International Symposium "Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) Cell Research - Frontier and Future -" May 11th-12th, 2008, in Kyoto

Tokyo - The Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) will hold a special symposium "Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) Cell Research - Frontier and Future -".
In August 2006, a paper appeared that reported the induction of pluripotent stem cells from mouse fibroblast cultures by four defined factors.
Professor Shinya Yamanaka, Kyoto University, named them induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells.
On November 20 2007, the generation of human iPS cells was simultaneously reported by Professor Yamanaka, and Professor James A. Thomson, University of Wisconsin-Madison. ...[more]

Induced Pluripotent Stem
(iPS) Cell

NASA's Shuttle Endeavour Begins Mission to the Space Station　CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Endeavour brought an early sunrise to the East Coast Tuesday, launching from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 2:28 a.m. EDT and beginning the STS-123 mission to the International Space Station. During the 16-day flight, Endeavour's seven astronauts will work with the three-member space station crew and ground teams around the world to install the first section of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory and the Canadian Space Agency's two-armed robotic system, known as Dextre. ...[more]

© NASA

Japan develops an experiment module called "Kibo" which means hope in Japanese.
Kibo is the first manned facility of Japan in which a maximum of four astronauts can perform experimental activities for a long duration of time. Kibo consists of four components. Two experimental facilities, the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility, logistics modules attached to each of them and, a Manipulator to be used for experiments or for ORU changeout tasks. ...[more]

© JAXA

During this mission, JAXA astronaut Takao Doi will be aboard the space shuttle Endeavour as a Mission Specialist (MS). Astronaut Doi will perform the assembly, initial activation and checkout of the ELM-PS. ...[more]

© JAXA

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. and The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency launched the super high-speed Internet satellite "KIZUNA" (WINDS) by the H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 14 (H-IIA F14) at 5:55 p.m. on February 23, 2008 (Japan Standard Time, JST) from the Tanegashima Space Center. The launch vehicle flew smoothly, and, at about 28 minutes and 3 seconds after liftoff, the separation of the KIZUNA was confirmed. ...[more]

Overview of the KIZUNA (WINDS)　The "KIZUNA" is a communications satellite that enables super high-speed data communications of up to 1.2 Gbps to develop a society without any information availability disparity, in which everybody can equally enjoy high-speed communications wherever they live. ...[more]

Mascot Character KIZUNA-chan　"KIZUNA-chan" was born as the mascot character for the "KIZUNA" (WINDS.) Her charm point is the big round eyes! Please support the launch of the KIZUNA. Illustration: The KIZUNA-chan debuted at an open-house event at the Tsukuba Space Center ...[more]