The Institute for Glyco-core Research (iGCORE), jointly established by Nagoya University and Gifu University, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for comprehensive collaboration with the Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization (ToMMo) at Tohoku University. Through this research cooperation, the institutions aim to advance the Human Glycome Atlas (HGA) Project and the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project, contributing to a deeper understanding of biological phenomena while improving human health and medical care.
On February 28, 2025, a signing ceremony for the MoU was held in the press conference room of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Following the ceremony, iGCORE Director Kenji Kadomatsu and ToMMo Executive Director Masayuki Yamamoto held a press conference.
iGCORE, in collaboration with the National Institutes of Natural Sciences and Soka University, launched the HGA Project in April 2023 as the first MEXT "Large-Scale Academic Frontier Promotion Project" in the life sciences field. Glycans, alongside genomes and proteins, are considered the "third chain of life," playing an indispensable role in biological processes. However, their structural complexity and the challenges of analyzing them have made systematic study difficult. Until now, researchers have conducted primarily individual studies in this field. The HGA Project aims to change this approach by fostering collaboration among leading research institutions in Japan, striving to decode glycan information and positioning Japan at the forefront of global research.
ToMMo, in partnership with the Iwate Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization at Iwate Medical University, is promoting the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project. This initiative continuously collects various biological samples, conducts detailed examinations, and administers surveys with approximately 150,000 participants from Miyagi and Iwate Prefectures. In addition, genomic and omics analyses are performed on these biological samples. These resources are then organized into a biobank, forming a research infrastructure that integrates the "central dogma," enabling extensive use by researchers.
With this memorandum, iGCORE and ToMMo will collaborate, and HGA’s participating institutions will analyze glycans in the biosamples systematically collected by ToMMo. This will enable the integrated study of the three major biological chains–genome, proteins, and glycans–on a shared platform. This comprehensive approach is expected to deepen the understanding of life and lead to research that will further advance next-generation preventive medicine and healthcare.
This article was originally published in Japanese and has been translated and edited for clarity and readability by the Nagoya University International Communications Office while preserving the original content’s intent. For the original, please see here.
