On Friday, February 28, 2025, at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Press Conference Room, a signing ceremony was held for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on comprehensive collaboration between the Institute for Glyco-core Research (iGCORE), jointly established by Nagoya University and Gifu University, and the Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization (ToMMo) of Tohoku University.
ToMMo, in collaboration with the Iwate Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization of Iwate Medical University, has been promoting the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project. This project involves the continuous collection of various biological samples, detailed examinations, and questionnaire surveys from a total of 150,000 participants in Miyagi and Iwate Prefectures. Furthermore, genome and omics analyses are conducted on the collected biological samples. These samples and data are systematically organized into a biobank, establishing a cross-disciplinary research infrastructure that integrates the "Central Dogma" and allows broad utilization by researchers.
This research collaboration aims to advance the Human Glycome Project (HGA) and the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project, contributing to a deeper understanding of biological phenomena and improvements in human health and medicine. Specifically, iGCORE will conduct large-scale analyses of glycan structures in human blood using the biological samples held by ToMMo and work on constructing a comprehensive glycan database. By analyzing glycans alongside genes and proteins, which are traditionally included in the "Central Dogma," this collaboration aims to establish an "Extended Central Dogma" that integrates genes, proteins, and glycans on the same foundation.
Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding
Handshake upon the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding
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