2025INTRODUCTION

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As a leading university in the Tokai region, we conduct research not only in science and engineering, but also in humanities, and we are attracting attention for our unique research results.Distinctive ResearchLuminous land snailPhuphania crosseiCambodia MineeldRecovery Project e College of Bioscience and Biotechnology encompasses research on a wide range of organisms. Professor Yuichi Ohba, a specialist in luminescent organisms, conducted collaborative research with Chulalongkorn University (ailand) and discovered that ve species of snails in ailand have luminous properties. is discovery was selected as the Grand Prize winner in the International Mollusk of the Year 2024 Contest, which selects the most interesting and remarkable mollusks reported in a given year. It is very rare to nd a new luminous organism on land, and the only known luminous snail was thought to be a species found in Singapore in 1943. Understanding the scientic mechanisms behind luminescence reactions and their roles is expected to lead to new applications. Associate Professor Takanori Horibe of the College of Bioscience and Biotechnology is Japan's leading expert in cactus research, with a specialty in horticulture and plant physiology. He has reported the world's rst hydroponic cultivation method for cacti, demonstrating that hydroponic cultivation and environmental control are eective in improving productivity and quality. In addition, the newly established "Cactus and Succulent Research Center," launched in April 2024, will serve as a new base, focusing on (1) research on the development of decarbonization technologies and sustainable food and production systems using cactus and succulent plants, (2) joint research with research institutes and private companies in Japan and overseas, and (3) projects to disseminate research results. e Center will conduct research aimed at realizing a sustainable society by harnessing the full potential of cacti and succulent plants. Unique and wide-ranging biological researchon luminous organisms and plantsA nurse examines a newborn babyin a rural village in ailand. Physicist Seine Shintani, Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences in the College of Life and Health Sciences, has discovered that the autonomous oscillation of sarcomeres—the smallest contractile unit in rhabdomyosarcoma (cardiac and skeletal muscles)—exhibits chaotic instability caused by uctuations in calcium concentration. He named this phenomenon S4C (Sarcomere Chaos with Changes in Calcium Concentration).e discovery of S4C is expected to provide a new understanding of the mechanisms by which the heart maintains rhythm and adapts to changes, and to contribute to the development of treatments for heart disease. Associate Professor Naoko Arakawa of the Department of Nursing is developing a community health database and application in rural ailand. e sustainable database system will allow several sta members to eectively input, share, and view necessary health-related information for 10,000 residents and provide feedback regarding daily activities. It is expected that this database system will improve the health care situation in rural areas of developing countries.Contributing to medicine and healthpromotion through physics and life sciencesCompacting AI Models Professor Takayoshi Yamashita of the Department of Computer Science in the College of Engineering has developed a technology that can reduce the memory usage of the foundation models required for generative AI by 98%. is technology uses a new algorithm that prunes branches of redundant parameters and can signicantly reduce the memory usage of the generated AI. In addition, the use of dedicated hardware can signicantly reduce processing time. is allows the generated AI to be used without an Internet connection and eliminates the risk of important information being leaked via the Internet.Research practices that enable ecientuse of generated AILightning strike on wind powergeneration equipment Professor Kazuo Yamamoto of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering in the College of Engineering is conducting research and development on high-ecient utilization technologies for renewable energy in collaboration with institutions such as the University of Tokyo. He is responsible for addressing lightning strikes, which account for about 20% of failures in wind power generation equipment. With oshore wind power generation attracting attention, the commercialization of technologies aimed at achieving a carbon-neutral society is highly anticipated. Professor Daisuke Iioka of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering is conducting research aimed at realizing a carbon-neutral society. His work focuses on facility planning and the development of power devices necessary for improving the quality of power supply when large amounts of renewable energy are introduced. He is also researching new control methods that utilize existing power equipment to help build power transmission and distribution systems centered on renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. In addition, he has developed an algorithm (calculation method) to calculate switching procedures for power supply routes to enable rapid recovery in the event of a power outage. By determining the shortest switching sequence for power restoration, this technology is expected to contribute to more advanced power distribution system operations, such as automatic recovery in the event of system failures, alleviation of network congestion, and planning for more ecient equipment capacity.Promoting research aimed at achieving a carbon-neutral societyView of the excavation of a brick tombfrom the Assyrian Empire period Professor Shinichi Nishiyama of the School of General Education has been conducting archaeological research and studies on the Assyrian Empire, part of the ancient Mesopotamian civilization, in the Kurdistan Region of the Republic of Iraq since 2016, funded by scientic research grants and other sources. In addition, under commission from the Agency for Cultural Aairs, he has been implementing projects to protect cultural heritage in the Kurdistan Region and the Republic of Lebanon since 2018. ese eorts involve preserving, restoring, and documenting cultural heritage sites overseas using Japanese technology and expertise, as well as raising awareness in Japan about the importance of such projects through photo exhibitions and lectures. Professor Junko Suzuki of the Creative Liberal Arts Center conducts research on French thought, philosophy, and regional culture, with a focus on the early 20th-century female philosopher Simone Veilleux. In addition, she conducts practical studies on liberal arts education suited to the 21st century. Her approach emphasizes not just passive knowledge acquisition, but encourages students to actively choose the knowledge they need, express their ideas through discussion, and engage in classes designed to foster understanding and acceptance of others’ perspectives while working toward problem-solving.From archaeology to liberal arts-exploring the broad horizons of humanities research15