Opening Address by JAMSTEC President Mr. Takuya Hirano
The International Symposium on Extremophiles and Genomics
23-24 January 2001
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
On behalf of Japan Marine Science and Technology Center, I would like to thank all of you―especially those of you who have traveled long ways from overseas―for taking part in the International Symposium on Extremophiles and Genomics.
This symposium is designed to exchange cutting-edge information worldwide in the field of deep-sea extremophiles and genome science, and to accelerate its development in the years to come. JAMSTEC's Frontier Research Program for Deep-sea Extremophiles has been active in this field and they have played the principal role in organizing this event.
JAMSTEC is currently promoting the "OD21" Programs, that is the Ocean Drilling in the Twenty-first (21st) Century. The program includes geophysical and geological research such as understanding mechanisms of earthquake occurrence and global environmental change. Another important research theme being included is the "Deep subsurface biosphere, " where a large number of yet undiscovered extremophiles expected to be found, the kind never found on land or in the sea. We have great expectations for brand-new sciences of deep biosphere extremophiles, which might lead to the origin of life and industrial applications of resulting new biotechnology.
Genome science is moving from the stage of sequencing genomes to that of basic and applied sciences utilizing thus determined genome sequences. Taking advantage of such circumstances, JAMSTEC will launch a "Bio-venture Center for Deep-sea Extremophiles" in coming April. This Bio-venture Center will pursue applications of deep-sea microorganisms and their genomic information to industry. We will accept researchers from interested companies, give them technical training, and make our laboratory facilities available to them. If there are companies that some of you and here represent might be interested in participating in our new program, they will certainly be welcome.
All told, believe the symposium makes a timely event. I would like to close my address expressing my sincere wish for this symposium's great success. Thank you.
