Budapest Science Forum (November 8-10， 2003)Session on Knowledge and Science

 

New Situations in Science：Research Fields, Disciplines,

Integration and Internationalization

 Masao Ito

RIKEN Brain Science Institute 

　

1 ）　 Life, information ， nanotechology and environment as 　 common priority fields with social impact across physics, chemistry, engineering, biology and medicine.

New Situations in Science Research

2）　 Borders of traditional disciplines have faded out and close interdisciplinary interactions have become essential for any major disciplines.

3）　While science has been dominated by the analytical approach, dominance is shifting toward integration of elements to complex systems.

4）　Whereas scientific research is increasingly bound to national interest, the importance of internationalization

is increasing.

Strategic Research Institutes

• Frontier Research Program 　 1986-• Brain Science Institute 　 1997-• SPring’8 　 1997-• Genomic Science 　 1998-• Developmental Biology 　 2000-• BioResources 2000-• Plant Science 2000-• SNP 2000-• Allergy and Immunology 2001-

Traditional RIKEN Laboratories　 1917-

　　 Discovery Research InstitutePhysics， Chemistry， Engineering， Biology，

Medicine New RIKEN Centers

Brain Science

Knowledge

Understanding the brain

BrainMechanisms

Patients

Aged persons

Protecting the brain

DiseasesAging

Education Childcare

Nurturing the brain

Develop. Neurobiol.Critical period

Dev ． Disorders

Brain-like computer

Humanoid robot

Creating the brain

Automatedvehicles

Bipedal robotPet robot

Brain Science

　　　　　　　　

RIKEN Brain Science Institute (1997-)

Laboratories 46 　

　　　　 Researchers 270 Technical staff 150

Foreign members 80

BSI

East B.Central B.West B.

Organization of RIKEN BSI

Research ReviewCommittee

Advisory Council

Search Committee

Institutional Review Board

Understanding the Brain

Protecting the Brain

Creating the Brain

Advanced Technology

Development Group (ATDG)

Information Center

Brain Science Promotion Division

Nurturing the BrainResearch Resources Center

53

113

173

207

243264

60

27

4

8

3

34

24

13

7

8 5

1714

12

8

6 12

30

11

6

23

8

3

12

3

9

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Press Releases(Japanese)

Books, Book Contributions

　　　 Trend Journals

High IP journals (originals)

　　 Journals (originals)

publication

1013

21

38

58

64 4 5 6 6

35

76

70

169

0

20

40

60

80

100

180

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

120

140

160Patent

ApplicationsPatent LicensingMaterial Transfer(international)Material Transfer(domestic)

Nationality of BSI Researchers

17(As of November 1, 2002)

10%Italy, Greece, Poland, Thai, Czech,Romania, Ukraine, Cyprus

Australia 2%

Canada5% Korea 6%

Russia 9%

U.K.

France 5%Germany 7%

Iran 4%

China 14%

U.S.A. 11%

India 4%

Other10%

Netherland 4%

Armenia 2%Vietnam 2%

Slovakia 2%

Bulgaria 4%

Malaysia 2%

7%

Merger of disciplines at greater scales

　

Educational systems and lifestyle of researchers should change

Computer/information

Science andMathematics

Engineering

Chemistry

PhysicsBioscience

Neuron and gliamolecules

Mind and Behavior

Analysis Reduction

SynthesisIntegration

Neural systemNeuronal circuit

Brain

From Reduction to Integration

Best in the World 　 International 　　 Flexible G ｌ obal network Collaboration with industry

Transdisciplinary

Integrative

Bioscience

Okinawa Istitute of 　Science and Technology (OIST)

Faculty members　 300　Post-docs 900-1500　Technical and administrative staff　 1000Graduate students　 500

More than one half from abroad

　2003　 OIST Research Funding Program2005　 Opening of the Institute2007　 Opening of the graduate course　　

Okinawa Istitute of 　Science and Technology (OIST)

How to implement new concepts

• Common targets of social interest• Borderless merger of disciplines• Integration• Internationalization

　 Revolutionary new educational　　 and research systems　Model systems for restructuring of　　 traditional systems

HFSPRIKENOIST