Since the beginning of life on Earth, living organisms have evolved to adapt to various environments, and have spawned a wide variety of species. Modern biological research has put an emphasis on elucidating the basic principles common to many species, and has progressed thanks to the intensive analysis of species known as model organisms, which are easy to handle in a laboratory environment. However, this development has left many interesting biological phenomena unexamined as their distinctive characteristics are observed only in a particular group of species of model organisms. How we overcome this problem is an important challenge for biology hereafter. 
 

To solve this problem, we need to choose species most suitable to analyze the phenomena of interest, and then estab-lish them as new model organisms by developing new meth-odologies. These include stable raising, breeding and experi-mental manipulation techniques, analyses of the genome information and gene expression, and gene manipulation techniques using gene insertion and genome editing tech-niques. 
 

To this end, NIBB Center for Development of New Model Organisms was established in 2013 and through its activi-ties; organisms that have been rarely used in research have been recently designated as new model organisms, including aphids and sea anemones, to understand symbiosis phe-nomena or rhinoceros beetles for studying the evolution of the insects. We are refining various processes ranging from information sharing regarding new model organisms to the development of genetic and phenotype analysis and genetic engineering, and aim to seamlessly fashion these steps into a continuous research flow.