Institute for Chemical Research hosts 115th annual symposium (11 December 2015)

On 11 December, the Institute for Chemical Research (ICR) held its 115th annual symposium at the Joint Research Laboratory on the Uji Campus.

The morning session included presentations by five ICR researchers: "Theoretical and Computational Chemistry toward Organic Materials and Devices" by Assistant Professor Katsuyuki Shizu, "Machine Learning on Graphs for Biological Network Analysis" by Assistant Professor Hao Canh Nguyen, "Development of Functional Separation Materials Selective for Rare Metals" by Associate Professor Shigeo Umetani, "Intercellular Chaperone Transmission via Exosomes Contributes to Maintenance of Organismal Proteostasis" by Assistant Professor Toshihide Takeuchi, and "Dynamics of Associative Polymer System" by Assistant Professor Yumi Matsumiya.

The afternoon program began with the 2015 ICR Award ceremony. Awards for honorable mention went to ICR's Dr Vijay Kumar Patel and Professors Michihisa Murata and Yoshihiro Ueda, while student research awards were presented to two doctoral candidates -- Hironori Takeuchi, a third-year student at the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Nobutaka Shioya, a first-year student at the Graduate School of Science. The proceedings were followed by research presentations by the award winners.

Afterwards, 68 poster presentations took place in the building's Light Court.

In late afternoon, briefings were given on the outcomes of two research projects that had been selected for ICR Grants for Promoting Integrated Research for FY2014: "Orientation Process of Brush-modified Nanoparticles by Synchrotrom Small Angle X-ray Scattering" by Technical Assistant Yohei Nakanishi and "Unprecedented Acceleration of Silane Alcoholysis Reaction in Self-assembled Monolayer on Gold Nanoparticle Catalysts" by Assistant Professor Katsuhiro Isozaki. Lively discussions and Q&A followed each presentation.

The 115th ICR Annual Symposium highlighted in accessible terms a wide range of achievements related to cutting-edge research in the field with over 150 people attending, including students and researchers from ICR and other institutes as well as members of the general public. The poster presentation also attracted a large crowd, and the event wrapped up on a high note.

The symposium was followed by a social gathering, held in Uji Obaku Plaza's Hybrid Space with a great number of faculty and staff members and graduate students taking part.

Related link

• Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University
  http://www.kuicr.kyoto-u.ac.jp/index.html