The research center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA) is one of the centers belonging to the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS).
Research Environment Open to the World
Research Foundry
NIMS offers state-of-the-art research facilities, supported by skilled and experienced technical staff who provide reliable support in English for international researchers.
Research Support System
MANA brings together outstanding researchers from around the world. To support this diverse community in focusing on their research, MANA promotes internationalization by ensuring that English is used as the common language by all staff, including administrative personnel. In addition, MANA fosters international collaboration through unique programs such as the Short-Term Invitation Program and the Dispatch Program, which facilitate joint research with academic and research institutions worldwide beyond MANA.
Seminars & Symposia
MANA actively promotes international collaboration through seminars and symposia held within NIMS and with external partners. The monthly “MANA Seminars,” featuring guest speakers from outside NIMS, provide opportunities to share the latest research and encourage researcher interaction. Young scientists also benefit from regular seminars hosted by MANA researchers and visiting scientists. The annual MANA International Symposium invites distinguished researchers from around the world, providing a platform for high-level research presentations and academic exchange. MANA also supports participation in international symposia and workshops, helping researchers build a global research network.
Innovation Lounge
Our building offers a variety of spaces where researchers from diverse nationalities and backgrounds come together. These meeting points serve as hubs for next-generation innovation, nurturing unique ideas and fostering a vibrant research community.
A research institution with significant influence and high-quality publications.
10,002 Research Publications Driving Scientific Progress
MANA researchers have published an impressive 10,002 research papers from 2007 to 2025
The papers published by MANA researchers have appeared in journals with an average Journal Impact Factor of 12.05, highlighting the high visibility and impact of MANA's research in the international scientific community.
- *Period covered from 2007 to 2025
- *Impact Factor: A metric that indicates the citation impact of a scholarly journal by measuring how frequently articles published in the journal are cited.
7.0% - the world's Top 1% most-cited papers
From 2022 to 2025, MANA researchers published 3,106 papers, of which an average of 7.0% ranked among the Top 1% Highly Cited Papers over the four-year period.In other words, approximately 1 in every 14 papers published by MANA ranked among the world's Top 1% most-cited papers. In addition, some MANA researchers have been recognized as Highly Cited Researchers by Clarivate, further highlighting the international influence and impact of MANA's research.
- *Period covered from 2022 to 2025
- *Research Data: Scopus Database
Internationally Co-Authored Papers 73.6％
Since 2013, more than half of MANA's papers have been co-authored with researchers from institutions outside Japan. As of June 2026, this figure has reached an impressive 73.6%—meaning that nearly 3 out of every 4 papers are the result of international collaboration.
This high level of international co-authorship highlights MANA's strong global network and its active collaboration with researchers around the world.
- *As of June 2026
1.82 High Citation Impact of FWCI（Field-weighted Citation Impact）
MANA's research publications are highly cited worldwide. Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) is a field-normalized indicator that measures the citation impact of research compared with the global average. MANA's FWCI significantly exceeds both the global average of 1.00 and the domestic average of 0.96.
- *Period covered from 2022 to 2025
454 Patents Driving Innovation in Advanced Materials
MANA's research has generated a strong portfolio of intellectual property, with 454 patents held as of 2025, including 276 domestic and 178 international patents.
This substantial number of patents reflects MANA's commitment to translating its research into innovative materials and technologies, spanning both fundamental and applied research.
- *As of December 2025
