SCORE (Gateway City Environment Improvement Type): List of R&D Project (GAP NEXT)

■R&D Project
Development of diagnostic agents for pancreatic cancer using pancreatic juice exosomal microRNAs

■Principal Investigator
Hironori Koga
Professor
Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy, Kurume University

■Outline
The number of new pancreatic cancer patients in Japan has been increasing to about 41,000 cases per year. It is extremely difficult to diagnose pancreatic cancer in its early stage; most cases are unresectable at the time of detection, resulting in a 5-year survival rate of only 9%. Therefore, the development of an early diagnostic method is an urgent issue.
Exosomes are vesicles surrounded by a lipid bilayer membrane and secreted by cells to the extracellular space. They contain proteins and nucleic acids (mRNA, DNA, microRNA (miR)) and are used for intercellular communication. Therefore, by analyzing exosome-derived miRs secreted by pancreatic cancer cells, biochemical and genetic information specific to pancreatic cancer cells can be obtained. In this study, we will develop a diagnostic agent to detect pancreatic cancer-specific miRs identified from pancreatic juice exosomes of pancreatic cancer patients, in pancreatic juice and blood samples, to establish an early diagnostic method for pancreatic cancer.
　　　　

■R&D Project
Remote health checkup and telemedicine business through the Portable Health Clinic in Bangladesh

■Principal Investigator
Ashir Ahmed
Associate Professor
Graduate School of Information Science and Electrical Engineering, Kyushu University

■Outline
We will conduct a health checkup business in Bangladesh. One of the societal issues in developing countries such as Bangladesh is the lack of awareness towards preventive medicine (health checkups, etc.). We will introduce the Portable Health Clinic (PHC) system to conduct remote health checkups and telemedicine in the local area, to improve the preventive medical environment for the people and to disseminate the awareness of health.
　This project envisions two service delivery channels: mass health checkups in urban areas and pharmacies in rural areas. In urban areas, we will contract with corporations such as companies and universities to provide health checkups for corporate offices, factory workers, and university students. In rural areas, health checkup services will be provided by franchised pharmacies. During the term of this project, we will focus on health checkups in urban areas where profitability is higher than in rural areas. As a “social business,” we aim to achieve an environment where the 160 million population of Bangladesh can receive a medical checkup at least a year.

■R&D Project
Development of innovative crop production technology using nanomaterials for plant growth

■Principal Investigator
Yushi Ishibashi
Associate Professor
Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyushu University

■Outline
1. R&D project objectives:
(1) Develop fertilizers and pesticides that contain nanoized or nanoparticle-coated fertilizer ingredients, essential elements, amino acids, peptides, and all other substances that are effective for plants.
(2) Establish efficient delivery technology to plants.
2. Business model: The following two models are under consideration:
(1) Licensing out and consigning manufacturing and sales to each fertilizer and agrochemical company.
(2) Self-manufacturing (or manufacturing through OEM) fertilizers and pesticides and selling them ourselves (based on the assumption that we secure customers and efficient sales channels for agricultural products using the materials in advance).
　

■R&D Project
Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD) support manipulator

■Principal Investigator
Ryu Nakadate
Specially-Appointed Associate Professor
Kyushu University
Center for Advanced Medical Innovation Kyushu University

■Outline
In this project we aim for the social implementation of an advanced medical device developed by the applicant. During the term of the project, we will improve its performance and evaluate its business feasibility. The developed medical device is a thin manipulator used for a surgery using a flexible endoscope (gastroscope) (i.e. endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) ). Devices with only one inflexible electrocautery have been used in ESD, but this device has an electrocautery and a grasping forceps that can be remotely operated by wire drive up, down, left, right, back and forth, while the 2.5 mm diameter of the conventional electrocautery is kept. By using this device, it is possible to realize the common surgical environment of picking up with one hand and cutting with the other with a flexible endoscope.

■R&D Project
Diagnostic technology by isolating and recovering liquid biopsies from cancer patients

■Principal Investigator
Ken Tanaka
Professor
Kyushu University
Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu University

■Outline
In recent years, liquid biopsies of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have drawn much attention as an alternative to solid biopsies, which are highly invasive, for the development of cancer diagnosis technology. In this project, we will design a unique synthetic polymer that has antithrombogenic properties that prevent adhesion of blood cells and has adhesive properties to CTCs. By doing so, we will develop a technology which makes it possible to isolate and recover CTCs from human whole blood in a label-free manner with high purity and efficiency. We will prepare protocols for whole blood pretreatment, culture, and washing conditions, and aim to commercialize the technology as a CTC isolation and recovery kit and research reagent.

■R&D Project
Carbon surface modification by resin coating method

■Principal Investigator
Tsuyohiko Fujigaya
Professor
Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University

■Outline
In a carbon-neutral society, elemental technologies are needed to enable the spread of clean energy and to reduce the weight and increase the service life of materials. To achieve these, It is essential to enhance the functionality of carbon materials, which are the fundamental materials. Until now, low-crystalline carbon materials and their composites have been used due to its ease for use, but composites of high-crystalline carbon are promising for higher functionality. The “resin coating method” by the principal investigator is the only method to make composite materials from high-crystalline carbon. Therefore, we will use the method to materialize and develop various carbons including high-crystalline carbon. In particular, we will supply resin-coated carbon targeting fuel cell catalysts, carbon fiber reinforced plastics and tires.

■R&D Project
Creating new light value through “light upgrading”

■Principal Investigator
Nobuhiro Yanai
Associate Professor
Division of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University

■Outline
We regard the wavelength conversion of low-energy, long-wavelength light into high-energy, short-wavelength light as “light upgrading,” and propose to upgrade the light around us, such as sunlight and indoor light, and use it effectively. In our recent research, we have succeeded in developing materials with which we can conduct such “light upgrading” by sunlight and indoor LEDs, and in this project we will implement further development for practical applications. For example, due to COVID-19 the demand and awareness of antiviral and antimicrobial materials. We will develop film materials that can remove viruses and bacteria indoors and in the car using the upgraded light.

■R&D Project
Feasibility verification of concentrated bio-liquid fertilizer: Sales of plants to livestock producers and sales of liquid fertilizer to farmers and plant factories

■Principal Investigator
Mitsuyasu Yabe
Professor
Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyushu University

■Outline
Livestock companies are suffering from high cost burden of livestock manure treatment, while farmers and plant factories are facing intense price competition of agricultural products. In order to reduce the burden of manure treatment, we will sell a plant that can (i) separate the methane fermentation digestion liquid derived from manure into solid and liquid using chitosan and PGA flocculant, (ii) separate, concentrate and recover nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium from the liquid to produce concentrated bio-liquid fertilizer for soil cultivation, and (iii) produce growth agent fertilizer from the solid. In addition, we will sell concentrated bio-liquid fertilizer for hydroponics to farmers and plant factories so that they can produce high value-added agricultural products by cultivating without chemical fertilizers.

■R&D Project
Cancer diagnostic system by body fluid analysis

■Principal Investigator
Sou Ryuzaki
Assistant Professor
Kyushu University
Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu University

■Outline
In this project, we will build a next-generation cancer diagnostic system that can detect cancer and identify cancer types within a few minutes and that is simple enough to be used in annual health checkups. Specifically, we will conduct research and development for the practical application of surface molecular analysis technology for a single exosome particle in body fluids. Ultimately, we will build an exosome measurement system using this technology as the core technology, and develop the business with the inspection circuit board and apparatus used in the system as the main products. We will also build an AI system to diagnose the results and provide contract measurement services.

■R&D Project
Color-modulated smart windows based on nanosheet structural color materials

■Principal Investigator
Nobuyoshi Miyamoto
Associate Professor
Department of Life, Environment, and Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Fukuoka Institute of Technology

■Outline
In this project, we will develop a new type of color-tunable, dimmable and pattern-displaying smart window products using an innovative material called structural color nanosheet liquid crystal, whose maximum reflection wavelength changes by mechanical stimuli. Specifically, the window color will be tuned by compressing and relaxing the new material sandwiched between the glass plates. Power is consumed only when switching colors. The device is driven at high speed, and depending on the configuration, full-color pattern display is possible. From the viewpoints of energy saving (improvement of heating and cooling efficiency), privacy protection, and adding color to people’s lives, there is a universal need for shading, dimming, color tuning and decoration of windows. Therefore, by taking advantage of the “color-tuning” feature that is not available in conventional products, we can develop a unique and promising market.