Kanazawa University (KU)
金沢大学

Japan

Established nearly seven decades ago but with roots stretching back over a century and a half, Kanazawa University has a proud tradition of contributing to the development of Japan and the world. Only two and a half hours by bullet train from Tokyo, the university has become the leading university on the Sea of Japan coast, with more than 10,000 students enrolled in various undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Embracing globalization

Kanazawa University is strongly committed to implementing global standards for education, training and research. Realizing the importance of establishing networks and collaboration in these areas, the university has recently developed new goals to help it to address the challenges of the future. In particular, it will further its contribution to society by promoting international and interdisciplinary education and research through establishing the Kanazawa University Model for Globalization, which will consolidate Kanazawa University’s place at the centre of higher education and research in East Asia.

Strengthening priority research and Nano Life Science Institute (NanoLSI)

Kanazawa University is cultivating the full spectrum of research — from fundamental investigations to technology-related studies. In particular, Kanazawa University’s five priority research areas are nanoscience research using innovative atomic force microscopy techniques; nutrition-related diseases; cancer progression; cultural-resource studies; and innovative material sciences based on supramolecules. As one of the outcomes, Kanazawa University established Nano Life Science Institute (NanoLSI) which was selected as a World Premier International (WPI) research center by the Japanese government in 2017. NanoLSI challenges to understand nanoscale mechanisms of life phenomena by exploring “uncharted nano-realms.”

Promoting interdisciplinarity

Kanazawa University is adopting a collaborative and network-based approach to foster outstanding researchers who work internationally and across disciplines to engage in new challenges that require breaking conventional molds. To this end, the university established the Institute for Frontier Science Initiative (InFiniti) in 2015 to further promote interdisciplinary research and foster global scientists. The 16 research units in the initiative are primarily led by young principal investigators in conjunction with unit leaders.

Encouraging brain circulation

With its goal of being “a research university dedicated to education, while opening its doors to local and global society,” Kanazawa University seeks to be a hub for top-class education and research in East Asia. It aims to provide a world-class international research environment that attracts excellent young researchers who are inspired to tackle new challenges.

1 December 2019 - 30 November 2020

Region: Global
Subject/journal group: All

The table to the right includes counts of all research outputs for Kanazawa University (KU) published between 1 December 2019 - 30 November 2020 which are tracked by the Nature Index.

Hover over the donut graph to view the FC output for each subject. Below, the same research outputs are grouped by subject. Click on the subject to drill-down into a list of articles organized by journal, and then by title.

Note: Articles may be assigned to more than one subject area.

Count	Share
102	35.47

Outputs by subject (Share)

Subject	Count	Share
Life Sciences	36	7.17
Physical Sciences	19	5.93
Chemistry	48	24
Earth & Environmental Sciences	14	2.24

Highlight of the month

Neuron-saving drug reduces brain inflammation

© SCIEPRO/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Getty Images

A new class of therapeutics could help combat the neuroinflammation thought to be responsible for many degenerative brain diseases.

Neurodegenerative disorders are characterized by a progressive loss of neurons. Many of these disorders exhibit neuroinflammation, which has been implicated in accelerating neurodegeneration.

Researchers from Kanazawa University and other institutions in Japan studied the effects of an experimental drug that blocks an enzyme called Dyrk1A.

Working in a mouse model of Parkinson’s, they showed that this drug prevents neuronal loss through its effect on microglial cells, a type of immune cell in the brain.

In the microglia, the inhibition of Dyrk1A activity leads to the co-stabilization of proteins critical to anti-inflammatory responses. Fewer pro-inflammatory molecules are produced as a result, which helps promote neuronal survival in the brain.

The drug also effectively tamped down brain inflammation in mice transplanted with neurons derived from stem cells, demonstrating the therapy’s potential to treat neuroinflammatory conditions broadly.

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