Mission of RIKEN BRC – RIKEN BioResource Research Center

RIKEN BioResource Research Center (RIKEN BRC), as one of the frontiers of research infrastructure centers, contributes to advancement of life science and human welfare in the 21st century

The 4th Mid- to Long-term Plan of RIKEN BRC (7 years: 2018-2024) Trust Sustainability Leadership Key Technology Division R&D for Preservation and Other Technologies for Sustainable Use of Bioresources BioResource Infrastructure Divisions Collection, Preservation, Distribution Quality Management, Quality Improvement, Usability Improvement Backup Facility Human Resource Training, Training Courses and Dissemination of Technologies, Public Relations Bioresource Frontier Programs R&D for Novel Bioresources, Characterization and Databases to Meet Research Trend and Needs International Collaboration, Asian Collaboration iPS Cells Brachypodium Genetic Tools for Visualization Disease / Pathophysiological Mouse Models Microbes for Health and Environmental Researches For both Academic Basic Research and Application-oriented Research R&D for Solving Social Issues such as Health, Food Production, Energy and Environment Promotion of Science, Technology and Innovation

Mission and overview of RIKEN BRC

It is now well recognized that bioresources are indispensable in life science research. As one of core infrastructure centers in the world for research and development of science, technology and innovation, RIKEN BRC strategically and systemically receives deposit/donation, manages, upgrades and distributes bioresources and the associated information. RIKEN BRC conducts the following three Programs:

Bioresource Infrastructure Programs focusing on five important bioresources of the world’s highest level and their associated information.
Key Technology Development Program in order to effectively, efficiently and sustainably conduct the Bioresource Infrastructure Programs.
Bioresource Frontier Programs in order to respond appropriately and timely to social and research trends and needs.

In addition, training courses for technology transfer and dissemination of technologies to the research community as well as public relations activities are actively conducted.

1Bioresource Infrastructure Programs

RIKEN BRC receives, preserves and distributes cutting edge bioresources and information by comprehending accurately social and research trends and needs. RIKEN BRC is focusing on the following five bioresources and associated information:

Experimental Animal Division: mouse strains
Experimental Plant Division: experimental plants such as Arabidopsis and Brachypodium
Cell Engineering Division: cultured cell lines of human and animal origin including iPS cells
Gene Engineering Division: DNA materials of human, animal and microbial origin
Microbe Division: microbial strains including microbial strains of bacteria, archaea, fungi classified in Risk Group 1 or 2.
Integrated Bioresource Information Division: Information associated with the five bioresources

Our bioresources are provided together with the most updated and advanced information for the best use of bioresources. Furthermore, RIKEN BRC performs rigorous quality examination based on the ISO9001:2015 international quality management standards, and provides the world’s highest quality level bioresources that ensure the reproducibility of research results.

Quality Management: RIKEN BRC has acquired and maintained ISO9001
RIKEN BRC has acquired and maintained ISO9001:2015 certification for quality management of bioresources to serve better to the research community by continuously improving the quality of operations of collection, preservation and distribution of bioresources. Cell Engineering Division and Microbe Division have acquired and maintained ISO 9001;2015 certification, and JIS Q 9001, the Japanese standard.

2Key Technology Development Program

This Program conducts research and development to improve preservation and utilization technologies of mainly mouse resources, aiming effective and efficient operation of Bioresource Infrastructure Programs. In particular, the Program focuses on the research and development to improve the technologies for cryopreservation and transportation of mouse resources as well as for recovering live mice from cryopreserved embryo. The Program also aims to improve embryo manipulation technologies and quality control of stem cells. Furthermore, the Program disseminates the accomplishments to the research community.

● Bioresource Engineering Division

3Bioresource Frontier Programs

To approach academically important issues such as understanding sophisticated life phenomena, aging and symbiosis as well as socially urgent issues such as overcoming intractable diseases and age-related diseases, drug discovery and food production, six Teams have been established and are conducting their respective R&D.

Technology and Development Team for Mammalian Genome Dynamics
Technology and Development Team for Mouse Phenotype Analysis: Japan Mouse Clinic
iPSC-based Drug Discovery and Development Team
iPS Cell Advanced Characterization and Development Team
Next Generation Human Disease Model Team
Plant-Microbe Symbiosis Research and Development Team

Through the implementation of the above programs, RIKEN BRC as a research infrastructure is committed to contribute to the advancement of life sciences.