Osaka University
大阪大学

Japan

Osaka University was founded in 1931 as one of the seven imperial universities of Japan and it remains today one of Japan’s leading comprehensive universities. The University houses more than 23,000 students and more than 6,600 faculty and staff members. Osaka University was named Japan’s most innovative university and is included among the most innovative institutions in the world according to the Nature Index 2017 Innovation publication. The University’s ability to innovate stems from its broad disciplinary spectrum and strong industry-university collaboration, as well as its engagement with, and contributions to, society. This strength is coupled with a drive for innovation that extends throughout the scientific process, from fundamental research to the creation of applied technology. The University continues to explore new research fields, develop greater innovation from the fundamental research stages, and make even greater efforts to pioneer interdisciplinary research projects.

With the motto “Live Locally, Grow Globally,” Osaka University has adopted a vision of openness for 2021. To this end, we strive to make our education, research and community more open and ensure that our three campuses are places where outstanding students and researchers from around the world can gather, learn, discover, and collaborate. Since integrating with Osaka University of Foreign Studies in 2007, Osaka University has enhanced its capacity in the studies of language and culture, and we are enhancing degree programs conducted in English and Japanese language support for international students and faculty. In recent years, the University has also actively expanded its global outreach by setting up overseas centers in San Francisco, Groningen, Bangkok and Shanghai.

Osaka University leverages its role as a Designated National University Corporation selected by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to contribute to innovation for human welfare, the sustainable development of society, and social transformation.

1 June 2020 - 31 May 2021

Region: Global
Subject/journal group: All

The table to the right includes counts of all research outputs for Osaka University published between 1 June 2020 - 31 May 2021 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
538	185.44

Outputs by subject (Share)

Subject	Count	Share
Chemistry	207	105.14
Physical Sciences	209	49.73
Life Sciences	176	44.81
Earth & Environmental Sciences	5	0.97

Highlight of the month

A muscle-inspired system of molecular motors

10.1038/s41563-021-00969-6

A muscle-inspired molecular motor can shift millimetre-scale objects when activated by light.

Molecular motors are promising for use in many applications including robots. But it has been challenging to combine individual molecular motors so that they all act together in a manner similar to muscle fibres and generate forces large enough to make macroscale operations.

Now, five researchers, including two from Osaka University, have demonstrated a novel active network made from genetically modified kinesin — a motor protein — and microtubules, which mimic the units that contract in muscles. They used this bioinspired system to open and close millimetre-sized grippers.

A further advantage of this approach is that it can be fabricated by three-dimensional printing.

Systems based on this approach could find application in soft robotic systems.

Supported content