About the Center / Research Projects

　　 The Center for Gene and Cell Therapy aims at developing
　 　advanced medical techniques through the clinical application
　 　of basic research, which is called translational research.
　 　Housed on the fifth floor of the Central Treatment Ward,
　 　the Center is equipped with two clean rooms and two P2
　 　rooms, which have safety cabinets and a large-scale culture
　 　apparatus. Along with the Quality Control Room where the
　 　purity and safety of materials for therapy is verified, the center
　 　offers an ideal research environment for the preparation of
　 　biologics for gene therapy. Equipment for secure storing
　 　(at freezing, refrigerated, or ambient temperature) of cells
　 　and other biologics for therapy also are accommodated.


　　Role within ICONT

　 　Primarily through the development
　 　of new virus preparations targeted
　 　at diverse types of cancer, with
　 　telomerase activity as an indicator,
　 　the Center focuses on cancer
　 　treatment and diagnosis.
　　 By　establishing the process of
　 　developing these biologics into
　 　pharmaceuticals, we aspire to
　 　efficiently promote the clinical
　 　application of the diverse research
　 　seeds that have been studied
　 　at ICONT.

　　Address
　 　2-5-1, Shikata-cho, Okayama
　 　700-8558, Japan
　 　Phone：+81-86-235-7997
　 　Fax:：+81-86-235-7884　


　

　　About the Center / Research Projects

　 　Our animal imaging center was
　 　established in 2006 with the funding
　 　from the Science and Technology
　 　Promotion Bureau of MEXT.
　 　Detection of metastatic cancer and
　 　the monitoring of therapeutic drug
　 　effects in animal models are the
　 　primary projects currently ongoing
　 　at this facility. Xenogen In-Vivo
　 　Imaging System (IVIS), which detects
　 　emissions from luciferase and other
　 　fluorescent proteins, has been in
　 　operation to analyze models for liver
　 　cancer, malignant mesothelioma, and
　 　prostatic cancer. A CT scanner, which
　 　is expected to offer more accurate
　 　3-D information, will be introduced
　 　some time this year.


　　Role within ICONT

　 　The animal imaging center is the main
　 　facility of ICONT’s nanobio project.
　 　The highly sensitive and accurate in
　 　vivo imaging equipment is essential
　 　for the development of successful
　 　targeted therapy. Indispensable for all
　 　of the nanobio-related projects
　 　(cancer gene therapy using viral
　 　vectors and non-viral vectors including
　　polymer, researches for bacterial biofilm,
　　 etc.) at ICONT, the facility is expected
　　 to become one of the main imaging
　　 facilities for exploratory medical research
　　 in Japan.


　　Address　 2-5-1, Shikata-cho, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
　

　　About the Center / Research Projects

　　 The Center offers laboratory spaces for various research
　　 teams at Okayama University. Laboratory space and equipment
　　 are leased to research teams who have been selected through
　　 an open invitation within the University. Postdoctoral fellows are
　　 assigned to the University’s “top-notch” research projects.
　　 As of the end of 2006, there were eleven research teams
　　 housed in the Center. Research projects include venture
　　 laboratories, large-scale projects that need flexible laboratory
　　 spaces, and seed projects with high expectations for practical
　　 application.


　　Role within ICONT

　　 As of late 2006, all of the nanobio-project teaching staffs
　　 affiliated with the Faculty of Engineering (three laboratories)
　　 were conducting research at the center. A cellular and molecular
　　 imaging center has been established and our partner enterprises
　　 are also expected to expand laboratories.





　　Address
　　 3-1-1, Tsushimanaka, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
　　 Phone: +81-86-251-8572
　　 Fax: +81-86-251-8580

　　URL　 http://www.okayama-u.net/renkei/research/