On behalf of the organizing committee of the NIBB (National Institute for Basic Biology) conference, it gives me great pleasure to invite you to participate in our upcoming international conference, “New Frontiers in Medaka Model - Genome, Bioresources and Biology - ”.
Japan has long been a leader in the use of medaka in biological research. Research using medaka has advanced enormously around the world in the last few years, however, largely due to the development and application of genomic infrastructures and embryonic manipulation. The successful determination of the entire medaka genome last year promises to accelerate research not only in the field of developmental biology but also in the fields related to the unique features of medaka, such as reproduction, disease model, behavior, and so on.
These recent advances have also relied on the preparation and establishment of bioresources. The NIBB was designated as a core center of medaka bioresources by the Japanese Government last year and initiated its activities of providing and collecting informations and strains at that time. The availability of medaka strains and information on genomic polymorphism will increasingly make medaka a significant, unique and valuable model organism. For the aforementioned reasons, the upcoming conference will also highlight bioresources and recent advances in techniques. The ramifications of this knowledge are enormous and will heavily influence future research using medaka.
We look forward to welcoming you to Okazaki and to providing you with an exciting and unforgettable scientific experience.
Minoru Tanaka,
Organizing Chair of the 54th NIBB Conference