About Us

Mission of Institute of Natural Medicine

Institute of Natural Medicine is established for the purpose of “Research of scientific principle of natural medicine, and its applied research.” Making full use of modern advanced science and technology, scientifically research of natural medicines and traditional medicines are progressed to integrate Eastern medicine and Western medicine, and we build a new medicinal system. Our mission is to contribute to the establishment of holistic medical care, including the preservation of the natural environment. 1) Securing and preserving natural drug resources, 2) Promoting basic research in natural medicines and traditional medicines and integrating Eastern medicine and Western medicine, 3) Establishing the objective diagnostic and treatment system in Kampo medicine and the training of Kampo medical professionals, and 4) Forming a hub center of transmission for information of traditional medicine research.

Considering globally sharing problems to be overcome, that is aging progress, the increase in multifactorial diseases, and the depletion of natural resources, the Institute has been promoting the priority research projects for implementing the project outcomes to the community. In Department of Research and Development, five divisions (Division of Medicinal Resources, Division of Bioscience, Division of Complex Biosystem Research, Division of Presymptomatic Disease, Division of International Cooperative Research) collaborate with each other to progress basic researches aiming for translating to clinical researches and to develop a drug discovery platform based on new mechanism. Department of Medicinal Resources Management conducts preservation and management of herbal drug resources such as traditional medicine and natural medicines, and promote joint research using herbal drug resources for drug discovery. Department of Clinical Application and Department of Academia-Industry-Government Collaboration manage and facilitate clinical trials, and promote exploration of drug candidates in cooperation with hospitals and companies. Kampo Education and Training Center is responsible for cultivation of academic staffs who can practice Kampo medical education, and for establishment of the education and training system.

Our mission is to create next-generation medical science based on the integration of Eastern and Western medicine and contribute to the healthy and long-lasting society with the collaboration of the four Departments and one Center.

Institute of Natural Medicine
HAYAKAWA Yoshihiro
Institute Director / Professor

Organization Chart

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Institute of Natural Medicine
University of Toyama
2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
Tel: 076-434-2281

History

1963.04: Founded, Research Institute for WAKAN-YAKU (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toyama Univ.)
Founded, Department of Development for Natural Drug Resources (later Materia Medica)

1964.04: Founded, Department of Pharmacology

1965.04: Founded, Department of Applied Biochemistry (later Clinical Application)

1969.04: Founded, Department of Patho-Biochemistry (later Pathogenic Biochemistry)

1972.05: Founded, Department of Natural Products Chemistry

1974.06: Founded, Research Institute for WAKAN-YAKU (Toyama Univ.)

1975.05: Started publishing periodically “Annual Report of Research Institute for WAKAN-YAKU”

1978.06: Founded, Research Institute for WAKAN-YAKU (Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical Univ.)

1980.03: Constructed, The building (2468m2)

1987.10: Founded, Department of Central Nervous Function Control System (temporary)

1988.10: Founded, Department of Immunological Function Control System (foreign visiting professor, temporary)

1990.04: Founded, Department of Cell-Resources Engineering (temporary)

1996.04: Founded, Analytical Research Center for Ethnomedicines

1997.03: Discontinued, Department of Central Nervous Function Control System

1997.04: Founded, Department of Analysis of Homeostasis (temporary)

1998.03: Discontinued, Department of Immunological Function Control System

1998.04: Founded, Foreign visiting professor in Analytical Research Center for Ethnomedicines

1999.04: Founded, Department of Kampo Diagnostics

2000.03: Discontinued, Department of Cell-Resources Engineering

2000.04: Founded, Department of Metabolic Engineering

2002.04: Founded, Department of Kampo Diagnostics Changed, Department of Natural Drug Resources to Department of Phamacognosy

2004.07.01: Founded, Department of Kampo-Pharmaceutics

2004.05.11: Founded, Division of Gastrointestinal Phathophysiology

2004.10.19: Changed, Division of Pharmacology to Division of Medicinal Pharmacology

2004.11.16: Changed, Japanese Name of the Division

2005.08.01: Japanese Name of the Research Center for Ethromedicines was changed, and three divisions of Biofunctional Evalution, visiting professors, International Cooperative Researches together with Museum of Materia Medical were established

2005.10.01: Japanese Name of the Institute of Natural Medicine was changed after integration of three universities, Toyama University, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University and Takaoka junior college

2007.04: Founded, Division of Biomedical Informatics (temporary)

2008.04: Founded, Department of Presymptomatic Health Promotion

2010.03: Alteration and extension of Museum of Materia Medica

2010.04: Approved, the Institute as the Collaborative Research Center
Founded, Division of Kampo Diagnostics

2010.11: Founded, Research Promotion Office

2011.01: Founded, Division of Natural Drug Discovery

2011.03: Discontinued, Division of Metabolic Engineering
Discontinued, Department of Presymptomatic Health Promotion

2012.03: Discontinued, Division of　Clinical Application

2012.04: Reorganized, Division of Natural Products Chemistry; Reorganized, Division of Visiting Professors, Division of International Cooperative Research, Division of Biomedical Informatics to Division of International Cooperative Research; Reorganized, Research Promotion Office to Research Promotion Office/Division of Nutritional Biochemistry; Reorganized, Division of Biofunctional Evaluation, Research Center for Ethnomedicine to Division of Neuromedical Science, Department of Bioscience

2015.04: Reorganaized, Division of Kampo-Pharmaceutics, Donation Department to Division of Kampo-Phaemaceutics, Department of Medicinal Resources; Founded, Department of Translational Research, Founded, Division of Kampo Translational Research, Division of Natural Drug Discovery, Division of Cemo-Bioinformatics

2016.04: Reorganized, Research Promotion Office to Research Promotion Office for Science- Based Natural Medicine

2017.03: Founded, Integrated Research Center for Eastern and Western Medicine; Discontinued, Division of Kampo-Pharmaceutics, Department of Medicinal Resources

2018.03: Discontinued, Research Promotion Office for Science-Based Natural Medicine

2019.03: Discontinued, Integrated Research Center for Eastern and Western Medicine

2020.03.31: Discontinued, Research Center for Ethnomedicine

2020.04.01: Reorganized, Institute of Natural Medicine,; Founded, three departments of Research and Development, Clinical Application and Academia-Industry-Government Collaboration, additionally Kampo Education and Training Center and Museum of Materia Medica