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Outline and Activity

Office of Support for Platforms for Advanced Technologies and Research Resources
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
Database of Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research

Support for molecular profiling

Head of the Group
Shingo Dan (Cancer Chemotherapy Center of JFCR)

Activity

We will provide support for molecular profiling and screening based on chemical biology and bioinformatics. This support will both create excellent small-molecule bioprobes, and screen functional molecules relating to a vital phenomenon. This support will promote cross-sectional researches ranging from the small molecules to cell level, and also promote "in vitro" to "in vivo" translation of chemical-biological studies using animal models. Through these activities, we contribute to make a breakthrough for life science research in Japan.

I. Support for molecular profiling: elucidate and confirm a biological activity and physiological property of a chemical compound of interest.

We will evaluate the effects of the applicant's chemical compounds on cell growth, morphological characteristics, and gene/protein expression. Employing bioinformatics analyses with an integrated database, we will predict the target molecules and/or modes of action of the compounds. Our supports provide a considerable benefit to those who plan to elucidate the unknown physiological activities of a novel compound, and also to those who plan to validate the specificity on the desired target and/or to evaluate off-target effects of a hit/lead compound of interest. We also support efficient translation of chemical-biological activities found at the in vitro/cellular levels to those at the animal levels by introducing mouse- and zebrafish models.

II. Support for molecular screening: identify chemical compounds, genes and proteins having impact on a vital phenomenon

We will distribute our original chemical libraries consisting of compounds having defined targets and those of deposited compounds, and promote chemical-biological approach to identify regulators of biological events of the applicant's interest.
Using next-generation sequence analysis, we will support the screening of target genes for microRNA of the applicant's interest. We also support the screening of genes and pathways that are relevant to the mode of action a compound using genome-wide RNA interference technology.
Regarding target protein identification, we will introduce the molecular screening for target proteins of a compound of interest using compound-immobilized beads, and for those of a protein of interest using human protein arrays. In addition, the evaluation of protein-protein interactions (PPI) by surface plasmon resonance analysis is also available.
Finally, we will support bioinformatics analysis including predictive analysis based on machine learning and biostatistical analysis such as multiple logistic regression analysis.

Members for this support

Name Affiliation Role
Shingo Dan Chief, Division of Molecular Pharmacology, Cancer Chemotherapy Center of JFCR General Management for Support for Molecular Profiling/molecular profiling based on the JFCR39 cell line panel assays
Tetsuo Mashima Senior staff scientist, Division of Molecular Biotherapy, Cancer Chemotherapy Center of JFCR Molecular profiling based on the transcriptome analysis
Etsu Tashiro Associate Professor, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Showa Pharmaceutical University Molecular profiling based on the cell phenotypic analysis
Naoshi Dohmae Unit leader, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science Molecular profiling based on the proteomic analysis
Ken Matsumoto Senior Research Scientist, Chemical Biology Research Group, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science Molecular screening by barcode shRNA sequence technology
Manabu Kawada Laboratory Head, Laboratory of Oncology, Institute of Microbial Chemistry Molecular profiling based on the "First-in-mouse analysis/ construction and distribution of chemical libraries
Hidetoshi Tahara Professor, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University Molecular screening for target genes of microRNA
Hideaki Kakeya Professor, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University Molecular screening for target proteins of the test compound
Tatsuya Sawasaki Professor, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University Molecular screening by genome-wide protein-protein interaction analysis
Masaaki Matsuura Professor, Biostatistics, Teikyo University Bioinformatics analysis
Research Supporters
Makoto Muroi Senior Research Scientist, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science Multivariate analysis using proteome analysis
Hiroaki Taniguchi Associate Professor, Clinical and Translational Research Center, Keio University Hospital Estimation of protein-protein interactions using Surface Plasmon Resonance
Naoyuki Nishiya Professor, Iwate Medical University Molecular profiling based on the zebrafish phenotype analysis