つくば機能植物イノベーション研究センター
Tsukuba-Plant Innovation Research Center

Tsukuba-Plant Innovation Research Center（ T-PIRC）
つくば 機 能 植 物イノベーション研 究センター

Research Objectives
The University of Tsukuba has launched the Tsukuba-Plant Innovation Research Center (T-PIRC) in April, 2017. To address global issues on sustainable foodand energy solutions, the center aims at supporting research and development on “food-security” and “eco-security”, and at accelerating the process of its industrial applications, working together with domestic and international private and public sector. T-PIRC is composed of a center (including Joint Usage/ResearchCenter, as a ‘Plant Transgenic Design Initiative (PTraD) ’ appointed by MEXT), four divisions, and two units. By integrating these research units, we develop a“one-stop shop” for plant biotechnology and bioresource use/reuse covering basic and applied gene research to the industrial application, which will contributeto a sustainable society. In addition, the outcome of cutting-edge research activities for industrial applications is expected to contribute to human resource
development.
For the further development of plant biotechnology, we will continue to increase our effort to build an important global base for research and development onplant biotechnology and bioresource use/reuse and its industrial applications. We would appreciate your continued support and encouragement.
1st April, 2017 Director of the Tsukuba-Plant Innovation Center, Tsukuba University
Gene Research Center:

Informatics Division:

The center explores and fosters research seeds that would lead to develop highly
functional and highly value-added plants.

Handling big data for integrative uses and analyzing omics data offered by otherdivisions. It accumulates and fosters new knowledge in the field of plant sciences. It
promotes research that would lead to innovate new research fields.

Plant Transgenic Design (PTraD) Initiative:

Collaborative Research Division:

It is composed of six research group concerned with issues regarding from basic researchon designing transgenic plants to transmission of information related to the plantbiotechnology.

It works together with domestic and international private and public sector on researchand development. It will bring innovation in the plant and agricultural sciences formaterializing industrial uses.

Smart and Sustainable Agriculture Research Division:

Corporate Social Partnership Unit:

It promotes research on the development, production, and distribution of agricultural
products using the latest technology to fulfill sustainable agriculture.

It carries out public awareness and social partnership linkage. It also supports humanresources development programs in cooperation with other divisions. Its duties include
the publicity concerning the T-PIRC’s research progress, the promotion of regional
cooperation and the implementation of regional contribution activities.

Genetic Resources and International Collaborative Research Division:

Research and Education Support Unit:

It receives commissions both from inside and outside the country. It is engaged inconservation and analysis of plant genetic resources. Making use of the findings atT-PIRC, it facilitates international collaborative research in cooperation with otherdivisions and partner organizations in Japan.

It handles maintenance on each research base and equipment, and supports theresearch and educational activities of T-PIRC. It coordinates technical staffs andallocates research tasks to them.

Organization and management
T-PIRC Management Committee
T-PIRC Management Council

It consists of the Chairperson ( Director ) , Vice-Director,
the Director of Gene Research Center, Research Division Director, Unit Director
Staff designated by Director, Staff recommended by Research Division Director.
Director, Vice Director, the Director of Gene Research Center,Research Division Director, Unit Director, and an external committee

T-PIRC Staff Members

Director, Professor ( 16people ) , Associate professor ( 11people ) , Lecturer ( 1person ) ,Assistant Professor ( 13people ) , Administrative technical staff ( 19people ) ( As of October, 2017 )Research and education[ Joint usage staff ] Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences,
Faculty of Human Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, etc.
[ Student in doctoral courses ] Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences,
Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences, etc.
[ Students in master’s courses ] Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences,
Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, Master’s Program in Education, etc.
[ Undergraduate Students ] College of Biological Sciences, College of Agro-Biological Resource Sciences, etc.

Director of T-PIRC

Hiroshi Ezura, 2017〜-2-

Information dissemination, outreach activities, etc.
Public open the days, extension courses, etc.
“Supporting Summer Vacation
Research Projects”
For middle and high school students“Let’s actually see geneticallymodified plants!”(Science & Technology Week (April))
For general public + school“Agricaltural Education”

Support for the attached schools(Science & Technology Week (April))
For elementary and middle school students(Visiting research laboratories, training at farms, etc.)

For general public + school
Extension course: Frontier of the studies
on plant genetic resources

Bio e Café

~From breeding to studies on plant molecular design~(Science Café for Life and Environmental Sciences)Training teachers
Teacher’s license renewal course

Experimental education workshop

Technology workshop for agriculture

Popularization of“gene recombination experiments for educational purposes”

Council of University farms
in the Kanto and Koshinetsu regions

Supporting technical staff for partner colleges
Education for overseas and international students
Management of genetic resources

Education for international students
Introduction of Japanese food culture
by making Japanese soba

Bio-safety education overseas-3-Gene Research Center
Research progress
Salt-tolerant transgenic Eucalyptus ( left ) and potato ( right )Non-transgenic eucalyptus

Transgenic eucalyptus

Genome-edited morning glory ( left ) and tomato ( right )Isolated fields

Tomato varieties selected via the National BioResource Project

Cultivation / growth room

Special netted-house

Fruit size

Fruit color

Fruit shape

Flower shape

Inflorescence shape

Ramification

Leaf surface

Leaf shape

Collaboration
National Institute of Agricultural
Research of France – INRA-Bordeaux

National Genetic
Resources Center of Mexico

Our center has the transformation technique for various plant species and thepractical know-how for legal cultivation of living modified plants, and holds many
cultivation facilities such as cultivation/growth room (P1P level), special-netted
house and isolated field. These technique and facilities are open for all community
members of plant science in Japan. These facilities will be expanded and utilizedfor the grobal community.

Main projects funded by external funds
National BioResource Project ( NBRP )Development of base centered on tomato cultivation

Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program ( SIP )“Technologies for Creating next-Generation Agriculture,Forestry and Fisheries”

NBRP-Tomato is one of national bioresource projects which aim to collect, preserve and provide
bio-resources (animal, plants and other living materials) for promoting life science research supported byMEXT. The Gene Research Center plays a crucial role in contributing tomato bioresource.

We are developing high-functional and high-quality crops especially in tomato and melon of commercial
varieties by applying genome editing techniques. We are also accumulating knowledge scientific analysis andsocial-scientific study for social-implementation of genome editing techniques.

French-Japanese Joint Laboratory ( TIL )Science and Technology Research Partnershipfor Sustainable Development ( SATREPS )We established University of Tsukuba-INRA Joint Laboratory (TIL) with French National Agricultural
Research Institute (INRA) Bordeaux center in 2008 to promote research collaborations in plant sciencefield, especially in tomato genomics. Through this flame-work, we promote students and faculty staff
exchange and to development of human resources contributing to international research cooperation.

The project is named Diversity Assessment and Development of Sustainable Use of Mexican Genetic
Resources: Bringing Stability to World Food Supplies with Japanese Technology and Mexican Resources.

-4-Plant Transgenic Design Initiative
Since 2010, the Gene Research Center has initiated activities in a Joint Usage /Research Center targeted for Japan as a “Plant Transgenic Design Initiative(PTraD)” in order to advance existing knowledge by promoting collaborative research and education. The center authorized by the Ministry of Education,Culture, Sports, Science and Technology（MEXT）has been established to promote academic research on plant genes and to facilitate collaborative researchamong researchers in the related field in Japan. This center will become one of the global core institute for research on plant sciences and biotechnologies.

Research Objectives
Foundation(1) Basic Technology Researches Group

Identify useful genes related to morphologic control, environmental responses and metabolism in plants(2) Experimetal Plant Bioresource Group

Preservation of experimental strains of Solanaceous species (tomato, potato and tobacco), and international collaborationfor establishing the preservation system and researches activities on classification and utilization of the plant bioresources

Application(3) Transformation Technology Researches Group

Collaborative researches concerning the development of transformation procedureand development of selection technology of transfectants(4) Transgenic Plant Cultivation Technology Researches Group

Collaborative researches concerning the development of cultivation technology for transgenic
and nontrans genic plants using the special netted-houses and the isolated fields under simulated environmental conditions

Sciencecommunication(5) Environmental Risk Assessment and Management Researches Group

Collaborative researches concerning the establishment of assessment concept and of management method of transgenic plants(6) Information Transmission Technology Researches Group

Collaborative researches concerning the development of information transmission technology for researchon transgenic plants, biosafety issues of genetically modified (GM) crops, and education for science literacy

Collaborative researches and its outcomes

Research regarding environmental
stress response

Interaction of legume root andnodule bacteria

Protein expression system in plants

Tomato resource

Analysis of important traits in crop plants

Transformation method development

Cultivation trial in the specificnetted-house

Cultivation trial in the isolation field

Field research for biodivesity impact

Development ofstress tolerance assessment method

We have been holding lively discussions providing opinions and requests regarding directionality ofshared use and cooperative hub activities while promoting interactive exchange within theresearchers’ communities.
Genetically modified cyclamen(Multi-pedal cyclamen)

Development of scientific
literacy educational materials-5-Smart and sustainable Agriculture Research Division
Smart and Sustainable Agriculture Research Division develops researches to support food security and ecosecurity, and also conducts agricultural research byusing research field for industrialization support researches. In this division, we use the latest technologies for agriculture, such as employment of robots, IT, andelectronics for agricultural production and plant factories. Furthermore, we also develop researches for conservation of biological resources and diversity,diversification of resource usage, and functional improvement of bioresources for smart and sustainable agriculture. We also aim to integrate our research withthe field of ecology, environmental sciences, and business administration.

Development of greenhouse equipped with AI and robots
In order to develop advanced cultivation technology that enhances both quality and productivity ofvegetables and flowers, we are working on the development of a labor-saving AI system – which
incorporates robots and AI technology – that can be applied to a wide variety of vegetables.

Research and development of high-performance cereal varieties
We are currently working on the development of high-yield varieties of buckwheat by using genomic
selection; and also working on the development of high-performance buckwheat and hypoallergenicvarieties.

Precision agriculture by implementation of electronicallyconnected vehicles
We will provide support for implementation of precision agriculture technologies, which includes VR andAR technologies, use of electronically connected vehicles, and automatic collection of management
information regarding harvest, irrigation and soil nutrition conditions.

Animal life science

Production environment and agriculture

Based on animal husbandry, we are developing
technology in order to elucidate life
phenomena in animals and apply it to theindustry.

Based on the academic framework centered on
agricultural sciences such as agronomics,
horticulture and thremmatology, we areconducting basic and applied research for smart
and sustainable agriculture.

Agricultural engineering

Boundary agriculture

We are developing technologies of agricultural
machinery, and informatization through theuse of robots, IT and UAV, for precision
agriculture.

We are conducting a highly novel researchwhich has the farm as its focus and links
entomology and landscape science to ecology,
soil science and environmental studies.

-6-

Introduction of Departments
Genetic Resources and International
Collaborative Research Division

Collaborative Research Division

Based on the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol, we
collect, preserve, and provide various genetic resources and support to accessgenetic resources oversea (upon consultation) under SATREPS and NBRP.
Through SATREPS, the division acquired the nation’s first approval on accessto chayote, a botanical resource, under the Nagoya Protocol. Through NBRP,
the division preserves a total of 16,600-mutation population of tomato
Micro-Tom and distributes these mutants as a tomato bioresource hub.

In order to share research/technology seeds with society, the division is working
on issues requiring multifaceted research and development activities forcommercialization, such as the development of plant-based biomaterial
production technology beneficial to human health, the development of a smart
production system for high-value added vegetables, etc., in collaboration with
relevant organizations and private companies inside and outside Japan.

Corporate Social Partnership Unit
The center promotes following outreach activities i) training courses ofRecombinant DNA experiment / teacher’s license renewal for school teachers,ii) delivery lectures / seminars for citizens, iii) bio-safety training course inoverseas, iv) acceptance of visitors etc. This unit supports establishment ofcooperative relationship between the local community through publicity ofactivities.

Integrated Omics Analysis Division
The division is mainly specialized in metabolomics analysis using high-performance
spectrometers. Through the integration of omic analysis and bioinformatics, thedivision aims to uncover key factors responsible for metabolic regulations
contributing for growth and metabolite production for human health in plants.
As applied science, the division is revealing useful metabolites involved in thetastes and flavors of utility plants and foods. Also, the division designs
separation and analytical methods for chemical compounds on demand.

Research and Education Support Unit
The unit consists of faculty staff of crop, horticulture, animal husbandry andgene research center. It supports research and education in T-PIRC.

Education and field practiceSpecialized Field Practice Ⅳ(Faculty’s Common Subjects)

Field Studies inBioresource Science

Biological Material
Processing Practice‘Trans-ASEAN Global Agenda Education Program’and ‘Trans-ASEAN Global Agenda Human Resource
Development Program’ for foreign student

This class catches up on the outline of agricultural andforestry production by field practice.

Understanding the fundamentals of wood processing
and acquisition of basic techniques

Field Practices inAgricultural Production Systems

Biological Machine
Engineering PracticeField Practices inBioresource Production

Specialized practice related to the production of plant
and animal resources

Learning about the agricultural machinery in generaland understanding the importance of machines inbiological production

This class increase the understandings and acquire thetheory and technology systematically on agricultural
production across understand by field practice-7-

For Tsukuba Mt.

Access Map
T-PIRC Farm

Gakuen Higashi Odori

IchinoyaGakusei
Shukusha

T-PIRC FarmFu

jisIndustry-University
Collaboration Zone

1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan
TEL:029-853-2541 FAX:029-853-6205
E-mail:center-jimu@nourin.tsukuba.ac.jp

awaTo

yosatoSenDaitsubo Iriguchi

Gene Research Center

国立公文書館
つくば分館

至筑波山

Gene Research Center

University ofTsukuba
Center筑波北部
高エネルギー
工業団地Tsukuba City, Ibaraki, 305-8572, Japan
1-1-1 Tennoudai,
加速器研究機構
TEL:029-853-6006 FAX:029-853-7723
E-mail:webmaster@gene.tsukuba.ac.jp

Administration Center
至日立

つくばテクノパーク
大穂

University Information
Center at Chuo-guchi
教員研修センター

Gakuen Hiratsuka● Public Works
Research Institute

GakuenHiratsuka St

Nishi Hiratsuka

Universityof Tsukuba

Sen125● National Institute for Materials Science

Park Toyosato

Shibasaki

For Mito
Tsuchiura-kita I.C.

Park SakuraShibasaki● Tsukuba University of Technology
Faculty of Industrial Technology●National Museum of Nature and Science

Tsukuba University of Technology ●Faculty of Health Science

For MitoGakuen Nishi

ExpresMidorino Sta.

松見口

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JAXA Tsukuba Space Center●Tsukuba JCT.

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Kenkyu-gakuen Sta.

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Tsukuba
City Hall

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