Information contained in this news release is current as of the date of the press announcement, but may be subject to change without prior notice.
October 4, 2012
To promote joint research on needs of clinical practices in the area of healthcare and medical treatment
Tokyo, October 4, 2012 – Juntendo University and Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE:6501, "Hitachi") today announced that they have reached a comprehensive agreement to promote collaboration and cooperation between both organizations in the area of medical and healthcare R&D. The development of advanced technology based on needs in clinical practice and early practical application of the technology will be promoted through collaboration such as the exchange of personnel and the use of each other's facilities, with the aim of generating global Life Innovations.
Juntendo University and Hitachi will, through this comprehensive agreement, identify at an early stage, the actual needs in the clinical setting of the advanced medical practice at Juntendo University, and together with Hitachi's medical and information technology, and through pilot tests, promote the early realization of practical technology. In order to resolve various issues in healthcare such as patient QoL (quality of life) and rising medical costs, the collaborative research will be focus on three areas: "pre-emptive medicine" which hopes to achieve very early diagnosis or treatment, "super-tailor-made medicine" tailored to a patient's constitution for effective and minimal negative impact treatment, and "advanced medicine" to generate and establish new forms of treatment.
The collaboration will be coordinated by a "collaboration council" which will select themes for joint research, manage research progress, etc. to ensure a mutually beneficial relationship. Further, there plans are being pursued to enhance the research facilities through scientific exchange and fostering of human resources by the mutual exchange of researchers and students, and the use of each other's facilities. The comprehensive agreement in this area of research is the first for Juntendo University with a corporate entity, and the first for Hitachi, with a medical university. As Juntendo University and Hitachi proceed with promoting collaborative relations with other universities and research institutes worldwide, this relationship will be developed as the nucleus of a flexible and unrestrictive academia-industry network.
Juntendo University has a distinguished history spanning 170 years since its original establishment in 1838 as a medical school based on Dutch medicine in Edo Yagen-bori. The University is a general healthcare university with a School of Medicine, considered the original proponent of western medicine in Japan, the School of Health and Sports Science, which explores sports from a scientific perspective, and two schools of nursing. Further, the University serves the broad medical needs of the nation through its network of 6 university-affiliated hospitals with a total bed count of 3,199, the largest in Japan, and the formation of a strong network with domestic and overseas hospitals.
Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company with approximately 320,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2011 (ended March 31, 2012) consolidated revenues totaled 9,665 billion yen ($117.8 billion). Hitachi is focusing more than ever on the Social Innovation Business, which includes information and telecommunication systems, power systems, industrial, transportation and urban development systems, as well as the sophisticated materials and key devices that support them.
For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com.
