Mission

Hirokazu Toju

Modern life sciences now require researchers to master both advanced experimental techniques and big-data processing. The field has seen rapid growth in data-driven approaches, where large biological datasets are analyzed to uncover patterns and generate hypotheses. Today's scientists must therefore be equally skilled at wet lab experiments and dry lab computational analysis.

To address this need, the Graduate School of Life Sciences launched the Center for Living Systems Information Science (CeLiSIS) in April 2023. While traditional training separated experimental biologists from computational specialists, CeLiSIS aims to bridge this gap through integrated education. Previous efforts to combine these disciplines relied on individual faculty initiatives, highlighting the need for institutional-level support.

CeLiSIS continues the work of its predecessor (the Research Center for Dynamic Living Systems) in advanced microscopy and image analysis, while expanding into genomic data interpretation and gene expression analysis. By incorporating these computational skills into graduate education, the center helps researchers develop hybrid expertise for innovative biological studies.

The center collaborates with the Center for Innovative Research and Education in Data Science (CIREDS), affiliated with the Institute for Liberal Arts and Sciences, the core facility network including the Innovative Support Alliance for Life Sciences (iSAL) and the North Campus Instrumental Analysis Station (NOCIAS), and other graduate schools and institutes across the university campus. These collaborations aim to train researchers who can work across traditional academic boundaries. Moreover, partnerships with the DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ) at the National Institute of Genetics and the University of Zurich position CeLiSIS to advance life science research through combined experimental and computational approaches. This integrated training prepares graduates to tackle complex biological challenges using modern multidisciplinary platforms.