Akira Nakamura
Director, IMEG, Kumamoto University
My name is Akira Nakamura from the Department of Germline Development, the Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG) at Kumamoto University, and I have been appointed Director of this institute. I will do my best to contribute to the development of this institute.
IMEG has been actively operating the MEXT-sponsored program of the Joint Usage/Research Center for Developmental Medicine and performing as a center for collaborative research and utilization. We have supported mass spectrometry, FACS, next-generation sequencing analysis, etc. We have also started to support single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) analysis. These activities are made possible by the tireless efforts of the members of LILA (Liaison Laboratory Research Promotion Center), a research promotion facility. We will continue to work with LILA staff to improve our technology so that we can support cutting-edge techniques for both IMEG members and collaborators.
IMEG has actively promoted overseas exchanges. Under the leadership of the former Director Hitoshi Niwa, the IMEG Seminar Series by Overseas Researchers (a series of online seminars by overseas researchers) was launched. These seminars are also available to members of related academic societies and members of the National Institute for Basic Biology, with whom we have cooperation agreements. IMEG also sponsors NGS roundtable discussions to share information on the latest technologies and trends in next-generation sequencing, as well as information exchange meetings to deepen interactions among researchers around IMEG. In addition, we have held an international symposium series (Key Forum) and co-sponsored various research meetings. By continuing to promote these activities, we will strongly promote “fostering an atmosphere in which researchers can freely interact with each other,” which has been one of the goals of the institute. IMEG aims to become a hub that strongly promotes research exchange, not only domestically but also internationally.
In order to become such a research hub, it is necessary for IMEG to constantly disseminate research achievements that attract attention from all over the world. To this end, each researcher must promote research based on his or her original ideas. IMEG has promoted a system of hiring young researchers as independent associate professors (PIs). They have all achieved great results and have already been promoted to professorships at IMEG or have been promoted to professorships at other universities. We will continue to actively recruit exciting researchers and maintain a free research environment that allows for open discussions so that we can actively nurture the seeds of new research. We will also work with the university’s URA to improve the institute’s public relations. We also want to promote the “visualization” of the institute to researchers and students outside the institute.
In addition, life science research is now moving away from basic research on model organisms and toward the direct use of humans as research subjects. At the Institute, we will build a research system that will create new research in response to this major turning point.
We would appreciate the understanding and support of everyone outside the Institute.
April 2024
Past Director’s Messages
Hitoshi Niwa (Apr 2020 – Mar 2024)
Director message (Apr 2020)
Ryuichi Nishinakamura (Apr 2016 – Mar 2020)
New Fiscal Year’s Greeting -One Year After the Earthquake(Apr 14, 2017)
Six Months After the Earthquake (Oct 14, 2016)
Three Months After the Earthquake (Jul 14, 2016)
On the way to restoration (May 2, 2016)
Eleventh day after the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake (Apr 25, 2016)
To all IMEG members and supporters (Apr 19, 2016)
Be smart. Stay foolish. (Apr 4, 2016)
