Organization

Outline of the Research Institute

Research Institute for Sustainable Chemistry aims to develop key technologies to produce various basic/functional chemicals from renewable resources with high efficiency and low environmental impact. We focus on processing technologies of biomass, bioconversion technologies using microorganisms and enzymes (biomass refinery technologies), and technologies to create materials based on organic synthesis. We also develop technologies relating to precise control of molecules and interfaces, photochemistry, and formation, processing, functionalization, evaluation and standarization of materials. We promotes the R&D on the following four technology areas.

1. Reaction and process technology using renewable resources
2. Technology for development and functionalization of nanocellulose
3. Evaluation technology for advanced chemical materials

The Institute contributes to the development of functional chemical materials to various fields of industry based on the principle of Green Sustainable Chemistry (GSC).

Greeting from the Director

The Research Institute for Sustainable Chemistry was established on April 1, 2015, to support the construction of a sustainable society from the side of chemical technologies, with a mission of promotion of “Green Sustainable Chemistry”.

In recent years, raw material substitution from petroleum resources to renewable resources has been promoted worldwide, from a viewpoint of countermeasures to exhaustible resources and global warming prevention. Therefore, the establishment of technologies to convert renewable resources to various classes of basic/functional chemical compounds is urgently necessary, besides the technologies to utilize renewable resources as energy sources.

The institute aims to develop key technologies to produce various basic/functional chemicals from renewable resources with high efficiency and low environmental impact. We focus on processing technologies of biomass, bio-conversion technologies using microorganisms and enzymes (biomass refinery technologies), and technologies to create materials based on organic synthesis.

We also develop technologies relating to precise control of molecules and interfaces, photochemistry, and formation, processing, functionalization, evaluation and standardization of materials, in terms of value-adding and high-degree utilization of chemical compounds. We will develop these technologies comprehensively, and contribute to the development of chemical materials to various fields of industry and the reinforcement of international competitiveness of functional chemicals industry, based on the principle of Green Sustainable Chemistry.

We will develop industrial technologies based on chemistry in order to create an affluent society with succeeding to the excellent environment and precious resources, and advance the collaborative activity among industry, academic and government to return the obtained knowledge and results to the societ

We do appreciate your advice and cooperation.

Organization

Staff Members

Staff Members	Director	Hiroaki Sato
	Deputy Director	Junji Mizukado
	Deputy Director	Mitsutoshi Masuda
	Principal Research Manager	Yoko Matsuzawa
	Principal Research Manager	Tomotake Morita

Research Groups in ISC

Organic Materials Diagnosis Group (AIST Chugoku) 　　　 　　　　 　　　　 　　　　 　　　　 　　　　 　　　　　

Group Leader	Hirohmi Watanabe
Researchers	Asahiro Nagatani
	Shinji Fujimoto
	Toshiaki Hanaoka
	Yasuhiko Fujita
	Shotaro Itou
	Tran Ngoc Linh
	Keisuke Ata (concurrent member)

Bioconversion Group (AIST Chugoku) 　 　　　　　

Group Leader	Tatsuya Fujii
Researchers	Junya Kato
	Masahiro Watanabe
	Yusuke Nakamichi

Biochemical Group (AIST Tsukuba) 　 　

Group Leader	Tokuma Fukuoka
Researchers	Shun Sato
	Azusa Saika
	Kazunori Ushimaru
	Keisuke Wada

Cellulose Materials Group (AIST Chugoku) 　

Group Leader	Keita Sakakibara
Researchers	Seiichi Inoue
	Naoto Kamiuchi
	Akio Kumagai
	Yuta Hikima
	Yasuko Saito
	Koyuru Nakayama
	Waki Ikegami

Polymer Chemistry Group (AIST Tsukuba) 　

Group Leader	Hideaki Hagihara
Researchers	Akihiro Oishi
	Yoshiko Takenaka
	Ryouta Watanabe
	Naoki Kanayama
	Azusa Togou
	Taiki Ozawa

Chemical Materials Evaluation Group (AIST Tsukuba) 　

Group Leader	Hideyuki Shinzawa
Researchers
	Kenji Takizawa
	Shogo Yamane
	Kazutaka Araki (concurrent member)