Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences
Philosophy
Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences is a public interest incorporated foundation dedicated to promoting bioorganic chemistry and related scientific research to improve happiness and prosperity of humanity. The foundation was founded on the ideology of the founder, Keizo Saji, who believed that “postwar Japan should contribute to world peace and prosperity through knowledge and culture”. About 80 years since its inception, our mission in the global community has grown exponentially.
Projects
Public Interest Projects
Research Projects
・Conducting academic research, and its development including business-academia collaborations.
・Publishing the findings of the research in academic papers or intellectual properties to enhance scientific research.
Analytical Center Project
・Developing novel analytical approaches, including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS), and offering universities analytical services for scientific academic research.
Research Promotion Project
・Enhancing academic research and education of human resources in science with research grants, scholarships, and workshop grants.
Scientific Human Resources Education Project
・Offering postdoctoral fellowships at the research institutes, setting up inter-university research activities, and sending lecturers to universities to support the fostering of scientists.
Projects for Profit
Corporate Research Contract Project
・Offering companies with contracted or collaborative services for research or development using the institute research resources.
History of Foundation
In February 1946, based on the ideology of Keizo Saji, the Institute of Food Chemistry was established. Professor Munio Kotake of the Department of Science at the Osaka Imperial University was appointed as the Chairman of the Board.
Intending to contribute to the progress of health and nutrition of the Japanese population, the Institute of Food Chemistry has performed organic chemistry-based research and promotional projects for related physical and chemical scientific research. From the beginning, the scope of the institute included designing for academia and encouraging scientific knowledge and its wide application in the society and individual level. The goal at the time was attained by publishing the Home Science booklets.
In 1979, the institute was renamed, as Suntory Institute for Bioorganic Research with Professor Koji Nakanishi of Columbia University, United States, as its Director. The institute aimed to contribute to humanity happiness and prosperity by promoting bioorganic chemistry and related scientific research.
This institute has performed basic research on bioorganic chemistry associated with vital phenomena and also has collaborated with universities and other research institutions to solve challenges. The research primary objective was to enhance human health and restore and preserve the environment. The institute actively engaged in efficient promotional projects to generate human resources in science, including a scholarship system for graduate students and Japan first post-doctoral fellowship in 1980.
With the enforcement of the Act on Authorization of Public Interest Incorporated Association and Public Interest Incorporated Foundations (Act No. 49 of June 02, 2006), the institute applied for a transition to Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences. The application was approved on December 24, 2010, and the foundation registered itself as a public interest incorporated foundation on January 04, 2011. The earlier operations were restructured, and the institute is currently engaged in the above-mentioned projects.
In 2015, the institute moved from Minase, Osaka, where it had been based for over 40 years, to Suntory World Research Center, which was newly built in Keihanna Science City (Kyoto).