Moonshot R&D｜Program｜Goal2 Ultra-early disease prediction and intervention

Program

Moonshot Goal 2Realization of ultra-early disease prediction and intervention by 2050.

Program Director (PD)SOBUE GenChairperson, Aichi Medical University

Outline

To ensure that our ageing population has continued health and high quality of life, we need a new style of ultra-early disease prediction and intervention that supersedes today’s conventional approach of treatment only after detection of symptoms.

To achieve this Moonshot Goal and realize ultra-early disease prediction and intervention we will promote R&D on technologies related to disease observation, manipulation, measurement, analysis, database creation and more. By integrating these technologies, we will advance our understanding of the comprehensive network connecting human organs.

【R&D Concept】 (Link to Cabinet Office PDF)

Illustrations

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Message from PD

The states of chronic diseases such as diabetes and dementia are linked to the breakdown of inter-organ networks. The key to our Moonshot Goal is establishing a method to foresee this breakdown and help at-risk individuals convert back from a pre-symptomatic state to a healthy one. Our R&D projects will contribute to our understanding of the comprehensive inter-organ network, building a database describing the network state, and developing a simulation system predicting unstable health utilizing mathematical models.

R&D Projects

Selected in FY2020

Comprehensive Mathematical Understanding of the Complex Control System between Organs and Challenge for Ultra-Early Precision Medicine

Project Manager	AIHARA Kazuyuki University Professor, The University of Tokyo
Outline	This project will establish integrated research between mathematical studies with mathematical data analysis and mathematical modeling analysis, and experimental studies on interaction and control between organs. This project aims to realize a society equipped with ultra-early disease prevention systems by 2050 through comprehensively understanding the inter-organ network as the complex control system between organs and applying it to ultra-early precision medicine.

Project Manager

AIHARA Kazuyuki
University Professor, The University of Tokyo

Outline

This project will establish integrated research between mathematical studies with mathematical data analysis and mathematical modeling analysis, and experimental studies on interaction and control between organs. This project aims to realize a society equipped with ultra-early disease prevention systems by 2050 through comprehensively understanding the inter-organ network as the complex control system between organs and applying it to ultra-early precision medicine.

Challenge toward the Control of Intractable Cancer through Understanding of Molecular, Cellular, and Interorgan Networks

Project Manager	OHNO Shigeo Special Contract Professor, Institute for Diseases of Old Age, School of Medicine, Juntendo University
Outline	This project aims to unravel the mechanism of onset and malignant transformation of intractable cancers such as pancreatic cancer by employing cell biology, imaging technology, and mathematical and AI technology in an integrated manner. By doing so we aim to realize a society allowing us to predict and prevent the onset of intractable cancers by 2050.

Challenge for Eradication of Diabetes and Comorbidities through Understanding and Manipulating Homeostatic Systems

Project Manager	KATAGIRI Hideki Professor, Graduate School of Medicine,Tohoku University
Outline	This project aims to comprehensively elucidate the inter-organ communication systems underlying dynamic homeostasis of metabolism and circulation, taking advantage of original technologies, AI approaches and mathematical analyses. Furthermore, through understanding and manipulating the homeostatic systems, we will implement strategies which enable us to easily detect subjects in pre-symptomatic states of diabetes and comorbidities and to prevent the developments of these diseases by 2050.

Project Manager

KATAGIRI Hideki
Professor, Graduate School of Medicine,Tohoku University

Outline

This project aims to comprehensively elucidate the inter-organ communication systems underlying dynamic homeostasis of metabolism and circulation, taking advantage of original technologies, AI approaches and mathematical analyses. Furthermore, through understanding and manipulating the homeostatic systems, we will implement strategies which enable us to easily detect subjects in pre-symptomatic states of diabetes and comorbidities and to prevent the developments of these diseases by 2050.

Towards Overcoming Disorders Linked to Dementia based on a Comprehensive Understanding of Multiorgan Network

Project Manager	TAKAHASHI Ryosuke Professor, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University
Outline	This project aims to elucidate the interdependent multiorgan network and its breakdown at the molecular, cellular, and individual levels, focusing not only on the brain but also on the relationship between the whole body and the brain. Furthermore, we will achieve a comprehensive understanding of multiorgan network through AI and a mathematical approach. Based on this, we will develop methods for predicting disorders linked to dementia at an early stage before onset and realize preemptive medicine by using an innovative method for disease prevention by controlling the multiorgan network by 2050.

Project Manager

TAKAHASHI Ryosuke
Professor, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University

Outline

This project aims to elucidate the interdependent multiorgan network and its breakdown at the molecular, cellular, and individual levels, focusing not only on the brain but also on the relationship between the whole body and the brain. Furthermore, we will achieve a comprehensive understanding of multiorgan network through AI and a mathematical approach. Based on this, we will develop methods for predicting disorders linked to dementia at an early stage before onset and realize preemptive medicine by using an innovative method for disease prevention by controlling the multiorgan network by 2050.

Understanding and Control of Virus-Human Interaction Networks

Project Manager	MATSUURA Yoshiharu Director, Center for Infectious Diseases Education and Research (CiDER)／Specially Appointed Professor, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University
Outline	This project aims to analyze the interaction network between the virus and the human body in viral infections and classify/categorize its patterns to identify vulnerabilities in the human body's network. This will enable us to preemptively prepare effective diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic measures against even unknown viral infections, and thereby realize a society free from the threat of viral infections by 2050.

Project Manager

MATSUURA Yoshiharu
Director, Center for Infectious Diseases Education and Research (CiDER)／Specially Appointed Professor, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University

Outline

This project aims to analyze the interaction network between the virus and the human body in viral infections and classify/categorize its patterns to identify vulnerabilities in the human body's network. This will enable us to preemptively prepare effective diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic measures against even unknown viral infections, and thereby realize a society free from the threat of viral infections by 2050.

Advisors

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WAKAYAMA Masato*	Fundamental Mathematics Research Principal, NTT Institute for Fundamental Mathematics, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation/Professor Emeritus, Kyushu University
ISA Tadashi	Professor, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University
ISHII Ken	Professor, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo
USHIJIMA Toshikazu	President, Hoshi University
OGAWA Yoshihiro	Distinguished Professor, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University
KAMIMURA Midori	Director, Quantum-Structural Life Science Laboratories, CBI Research Institute
KOKUBU Hiroshi	Vice President, Kyoto University