The National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS), as research centers for joint research and joint use, promotes a wide range of advanced researches in the fields of natural science. NINS also provides places for research collaboration to challenge diverse issues beyond the framework of conventional research areas, and contributes to the development of research communities.

In 2009, the Center for Novel Science Initiative (CNSI) was established for the purpose of "creation and development of new research fields". At the time of establishment, we selected two research fields: the brain science research field and the imaging science research field. The Department of Brain Science aims to create new brain science to understand the basis of human intelligence. The Department of Imaging Science aims to understand a wide range of natural phenomena from new perspectives by use of imaging technology and theoretical data analysis. In both areas, we searched and promoted emerging scientific topics. In 2013, we established the Department of Life-in-Space as the third research field, and promoted the development of interdisciplinary fields of astrophysics, biology, geophysics, and chemistry.

The Department of Life-in-Space moved to the Astrobiology Center in 2015, and the Departments of Brain Science and Imaging Science also moved to the Exploratory Research Center for Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS) that was newly established in 2018.

From 2018, we launched two new research fields: the frontier photonic research field, aiming to apply the exciting results of optical science research to different fields, and the plasma bio research field, which is an interdisciplinary research area of plasma science and life science. We are promoting scientific activities by research collaboration and research grants for scientists of universities and institutes all over Japan. In particular, for the plasma bio research field, we have formed a consortium with the Center for Low Temperature Plasma Science at Nagoya University and the Plasma Nano-Interface Engineering Center at Kyushu University, and are actively promoting collaborative research.​ ​

CNSI also has the new field exploration room, and it explores research activities that can be the next generation of new fields. CNSI will continue to collaborate with researchers from universities and research laboratories in Japan and overseas to contribute to the formation of an active group of researchers who discuss the direction of research with an eye on the future of natural science. We would appreciate your cooperation and support.

10th, December, 2019
Director, Keiji Imoto