient FundraisingWith a clear focus on objectives, iCeMS RAD explores efficient ways of fundraising through targeted
publicity campaigns and analysis of donors’ decisions and purposes.
－ Optimization of Internal Communication
It is known that organizations that optimize internal communication have higher levels of efficiency,
compliance and satisfaction, and lower levels of risks and turnovers. New initiatives are being taken,
such as leveraging mobile technology, to optimize internal communication within WPI-iCeMS.
－ Interdisciplinary Collaborative Research
2The kind of internal communication that spawns interdisciplinary collaborative research involves
identifying and studying successful patterns of interdisciplinary joint research and then verifying theirresults through experimentation.
－ Promotion of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I)
At WPI-iCeMS, the percentages of female and foreign faculty members are about 20% each, which
is higher than the percentage of female faculty members in KU’s natural science departments (9.5%),and closer to the level in Western countries. To address the disparity in these numbers as well as
illuminate issues such as unconscious bias, WPI-iCeMS leads the university in raising DE&I to higher
Western levels.

3