I am Keizo Tomonaga, and I am honored to have been appointed as the Director of the Institute for Life and Medical Sciences (LiMe), Kyoto University, effective April 2026.

Our Institute was established through the merger of the Institute for Virus Research and the Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences, both of which possess long and illustrious histories. Since then, we have operated under the guiding principle of “promoting free, interdisciplinary research and exchange across diverse fields of medical and biological sciences to discover and create new knowledge.” As I assume this great responsibility, I am profoundly mindful of the historical weight of both former institutes, where many eminent predecessors, including Nobel laureates, have built a legacy of excellence, and I am deeply committed to fulfilling our mission in this new era.

The year 2026 marks a significant milestone for us, as it is the 10th anniversary of the merger that took place in 2016. Over the last decade, we have fostered a unified identity and promoted fusion research that transcends traditional boundaries, resulting in numerous outstanding achievements. This journey has been more than a simple organizational integration; it has been a bold challenge to establish entirely new academic domains. Rather than viewing the past decade merely as a period of transition, I intend to make it the starting point for a new era of genuine evolution.

Currently, Kyoto University is undergoing a period of major transformation as it aims to become a “University for International Research Excellence” Within this context, our Institute is called upon not only to deepen existing academic fields but, more importantly, to envision and pave the way for the academic domains of the future. To date, we have led the development of new disciplines through interdisciplinary synergy, ranging from the advancement of infectious disease and regenerative medicine using organoids, to the fusion of structural biology and life sciences, and the development of biomedical engineering incorporating mathematical and engineering sciences.

At the same time, the progress of science is exceptionally rapid, and the environment required for research is constantly changing. We strive to be an organization that evolves dynamically. To this end, we will not be bound by existing systems. Our primary focus will be on refining the research environment so that the talented young researchers who will lead the next generation can believe in their own visions and venture into unknown territories without fear of failure.

The cutting-edge research at our Institute is supported by our affiliated research centers and shared facilities. We maintain advanced resources, including the Research Center for Infectious Diseases, the Center for Human ES Cell Research, and the Center for Animal Experiments, as well as state-of-the-art equipment such as Cryo-TEM. As a “Joint Usage/Research Center Program for Transdisciplinary Collaboration on Viral Research, Stem Cell Science and System Biology”, we have opened these resources to researchers both in Japan and abroad, forming a foundation for our Institute to serve as a hub for international research networks. We will continue to actively support challenging collaborative research and evolve as a center that creates new academic value.

In closing, I would like to share four phrases from the teachings of Lao Tzu as my guiding principles:

不自見、故明
自知者明
知常曰明
知足者富

The teachings concerning “Enlightenment” (明 – Ming) and “Wisdom” (知 – Zhi) found within these lines represent the very essence of a scientist’s pursuit of truth and serve as the compass by which I will lead this Institute. I am dedicated to ensuring that the Institute for Life and Medical Sciences continues to be a place that radiates the light of new knowledge, contributing to the health and well-being of humanity. I sincerely ask for your continued support and cooperation.

April 2026

Keizo Tomonaga, Director, Institute for Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University