Modern society is facing a variety of challenges that need to be solved on a global scale and across various fields. Among these challenges, it could be said that resource and energy issues, environmental issues, food supply issues and medical issues are the four major problems facing the world. For us human beings to aspire, realize and sustain a richer society, we must boldly tackle these problems. In order to do this, in addition to the fundamental disciplines of engineering, physical science, agriculture, medicine and pharmaceutics, we must further develop the life sciences which developed out of the intersection, or perhaps the integration, of such disciplines, and implement the ensuing research results into society. In other words, the concerted development and cooperation in the various fields that make up the life sciences are essential for solving these problems.

The Graduate School of Life Sciences consists of four academic disciplines: applied chemistry, biotechnology, bioinformatics, and biomedical sciences. These disciplines are grounded in, or have evolved from, the fields of engineering, physical science, agriculture, medicine, and pharmaceutics. In other words, these disciplines cover the academic fields required to address the four major problems mentioned above. The Graduate School of Life Sciences is structured in such as a way that students are able to engage in cross-disciplinary research and are not limited to only one of these four academic disciplines. It offers an environment in which students can engage in cutting-edge research to solve the major problems facing the world.

The Graduate School of Life Sciences has established unique systems to encourage international activities. We provide support for disseminating research results, such as graduate student participation in international conferences and submissions to international journals, and support for participating in internships (Global-ready Graduate Program (GRGP)) at overseas research institutes. Many students have already used these support systems, applying their experiences to their research and careers. The Graduate School of Life Sciences accepts international students as regular students, visiting research students, and in a variety of other ways, deepening intercultural exchange through research activities between Japanese and international students. Many graduates are utilizing the specialized skills they cultivated through such learning and experience to attempt to solve the numerous issues we face in various fields, particularly in the chemistry, food, information and healthcare fields.

I am confident that learning and research in the Graduate School of Life Sciences will fully meet the expectations of students who want to take on the various challenges facing the modern world and create a richer society. It is my hope that students will acquire a high level of professional ability, an excitement for research, a toughness, the sensitivity to refine their ideas, and a sense of accomplishment in their research, and play an active role globally.