International collaborations for cell migration researches toward understanding cancer metastasis

Project Gist

Establishment and promotion of international collaborations for cell migration researches toward understanding cancer metastasis by interacting with Kyoto University Heidelberg Office

Keywords

Cell migration, Cancer metastasis, Kyoto University Heidelberg Office, International collaborations

Background and Purpose

Toward understanding the mechanisms of cancer metastasis, we aimed at deciphering how migrating cells are regulated in the actual body. For these purposes, a wide range of approaches is required, such as developmental biology, molecular biology, cell biology, genomics, advanced microscopies, and mathematical simulation. To pursue these analyses, international collaborations must be useful. To promote and also explore international collaborations and networks, we exploited the Heidelberg Office of Kyoto University, which mediates co-visiting between Kyoto University and research institutions in Germany, such as Heidelberg University, and other institutions in European countries. In addition, we organized an international symposium, where new possibilities of collaborative researches emerged.

Project Achievements

We could promote international collaborations with prominent researchers of cell migrations, providing a novel basis for understanding of the mechanisms of cancer metastasis. Active interactions with the Heidelberg Office of Kyoto University facilitated our visit and the meeting with two Vice Presidents of University of Heidelberg (Germany). Likewise, the KU Heidelberg Office facilitated our meeting with a Vise President of University of Vienna (Wien) in Austria. All these visits provided a basis for exploring future interactions and collaborations between us (Kyoto University) and researchers in European institutions. Lastly, we organized an International Symposium, “Frontline in Developmental Biology”, where a Spanish female researcher gave a keynote lecture, and new collaborative researches have emerged.

Future Prospects

Facilitations by the Heidelberg Office of Kyoto University of reciprocal interactions between us (Kyoto University) and European institutions should further be extended in near future. And the international symposium we organized needs to be continued since it was greatly inspiring especially for young researchers.

Figure

Principal Investigator