Organization

Operation Structure

With the aim of producing innovative science and to facilitate effective usage of the research grants, five research units (structural analysis, chemical seeds and lead compounds exploratory, biological seeds exploratory, in-silico, and platform function optimization) actively cooperate to support and develop submitted research proposals. Coordination of the program is provided by a managerial team consisting of a Program Supervisor (PS), Program Officers (POs) for each of the six units, and a head of the Program Officers.

Greeting from Program Supervisor

In recent years, with the aid of the rapid progress in technologies such as cryo-electron microscopy (EM) and computer simulation, multiscale structural biology has developed into a new method to observe and analyze static and dynamic structures of biological materials from the atomic level to the organelle and cellular levels. Using these integrative methods, we aim to develop revolutionary technologies for drug discovery and medical applications.

In the BINDS program, we will develop an innovative platform to accelerate the therapeutic applications of early-stage drug discovery and the development of new medical technologies. We will achieve this aim by providing and sharing technological infrastructure, including: synchrotron beams at SPring-8 and the Photon Factory, cryo-EM, chemical compound libraries, next-generation DNA sequencers, high-throughput screening (HTS) of chemical compounds, and in-silico screening. Through the BINDS program, we will support and facilitate life science and drug discovery projects proposed by researchers who wish to utilize the knowledge and infrastructure assembled in our program.

Recently, in addition to carrying out their own basic research, academics at public institutions are also expected to contribute to “innovation” themed activities. While research requires a high level of expertise, innovation requires an accurate understanding of the needs of society. Under normal circumstances, it is not common for academic researchers to have both of these skill sets, and therefore BINDS will support researchers to develop novel drugs and medical technologies for the benefit of society as a whole.

We believe that the BINDS program will produce excellent results that will have a large and beneficial impact to society. We would like to ask for your cooperation with the BINDS program.

Haruki Nakamura

Professor Emeritus,
Osaka University

Greeting from Head of the Program Officers

The creation of innovative pharmaceuticals and medical devices represents an important practical application of medical and life science research. Importantly, these cutting-edge developments will positively impact the health of the Japanese population, and therefore will provide many benefits to society. Furthermore, there is a great expectation that basic research carried out at universities will contribute to the development of new pharmaceuticals. To realize these objectives, from 2017 a new five-year project entitled "Basis for Supporting Innovative Drug Discovery and Life Science Research (BINDS)” has been implemented. BINDS represents a continuation of a theme, as it follows on from the successful "Platform for Drug Discovery, Informatics, and Structural Life Science (PDIS)” project, which ended in 2016.

In the BINDS project, five important core technologies for drug discovery research (① structural analysis, ② search for chemical seeds and/ or lead compounds, ③ structure development, ④ search for biological seeds, ⑤ in silico technology) have been selected for drug discovery support. We envisage that through this project, a broad range of scientists will utilize our core technologies in order to further develop academic drug discovery.

Hirosato Kondo

Director,
National Institute of Biomedical Innovation

Director,
Center for Drug Design Research
National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition

Program Officers