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Uses and Results of Your Donations

RIKEN would like to express our gratitude for all financial contributions we have received.

Solicited Donations (FY 2018）

There were thirty-seven solicited donations for a total amount of approximately eight million yen.

  • Donations to support research on regeneration of visual function
  • Donations to support research on beneficial uses of intestinal bacteria

Donations to support research on regeneration of visual function will be used for the following R&D activities.

image of retina sheet

Degeneration of photoreceptor cells often leads to severe visual impairment, and there are currently no effective medical treatments for hereditary degenerative disorders. The RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR) is conducting both basic and applied research with the aim of developing medical treatments that will contribute to improvement of visual function in sufferers of degenerative disorders.

  • Development of genetic diagnosis and screening methods
  • Image analysis on disease pathology
  • Development of transplant surgery methods and technologies
  • Research on retinal regeneration and the effect of visual rehabilitation
  • Development of comprehensive analysis methods for transplantation assessment

Transplant results

Development of comprehensive analysis methods for transplantation assessment: The yellow dots correspond with the locations where reaction to light was recorded (photo at bottom left) on the degenerated mouse retina after transplantation of the mouse ES derived-retina. By analyzing these comprehensively with the samples of tissue, we are able to examine the relationship between the conditions of the graft and its response more precisely.

Designated Donations (FY 2018)

There were sixty designated donations for a total amount of approximately eighty-three million yen.

  • Research on bipolar disorder elucidation by Tadafumi Kato at the Laboratory for Molecular Dynamics of Mental Disorders , RIKEN Center for Brain Science (CBS)
  • Research on application of highly difficult membrane protein control for drug development by Shigeyuki Yokoyama at the Yokoyama Laboratory, RIKEN Baton Zone Program, RIKEN Cluster for Science, Technology and Innovation Hub (RCSTI)
  • Research on clinical application of hibernation by Genshiro Sunagawa at the Laboratory of Retinal Regeneration, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR)

General Donations (FY 2018)

There were one hundred and sixteen general donations for a total amount of approximately seventeen million yen.

It was decided that the general donations for FY 2018 will be used for the following category:

Support for the promotion of young research scientists, and new projects for the Kagakudo 100 books to:

  • 1. Strengthen the dissemination and introduction of topical results
  • 2. Strengthen programs that cultivate human resources
  • 3.Strengthen efforts to return research outcomes to society through practical application

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