Yokohama City University

The objective of this project is to create a research center where the search for biomarkers, therapeutic drug targets, and functional foods can be performed through collaboration with and among companies and by using sophisticated proteomic techniques, thus bolstering global competitiveness of both the economy and industry based on resulting research achievements.

This project is comprised of two major groups. One group develops infrastructure technology and the other develops diagnostic and therapeutic techniques as well as functional foods and cosmetics using output from the infrastructure technology group.

Medical ProteoScope Co.,Ltd. is currently systematizing elemental analysis techniques and developing a proteomic technique which can comprehensively analyze posttranslationally modified proteins in large scale. CellFree Sciences Co.,Ltd. is developing the wheat germ cell-free protein synthesis technology that makes it possible to produce a broad range of difficult-to-express proteins for protein research and antibody production.

Using these proteomic techniques, FUJIFILM Corporation, Eisai Co., Ltd. TOYAMA CHEMICAL CO., LTD. Tosoh Corporation, and SEKISUI MEDICAL CO., LTD. are studying diseaseassociated proteins with the goal to develop novel diagnostic and therapeutic technology in collaboration with Yokohama City University, and Lion Corporation and FANCL CORPORATION are investigating proteins related to functional foods and cosmetics. Technical problems, which might appear during these studies, are to be solved by the infrastructure development group.

Collaboration within a team and among teams is encouraged. This is essential for establishment and goals of the research center.