Advanced Research Projects

Following research projects were supported for 5 years since 2003 as the significant projects out of 17 leading-edge programs in Kumamoto University. The new programs are now under screening process in Kumamoto University.

Cultural and Social Sciences

Project Leader	Program Title	Overview of the Program
YOSHIMURA Toyoo, Faculty of Letters	World Cultural Resources Collection and Construction of Historical Cultural Resources Study	This research project was launched to screen accumulated worldwide and local resources, and particularly the eiseibunko, or Hosokawa Manuscript collection, which is preserved at Kumamoto University and is the largest collection of primary source materials on the administration of the Hosokawa government. The materials will be reviewed through systematic discussion in the various fields of Humanities, including Historical Science, Archaeology, Folklore, Linguistics, and Japanese Literature, to organize the collections as a research resource in the field of Japanese Studies.
YOSHIDA Isamu , Faculty of Law	The Building of the Judicial System and ADR Responsive to the Legalization of Japanese Society	Japanese Society has been increasingly legalized over the last forty years. This legalization requires the reconstruction of the justice system and ADR in order to bridge the gap between the justice system and civil society in contemporary Japan. The Purpose of this Study is to try to reconstruct the Japanese justice system and improve ADR responsiveness to the legalization of Japanese society.
ITO Hironori, Faculty of Law	Principle and Policies of Post-Modern Society	This program focuses on local democracy and local community. Local democracy is currently facing a fundamental contradiction, and moving far from the ideal image illustrated by the famous French thinker deTocqueville. We understand that contradictions arise from a collision between political and economic dimensions which presents a critical obstacle to local democracy. We are searching for ways to overcome the contradiction and present new directions for local democracy.

Natural Sciences

Project Leader	Program Title	Overview of the Program
TANIGUCHI Isao, Graduate School of Science and Technology	New Frontier: Nanospace Electrochemistry	The project aims to open new fields in nanoscience and technology to develop electrochemical nanosize devices such as sensors, batteries and catalytic electrodes for reactors. The research includes fabrication of ordered surfaces at the atomic/molecular level, study on functions of nanospaces in the structures of molecules and materials, synthesis of nanosize and nanoengineered materials, and more. Education is also carried out through a monthly group meeting with invited globallyrenowned scientists.
ABE Shinichi, Graduate School of Science and Technology	Establishment of a Core Re-search Group for Assessment of Pollutants in the Hydropheric Envi-ronment	Remarkable advances in environmental science are needed to establish a sustainable and recycling-based society on a global scale. To contribute to advances in this scientific field, to the creation of new environmental industries and to the education of top tier students with creative minds and far-reaching perspectives, we intend to establish a core research group for the assessment of environmental water pollutants, which are of immediate concern particularly in the Kumamoto area.
SATONAKA Shinobu, Graduate School of Science and Technology	Project for Development and Processing of Advanced Magnesium Alloys	Based on the high performance magnesium alloys developed in Kumamoto University, we investigate the material design of new magnesium alloys and their processing, including casting, metallurgical and mechanical evaluation, cutting, forming, welding, inspection and recycling of materials. Research activities include joint researches with private companies, research institutes and universities in the domestic and Asian areas countries. This project is expected to be a research center for the development and application of new magnesium alloys.
KUBOTA Hiroshi, Shock Wave and Con-densed Matter Research Center	COE toward the Ul-tra-Large-Scale Integrated and Knowledge Based IT-Industry	The next generation of semiconductor production requires the reduction of mask costs and speed in delivering complete masks. To offer solutions to difficult market needs (for instance, the mixture of digital and analog circuits), frequent trials of circuit correction under design alternation would let the mask reproduce in a short time, referred to as quick-turn-around-time (QTAT). We are introducing and realizing the newly developed computer aided lithography called reticle-free lithography and a nano-probing testing system for QTAT semiconductor production. The character of QTAT has been also been proven in application to academic experiments on chip construction.
YOSHIASA Akira, Graduate School of Science and Technology	The Properties of Con-densed Matter under Extreme Conditions and their Detailed Atomic Level Structural Analyses	Experimental and simulation studies are put into close contact to investigate the structure of the melts, amor-phous and crystals materials under extreme conditions. The experiments are performed in-situ, by using world’s top level equipments such as Spring-8 synchrotron facilities. The project aims the construction of the theory that links the nanometer-level structure and the macroscopic properties, the visualization of the electronic structure by simulation, and the textures and history in multi element and multi phases such as the Earth’s interior.

Life Sciences

Project Leader	Program Title	Overview of the Program
YAMAMURA Ken-ichi, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics	Application of Genetically Engineered Mice for Intrac-table Disease Medicine	Over the past 5 years, we have operated a COE pro-gram called “The Application of Genetically Engineered Mice to Intractable Disease Medicine”. We aimed to (1) produce transgenic mouse models for human diseases, (2) analyze the pathophysiology of disease development, and (3) devise new methods of treatment for animal models and human patients. To accomplish these goals, we divided members into 4 groups, the FAP group, dystrophy group, cancer group, and mouse group. So far, we have produced mouse models such as TtrhTTR, TtrhTTRV30M, Spink3tm1, Tg(Aurka), and Rad18tm1. These mice were suc-cessfully used for analyses of the pathophysiology of disease development.
TAKEYA Motohiro, Faculty of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences	Therapeutic strategies for vascular diseases based on bioradical control	Bioradical stress induces serious vascular diseases and various metabolic disorders, including diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, hypertension and metabolic syndrome. The aim of our project is to illuminate the deeply hidden mechanism of vascular injury and to develop new therapeutic strategies to prevent metabolic vascular insults.
ARAKI Norie, Faculty of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences	Development of a Research and Educational System for Proteomics, a New Field of Bioscience in the Post-Genomic Era	In our project, we intend to establish an advanced research and educational system for proteomics, the most important bioscientific field in the post-genomic era. With the completion of the advanced research lab in the new facility of the medical campus, equipped with the latest analysis instruments, such as multi-type, high-throughput tandem mass spectrometers, advanced bioinformatics software and large data-bases, it is now possible to conduct innovative medical research backed by the world-class knowledge and the technologies of proteomics. Unique lectures and seminars on proteomics have been attracting the attention of students and young scientists alike. Our project has successfully introduced the most advanced system for proteomics research and education to Kumamoto University. Presently, unique research projects that seek new findings that are useful for drug discovery are being promoted with the collaboration of researchers from several fields.
OTAGIRI Masaki, Faculty of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences	"Made in Kumamoto Univer-sity" - initiating ground-breaking drug discovery research	We carry out collaborative research with the intent to develop new treatments such as anti-inflammatory drugs without side effects, drugs for dysuria, anticancer drugs, and artificial blood, and to establish the foundation for a drug discovery research center.

Interdisciplinary, Combined Fields, New Disciplines

Project Leader	Program Title	Overview of the Program
UEDA Atsushi, Faculty of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences	Study of the Development and Management of Action Models for the Creation of Healthy, Sustainable and Symbiotic Communities Based on Health Promotion	Based on health promotion as proposed by the WHO, we seek to create healthy, sustainable and symbiotic communites by organizing working groups of multidisciplinary research professionals in the social sciences, technical sciences and medical and pharmaceutical sciences. Our project activities will eventually lead to a multidisciplinary post graduate educational system in our university.
TAKAHASHI Takao, Graduate School of Social and Cultural Sciences	Modern Societal Research Focusing on Bioethics	Research into the structures, causes, and solutions of various, and particularly Bioethical, Problems of Current Society.