MANA & WPI
In 2007, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) launched the World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI) Program. Under this initiative, MANA was established as a new center within the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS).
Supported by the WPI Program, MANA has been advancing research for a decade, and since 2017, it has been recognized as a member of the "WPI Academy," striving to maintain a high standard of research excellence.
Since its inception, the WPI Program has aimed to elevate Japan’s status as a global leader in science and technology. In 2020, the WPI Program set a new mission and has continued to play a crucial role in advancing Japanese research fields.
New WPI Missions
World-Leading Scientific Excellence and Recognition
- The Highest Level of Research Impact
- Expanding Knowledge Frontiers through Interdisciplinarity and Diversity
Global Research Environment and System Reform
- Harnessing Talent and Potential through Global Brain Circulation
- Interdisciplinary and Inter-organizational Capacity Building
- Effective, Proactive and Agile Management
Values for the Future
- Societal Value of Basic Research
- Human Resource Building: Higher Education and Career Development
- Self-sufficient and Sustainable Center Development
WPI Research Centers (18) / Research Fields （as of October, 2024）
Centers adopted in 2007
| WPI Research Center | Host Institution | Research Fields |
|---|---|---|
| Tohoku University | Mathematics / Materials Science | |
| University of Tokyo | Mathematics / Physics / Astronomy | |
| Kyoto University | Cell Biology / Materials Science | |
| Osaka University | Immunology / Imaging / Informatics | |
| National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) | Nanotechnology / Materials Science |
Centers adopted in 2010
| WPI Research Center | Host Institution | Research Fields |
|---|---|---|
| Kyushu University | Energy Science / Materials Science |
Centers adopted in 2012
| WPI Research Center | Host Institution | Research Fields |
|---|---|---|
| University of Tsukuba | Sleep Medicine / Pharmaceutical Science | |
| Institute of Science Tokyo | Earth & Planetary Science / Life Science | |
| Nagoya University | Chemistry / Plant & Animal Biology |
Centers adopted in 2017
| WPI Research Center | Host Institution | Research Fields |
|---|---|---|
| University of Tokyo | Neuroscience / Artificial Intelligence | |
| Kanazawa University | Nano Imaging / Life Science |
Centers adopted in 2018
| WPI Research Center | Host Institution | Research Fields |
|---|---|---|
| Hokkaido University | Computational Science / Information Science / Chemistry | |
| Kyoto University | Human Biology / Mathematics / Bioethics |
Centers adopted in 2021
| WPI Research Center | Host Institution | Research Fields |
|---|---|---|
| High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK) | Measurement Science |
Centers adopted in 2022
| WPI Research Center | Host Institution | Research Fields |
|---|---|---|
| Osaka University | Human Metaverse Medicine | |
| Hiroshima University | Knotted Chiral Metamatter | |
| Keio University | Microbiome & Quantum Computing |
Centers adopted in 2023
| WPI Research Center | Host Institution | Research Fields |
|---|---|---|
| Tohoku University & JAMSTEC | Ocean Physics & Marine ecology（OECS） |
- *WPI Academy Centers