The National Institute for Basic Biology (NIBB) is a government-supported research institute established in 1977. In 1988, Department of Molecular Biomechanics in School of Life Science, the Graduate University for Advanced Studies, was established in the NIBB. The aim of the NIBB is the promotion and stimulation of studies in the field of Biology. As a Center of Excellence (COE), NIBB promotes not only the basic biology but also the modern biological sciences by conducting first-rate research on site as well as in cooperation with other universities and research organizations. Researchers at NIBB investigate cell structure and function, reproduction and development, neuronal and environmental biology, gene expression and regulation, molecular evolution of eukaryotic organisms and integrative and computational biology to elucidate the general and fundamental mechanisms underlying various biological phenomena.

In 2003, there were many doctors who were appointed as scientific staffs of NIBB. On April 1st, Profs. NAGATA, Shigekazu (Osaka University), OKADA, Norihiro (Tokyo Institute of Technology), and YANAGIDA, Mitsuhiro (Kyoto University) were appointed as adjunct Professors for Division of Cell Proliferation, Division of Cellular Communication, and Division of Cell Fusion, respectively, in the Department of Cell Biology. Prof. MORI, Yuji of University of Tokyo was appointed as an adjunct Professor for Division of Behavior and Neurobiology in the Department of Regulation Biology on September 1st. Dr. SASAOKA, Toshikuni was appointed as an Associate Professor of Center for Transgenic Animals and Plants from National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry on August 1st. Drs. TAKAHASHI, Kazuhiko, OKUBO, Kataaki, HIWATASHI, Yuji, and SUZUKI, Kuninori were appointed as Research Associates of the NIBB in 2003.

In congratulation, Dr. HANAMURA, Kenji (NIBB Research Fellow) was promoted to an Assistant Professor of Gunma University School of Medicine. Drs. TAMADA, Atsushi and SHIMONO, Akihiko, who had been Research Associate in NIBB, were promoted as Research fellow of RIKEN Brain Science Institute and RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, respectively.

An adjunct Professor, Dr. MURAKAMI, Fujio, and adjunct Associate Professors, ITO Kei, KIYOSUE, Tomohiro, and NAKAFUKU, Masato, left NIBB in March 31st, 2003 just after the completion of their 5-year appointments.
In addition, a number of postdoctoral fellows, technical assistants, secretaries, and graduate students after awarded PhD. degree left, and conversely people newly joined NIBB at the equivalent positions. In consequence, the total number of personnel working at NIBB has been kept at approximately 300 for several years.

As a COE of the biological research institute, NIBB is responsible for conducting research projects in cooperation with various research groups. As a part of such cooperative activities, NIBB has hosted International Conferences. The 49^th NIBB International Conference entitled “Dynamic Vacuoles in Plants” was held in November 25-27 (Profs. Y. OHSUMI and M. NISHIMURA, organizers). This conference was sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Moreover, NIBB continues to sponsor interdisciplinary symposia and study meetings on current topics by inviting leading scientists from around the world to the Institute. Based on this concept, NIBB will start from the upcoming 2004 to support a series of Okazaki Biology Conferences (OBC) through intimate cooperation with a variety of biological scientific societies. NIBB also provides a training course in biological sciences for young investigators.

NIBB together with the other members of Okazaki National Research Institutes (ONRI), the Institute for Molecular Science and the National Institute for Physiological Sciences, has been constructing a new campus to prepare the facility for Center for Integrative Bioscience (CIB). Also, NIBB built Center for Transgenic Animals and Plants as a research support facility in the new campus. Construction of the new campus still continues, and it is programmed that two divisions in NIBB and a laboratory in CIB will move there in 2004.

KATSUKI, Motoya, D.Sc.
Director-General