About FoodMed-OIL

On November 15th, 2019, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology and the University of Tsukuba have established the Food and Medicinal Resource Engineering Open Innovation Laboratory (FoodMed-OIL) at the Campus of the University of Tsukuba.

In recent years, functional components derived from natural resources, with potential health benefits, have attracted increased attention as pharmaceuticals and functional ingredients in food products. However, since many of these compounds are derived from rare biological resources, not only the cost and reliability of supply have not been justified, but also many of their bioactive functions have been overlooked without being elucidated.

This OIL combines the research on drug resources based on various bioassay technologies possessed by the University of Tsukuba and the material conversion technology provided by AIST to analyze rare components of various resources that were previously difficult to obtain from inexpensive raw materials. We will promote the discovery and elucidation of new bioactive functions expressed by these components and their corresponding derivatives. Furthermore, for promising candidate substances, we will add medical evidences through clinical research with the aim of implementing them as drugs and functional food ingredients in society.