News

List of past news

2022

• 6 May 2022

  The 10th Newsletter (Aquatic Functional Materials News) is now available online.

• 1 Apr. 2022

  With new Publicly Offered Researchers on this “Aquatic Functional Materials” project, we are going to kick off a fresh start on the research activities to further deepen the science about “Aquatic Functional Materials”. They were selected based on the proposals for Publicly Offered Research (FY2022-FY2023) in the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research.

2021

• 4 Feb. 2022

  The 2nd Industry-Academia Collaboration Forum (open to the public) was held online.
  More than 500 participants, mainly from industry, joined the forum, the researchers from Planned Research and Publicly Offered Research gave lectures, and we had active discussions. The participants from industry showed the expectations for new perspectives on water in this project toward sustainable society where materials are in harmony with environment.

• 25 Jan. 2022

  The 4th Research Area Meeting of Aquatic Functional Materials (not open to the public) was held online.
  Researchers from Publicly Offered Research gave lectures about the results of their researches obtained over the past two years, as well as their joint research and collaboration activities within the research area. Active discussions on the new science about water were held, and collaborative activities within the area were also discussed.

• 17 Jan. 2022

  Kyushu University issued a press release concerning "Functionalization mechanism of blood-compatible polymer" examined by Masaru Tanaka (Principal Investigator of Research group A03-2, Kyushu University) and Yoshihisa Harada (Principal Investigator of Research group A02-1, The University of Tokyo). The article is here. Synthesis and interfacial analyses by Tanaka group were combined with soft x-ray emission spectroscopy by Harada group to reveal the hydration mechanism of the blood-compatible polymer. The research was published in the international journal Langmuir, and selected as a Supplementary Cover of the issue.

• 29 Dec. 2021

  The 9th Newsletter (Aquatic Functional Materials News) is now available online.

• 18 Nov. 2021

  On October 27, 2021, a research paper entitled “Uniaxially Oriented Electrically Conductive Metal–Organic Framework Nanosheets Assembled at Air/Liquid Interfaces” reported by Rie Makiura (Co-Investigator of Research group A01, Osaka Prefecture University) was published online and selected as a Supplementary Cover.
  The research achievement was press-released by Osaka Prefecture University, The University of Tokyo, and SPring-8/JASRI and highlighted by EurekAlert!, AsiaResearchNews and AZONANO.

• 3 Sep. 2021

  The research paper on silicone material whose elastic modulus changes 100 million times with humidity by Mitsuo Hara (Principal Investigator of Research Group A01, Nagoya University) was published in an international academic journal, Scientific Reports on September 3, 2021. Nagoya University issued a press release（See this page）for the paper.

• 28 Aug. 2021

  The 8th Newsletter (Aquatic Functional Materials News) is now available online.

• 10 Aug. 2021

  The 7th Newsletter (Aquatic Functional Materials News) is now available online.

• 4 Aug. 2021

  The joint research paper on molecular simulation of water treatment membranes by Go Watanabe (Co-investigator of Research Group A02, Kitasato University), Takashi Kato (Project Leader and Principal Investigator of Research Group A01, the University of Tokyo), and Hitoshi Washizu (Principal Investigator of Research Group A02, University of Hyogo) was published in an international academic journal, Science Advances with the，cover image of volume 7, issue 31 (2021).
  On July 28, 2021, the University of Tokyo issued an international press release（See this page）for the paper.

• 8 Jul. 2021

  The 6th Newsletter (Aquatic Functional Materials News) is now available online.

• 29 Apr. 2021

  On April 29, 2021, Takashi Kato, (Project Leader, Principal Investigator of Research group A01, The University of Tokyo) was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon (Medals of Honour at 2021 Spring) from the Cabinet Office, Government of Japan, The Medal with Purple Ribbon is awarded to individuals who have contributed to academic and artistic developments, improvements and accomplishments.

• 29 Apr. 2021

  On 19 February 2021, Takashi Kato, (Project Leader, Principal Investigator of Research group A01, The University of Tokyo) received SPSJ Award for Outstanding Achievement in Polymer Science and Technology from The Society of Polymer Science, Japan.

• 26 Apr. 2021

  On April 6, 2021, Kosuke Okeyoshi (Research Group A03/Publicly Offered Research, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) received The Young Scientists’ Award, the Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (commendation organization: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan). The Young Scientists’ Award is award to researchers under the age of 40 who have made outstanding achievements in research, originality, and outstanding research & development (R&D) capabilities. The official press release from the MEXT is readable here.

• 19 Apr. 2021

  The research by Takashi Miyata (Principal Investigator of Research group A03, Kansai University) was published in an international academic journal, NPG Asia Materials, on April 9th, 2021. The research image was displayed as top-page graphic on the journal website. Kansai University issued a press release, which was followed by the Kansai University’s website.

• 10 Apr. 2021

  The 5th Newsletter (Aquatic Functional Materials News) is now available online.

• 25 Jan. 2021

  It has been decided that Hayato Tsuji (Principal Investigator of Research group A01, Kanagawa University) receives The 38th CSJ Award for Creative Work, and Takashi Nakamura (Principal Investigator of Publicly Offered Research A01, University of Tsukuba) receives The 70th CSJ Award for Young Chemists.

2020

• 14 Nov. 2020

  On October 20, 2020, the University of Tokyo issued an international press release for joint research on synchrotron radiation spectroscopy of water treatment membranes by Takashi Kato (Project Leader and Principal Investigator of Research group A01, the University of Tokyo) and Yoshihisa Harada (Principal Investigator of Research group A02, the University of Tokyo). The study was published in an international academic journal, Angewandte Chemie International Edition and selected as VIP (Very Important Paper). On November 10, 2020, the paper was also introduced as Research Highlight in Nature Reviews Chemistry.

• 29 Oct. 2020

  The international joint research by Motomu Tanaka (Principal Investigator of Research group A03, Kyoto University and Heidelberg University), Yoshinori Takashima (Principal Investigator of Research group A03, Osaka University), Masaki Nakahata (Co-Invesitigator of Research group A03, Osaka University), and the research groups from Karlsruhe Institute for Technology (Germany) was published in an international academic journal Science Advances on September 23, 2020. Karlsruhe Institute for Technology issued an international press release, which was followed by the Kyoto University's website.

• 19 Oct. 2020

  The 4th Newsletter (Aquatic Functional Materials News) is now available online.

• 13 Aug. 2020

  The third Newsletter (Aquatic Functional Materials News) is now available online.

• 6 Jun. 2020

  The second Newsletter (Aquatic Functional Materials News) is now available online.

• 7 May 2020

  In response of the pandemic caused by the new coronavirus, the public meeting for 1st symposium of Aquatic Functional Materials scheduled for June 15th, 2020 has been canceled.

• 1 May 2020

  The first Newsletter (Aquatic Functional Materials News) is now available online!

• 8 Apr. 2020

  On April 7, 2020, Youhei Takeda (Co-investigator of Research group A01, Osaka University) recieved The Young Scientists’ Award, the Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (commendation organization: the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan). The Young Scientists’ Award is award to researchers under the age of 40 who have made outstanding achievements in research, originality, and outstanding research & development (R&D) capabilities. The official press release from the MEXT is readable here.

• 1 Apr. 2020

  Go Watanabe (Co-investigator of Research Group A02, Kitasato University) was promoted to Junior Associate Professor at Kitasato University.

2019

• 14 Dec. 2019

  1st Young Researchers School of Aquatic Functional Materials was held between 12th-13th November, 2019 at Hyogo University, Kobe Campus for Information Science, and SPring-8. 45 attendants (30 students and 15 researchers) from various research fields in this project were actively interacted. (Scene)

• 17 Sep. 2019

  The kickoff meeting and a briefing for publicly invited researches of "Aquatic Functional Materials" (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas by JSPS) was held on 14 Sep. 2019. We had more than one hundred participants. (Scene)
  Summary for Publicly Offered Research is here.

• 13 Aug. 2019

  The kickoff meeting and a briefing for publicly invited researches of "Aquatic Functional Materials" (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas by JSPS) will be held on 14 Sep. 2019. Details are here

• 13 Aug. 2019

  Web site of "Aquatic Functional Materials" (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas by JSPS) was open.

• 28 Jun. 2019

  "Aquatic Functional Materials: Creation of New Materials Science for Environment-Friendly and Active Functions" (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science) started.
  (Abbreviation: Aquatic Functional Materials, Project Leader: Kato Takashi, Project/Area Number: 6104, Project Period: 2019-2023)