Kyoto University establishes innovative analytical instrument development hub in collaboration with Rigaku and JEOL

Kyoto University, Rigaku, and JEOL have established an analytical instrument development hub called the "RIGAKU/JEOL-iCeMS Innovation Core" for the advancement of materials science. This is a new open innovation organization that leverages each other's strengths to jointly promote fundamental research, return research results to society and develop human resources. An opening ceremony was held in Tokyo.

At Kyoto University, the Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS) was established in 2007 with the aim of integrating two academic fields: chemistry and cell biology. The newly established hub is a collaborative research organization set up within iCeMS's Analysis Center. It opened about a year ago and has been in trial operation, with official operation beginning in September.

The hub's distinctive character lies in its utilization of innovative molecular structure analysis methods centered on electron diffraction of ultrafine crystals, which were previously unavailable. The XtaLAB Synergy-ED is a completely new electron diffraction integrated platform that combines Rigaku's single-crystal X-ray structure analysis technology with JEOL's transmission electron microscope technology. Centered around this platform, a measurement environment has been established with state-of-the-art analytical instruments from both companies.

The XtaLAB Synergy-ED is an instrument that Rigaku and JEOL released in 2021 in response to demands from chemists who use structural chemistry as their main analytical method for an easy-to-use electron diffraction device. In cutting-edge research settings, there is a growing need for single-crystal structural analysis of materials from which only ultrafine crystals of several hundred nanometers or smaller can be obtained, but measurement with conventional instruments was difficult.

Therefore, by combining the core technologies that both companies excel at, Rigaku's X-ray structure analysis technology and JEOL's electron diffraction, they realized the XtaLAB Synergy-ED as a completely new material structure measurement device. It is being increasingly utilized domestically and internationally as a cutting-edge structure analysis instrument essential for the development of new drugs and new materials.

Meanwhile, Kyoto University, which aims to become a world-class research university, newly established three business promotion offices from last year to this year: Institutional Advancement and Communications, Research Acceleration, and Educational Reform Strategy.

Among these, the Research Facility Division established under the Office of Research Acceleration, launched in January this year, has been developing cutting-edge research equipment and core facilities to provide an environment where researchers can conduct research efficiently and effectively. This hub was also jointly established by Kyoto University and the two companies as one such facility.

At the new hub, the opinions of Kyoto University researchers who pioneer new science ahead of the world will be reflected in the development and improvement of analytical instrument manufacturers, and Kyoto University's abundant samples will be utilized for the development of instruments and technologies. Furthermore, the hub will contribute to the development of researchers and research support personnel through close discussions with engineers.

Through this, the aim is to fundamentally expand Kyoto University's research infrastructure and open it domestically and internationally, leading to the improvement of Japan's research and development capabilities and international competitiveness.

President Nagahiro Minato of Kyoto University, stated, "This aligns with the direction of alliances with analytical instrument manufacturers in our university's core facility concept for becoming a university for international research excellence, and we consider this to be a very important initiative."

President and CEO Jun Kawakami of Rigaku and President and CEO Izumi Oi of JEOL expressed their joy at three parties being able to establish a new research and development hub. They also expressed that they hope, through new technological innovations and product/technology development from this initiative, not only to return the results and knowledge gained through industry-academia collaboration to society, but also to contribute to developing human resources who will lead the future.