Call for Proposal
Basic information of the Research Area
[Linking Sensation]Biological System Control Linked by Understanding and Regulation of Sensation
Research Supervisor
Takahisa FurukawaProfessor ＆ Vice Director, Institute for Protein Research, The University of Osaka
Strategic Objective
Augmented Senses and Cognition
Overview
Our “senses,” including the five senses, are biological interfaces that receive information from the external world and link it to higher-order behaviors and emotions. However, sensation is not merely an entry point for information. It is the “core of the biological system” that moves our emotions, influences our health status, and shapes our connections with others. Despite remarkable advances in neuroscience in recent years, the dynamic control mechanisms, by which complex sensory inputs affect the physiological state of the entire body and emotions, and are further integrated and converted into motor functions, remain shrouded in many mysteries.
In this research area, sensation is redefined not as merely passive input of information, but as an “active lever for manipulating biological systems.” We promote sensory research from two complementary perspectives: fundamental research on sensation that integrates state-of-the-art measurement technologies, information processing, and intervention methods, and the development of technologies for the perception, imitation, augmentation, transmission, and improvement of sensation based on insights gained from such fundamental research. Targeting a wide range of sensory modalities—including the five senses, somatosensation, proprioception, the sense of balance, and the sense of time—we integrate the life sciences’ “elucidation of mechanisms of sensory function” with the engineering and information sciences’ “control and augmentation of sensation,” such as next-generation sensory user interfaces, virtual reality (VR), and robotics. Furthermore, by advancing interdisciplinary research that incorporates perspectives from ergonomics, as well as the humanities and social sciences, we aim to establish a new academic framework that optimizes biological systems through the window of sensation. Through these efforts, we seek to build the foundations of a future society in which humans and technology are highly harmonized, to scientifically clarify “how transformations of sensation enhance people’s quality of life and contribute to sustainable well-being,” and to create a “human-centered biosystem manipulation science” that enables each individual to demonstrate their capabilities and to flourish in society.
Research Area Advisors
| Yasushi Okamura | Specially Appointed Researcher, Premium Research Institute for Human Metaverse Medicine |
|---|---|
| Yoshikatsu Kanai | Director & Professor, BNCT Research Center, Fujita Health University |
| Sakiko Shiga | Professor, Graduate School of Science, The University of Osaka |
| Hitoshi Shiku | Professor, School of Engineering, Tohoku University |
| Shoichi Shimada | Director, Osaka Psychiatric Research Center, Osaka Psychiatric Medical Center |
| Madoka Takai | Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo |
| Keiji Naruse | Professor, Institute of Academic and Research, Okayama University |
| Fumino Fujiyama | Professor, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University |
| Naoki Mochizuki | Research Institute Director, The Research Foundation for Microbial Diseases of Osaka University |
| Takehiko Wada | Research Professor, New Industry Creation Hatchery Center, Tohoku University |
Schedule of Selection Process
| Deadline for application | 2026/06/02 at 12:00 noon, Japan time |
|---|---|
| Document-based review | 2026/07/13 |
| JST will contact to the interviewees no later than | 2026/07/21 |
| Interview-based review（ONLINE） ※Interview date and time will be assigned by JST. |
2026/08/03 |
Research Supervisor's Policy
Research Supervisor's Policy of this Research Area can be downloaded from below.
【Research Supervisor’s Message】
In this research area, we promote sensory research from two complementary perspectives: elucidating the functional mechanisms of sensation and developing technologies for controlling and enhancing sensation based on these insights. Targeting a broad range of sensory modalities, including the five senses, we actively pursue interdisciplinary research and aim to enhance well-being by creating a human-centered field of “Bio-Contrology.”