The characteristic of the graphite in a pencil – its softness – allows us to draw on paper with this opaque, black substance. A diamond, on the other hand, is transparent and unbreakably hard. Their characteristics and purposes are polar opposites. But looked at from a different perspective, these two materials are exactly the same. All that makes them appear different is the way that the carbon atoms from which they are constructed are arranged.

 

So how do two materials made from the same base element come to have such different characteristics? The answer lies in how the carbon atoms are connected. In other words, by changing the way that molecules are constructed, we can dramatically change their characteristics and functions, unlocking their ability to change the world around us.

 

The Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM) is an international research center founded in 2012 as part of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI).

 

Since ITbM’s inception, with the cooperative power of chemists to give molecules their capabilities, biologists to discover how to apply them, and theoreticians to analyze and calculate their power, we have broken down the walls dividing the scientific disciplines and produced numerous successes.

 

As we continue to face the challenge of creating chemical processes and molecules that will have a positive impact on society, we must educate the next generation of researchers in a way that fosters this inter-disciplinary thinking.

 

Through our fund, the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules Support Program, founded in 2017, we pledge to use your donation to support researchers who have the ability and attitude to help change our society for the better.

 

We are very grateful for whatever you are able to give.

 

Takashi Yoshimura

Director, ITbM

Whether you are donating as an individual or on behalf of an organization, we are delighted to receive whatever amount you are able to give. A small gift can become part of a life-changing piece of research.

If you wish, you may also make a regular donation, for example ¥1000 per month.

Striga, a parasitic plant, causes around 1 trillion yen (around 9 billion US dollars) worth of damage to African agriculture every year. ITbM is developing molecules to tackle this key plant science issue, along with molecules to control stomata, the openings on a plant’s surface which control the intake of CO2. Elsewhere in biology, we are developing molecules to manage the body clock, which has the power to treat a variety of diseases including depression and cancers. In chemistry, we are working on the continuing scientific challenges presented by carbon nanobelts, and on extended fluorescent imaging, which is essential for the analysis of molecular function. We believe that these projects will contribute to solving the most pressing issues in modern society, such as food supply and environmental pollution. Over 100 of our research papers have been published in Science, Nature and related publications.

If you want to know more about ITbM, check out the following links

Nagoya University ITbM Donations Office

Tel: +81-(0)52-747-6901 (weekday 9:00 - 17:00)

E-mail: kikin@itbm.nagoya-u.ac.jp

Website: www.itbm.nagoya-u.ac.jp/