International symposium “Toward the use of atmospheric CO₂ – from photosynthesis to biorefinery”

CREST/PRESTO Research Area “Plant Sciences for CO₂ Utilization”
http://www.jst.go.jp/presto/plantsci/en/index.html

JST’s CREST/PRESTO Research Area “Plant Sciences for CO₂ Utilization” (Research Supervisor: Akira Isogai, Professor Emeritus, Nara Institute of Science and Technology) jointly held an international symposium with the Network of Centers of Carbon Dioxide Resource Studies in Plants (NC-CARP) (Head: Hiroo Fukuda, Professor, The University of Tokyo). These two programs aim at contributing to global environment conservation and the development of a sustainable society, through enhancements of plant productivity and utilization of plants’ biomass.

The symposium encompassed a wide range of research topics that covered from molecular mechanisms of photosynthesis through engineering processes that convert plants’ biomass to useful materials such as biofuel or bioplastic. Cutting edge research trends were presented by five speakers from abroad, in addition to five Japanese speakers. Issues to be solved for CO₂ utilization were also proposed and discussed with participants. Approximately 220 participants from academia and industry took part in the symposium, sharing the present circumstances of CO₂ utilization and ideas for future research and development.