“Imagine if the Photon Power Research Institute from Mazinger Z actually existed—it would probably look something like OIST (Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology).”
Amidst the sunshine and sea breeze in Okinawa, OIST stands quietly. This research institution, under the direct control of the Japanese Cabinet Office and highly internationalized, feels like a “future base” in the real world. Top scientists from around the globe gather here, not to create giant robots to protect Earth, but to focus on cross-disciplinary research in quantum technology, genetic engineering, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence, attempting to unravel the deepest secrets of nature.
Between the mountains and the sea, where the sunshine and sea breeze meet in Okinawa, OIST has nurtured countless outstanding scientists. (Image source: CancerFree Biotech)
If the Photon Power Research Institute symbolizes the fantasy of future technologies, then OIST is the real-world place that is gradually building that future. While the world may never see a Doctor Hell, OIST is the true starting point of human civilization moving toward the future, driven by the romantic notion of using technology to safeguard humanity.
Since its founding in 2011, OIST has rapidly risen to the international stage, ranking 9th in the world and 1st in Japan in the Nature Index within just eight years. Each year, only about 50 PhD students are admitted, with the highest scholarships in Japan, making the competition as fierce as a space selection. With an extremely high level of internationalization, over 50% of the researchers are foreign nationals. With its strong academic strength and research environment, OIST is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of scientists, collaborating with the world’s leading research and business communities to solve global issues.
Top-tier Academia × Market Application: Turning the Laboratory into the Real World
In recent years, OIST has been actively creating a “from lab to market” entrepreneurial environment. Its startup acceleration program attracts innovative teams from around the world every year. This year, teams from 29 countries competed, with Taiwan’s team, CancerFree Biotech, successfully making it to the final stage.
The selected teams not only receive startup funding and mentorship but also gain access to OIST’s world-class research facilities, including supercomputer power, electron microscopes, and a wide range of gene sequencing instruments. Additionally, teams can engage in technical exchanges and joint development with OIST’s internal research teams, further accelerating the implementation of innovative applications.
No Need for Drug Trials: Cancer Treatment Gets More Direction
CancerFree Biotech, which was selected this time, shares the same vision as OIST—to use technology to help humanity. Through its unique “Avatar Medicine” technology, the company is able to extract a patient’s tumor cells, cultivate them, and simulate responses to different drugs in the lab. This technology acts as a “clone” of the patient, helping to trial medications and assisting doctors in understanding potential responses, making more informed and suitable treatment plans. With this, cancer treatment has a clearer direction, potentially avoiding some unnecessary steps.
With OIST’s research resources and market connections, CancerFree Biotech will accelerate the deployment of its technology in the Japanese market. In the future, the company hopes to research how different ethnic groups’ tumor developments and drug responses vary, exploring how genetic diversity influences personalized cancer treatments.
Po Chen, founder and CEO of CancerFree Biotech, hopes that through Avatar Medicine, precision cancer treatment will have more possibilities. (Image source: CancerFree Biotech)
