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Outline of the Call for Proposals on the OPEN MIX LAB (OML) Program for FY 2027

1. Purpose of the Program

The Open Mix Lab (OML) is a research platform managed and operated by the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS). OML will reorganize the various open recruitment programs that NINS has conducted so far, and promote innovative research activities, assuming the participation of various experts not only from academia but also from industry.

At OML, shared research facilities and equipment held by NINS will be provided. In addition, research funding is provided through open recruitment research programs to form OML projects. OML projects are classified into the following multiple types according to the purpose and progress of activities.

① OML Project (research co-creation type)
② OML Project (young researcher support type)
③ OML Project (theme setting type)
④ OML Project (research start-up support type)
⑤ OML Project (smart cloud lab pioneer type)
⑥ OML Project (technology development type)
⑦ OML Project (industry-academia collaboration researcher support type)

OML projects promote the application of research methods, research equipment and facilities to new fields, and promote innovative research activities through research exchanges and inter-organizational collaboration. They are expected to further develop conventional research and propose and promote new research themes by combining existing knowledge and technologies and applying them to different fields.

2. Overview of the Open Recruitment

In this call for proposals, we will call for applications for ① to ⑥.

	Content	Application Qualification	Amount Applied	Research Period	Screening Method	Number of Cases Scheduled to be Accepted
①OML Project (research co-creation type)	A project to support innovative research through inter organizational collaboration carried out by researchers affiliated with domestic research institutes, including NINS, in cooperation with NINS employees	Researchers affiliated with domestic universities and public research institutes (Those affiliated with overseas universities/institutes are not eligible)	Within five (5) million yen	Single year	Documentary screening and screening interview	Approximately 10 cases
②OML Project (young researcher support type)	A project to support innovative research through inter organizational collaboration between NINS young researchers and researchers affiliated with domestic research institutes.	NINS young researchers under 40 years old as of April 1, 2027	Within five (5) million yen	Single year	Documentary screening	Approximately 5 cases
③OML Project (theme setting type)	A project to support innovative research related to themes set by NINS, in which researchers affiliated with domestic research institutes, including NINS, private companies, etc., cooperate with NINS employees while utilizing cros sappointments, etc. and promoting exchanges by establishing a place for practical joint research at NINS See below for FY 2027 themes (＊2)	Researchers affiliated with domestic universities, public research institutes, private companies, etc. (Those affiliated with overseas universities/institutes are not eligible)	Within ten (10) million yen	Single year	Documentary screening and screening interview	1 case
④OML Project (research start-up support type)	A project to support start-up research, workshops, and preliminary research for researchers affiliated with domestic research institutes, including NINS, to cooperate with NINS employees and launch innovative research through inter-organizational collaboration	Researchers affiliated with domestic universities and public research institutes (Those affiliated with overseas universities/institutes are not eligible)	Within one (1) million yen	Single year	Documentary screening	Approximately 2 cases
⑤OML Project (smart cloud lab pioneer type)	A project to contribute to the development of initial use cases, data specifications, and operational models. Researchers, etc. from NINS and other domestic research institutes, private sector organizations, etc. will work collaboratively with NINS employees to visualize the workflow of existing research projects, including experimentation, measurement, analysis, and data recording, prior to the launch of the Smart Cloud Lab. Through the design and prototyping of workflows that incorporate automated experimentation and measurement, improved automation and reproducibility of data analysis, and integration with data recording systems, the project aims to generate foundational outcomes for Smart Cloud Lab implementation. See below for information on Smart Cloud Lab（＊3）	Researchers affiliated with domestic universities and public research institutes (Those affiliated with overseas universities/institutes are not eligible)	Within one (1) million yen	Single year	Documentary screening	Approximately 10 cases
⑥OML Project (technology development type)	A project to support technical employees affiliated with NINS in developing technology, which is one of the important elements for promoting innovative research through future inter　organizational collaboration, based on basic research at NINS. Unlike ① to ⑤, it is also possible to apply independently.	Technical employees, specially appointed senior specialists, senior specialists belonging to NINS (those who affiliated with NINS who are not eligible to apply for ① to ⑤)	Within one (1) million yen	Single year	Documentary screening	Approximately 5 cases

＊1 The amount and number of cases to be adopted may be subject to change depending on the budget of this program.

＊2 Theme 1: "Analysis technology development and application using light in all wavelength regions"
　We are looking for research proposals aimed at utilizing light in wavelength regions that have not been used much in the past.

Theme 2: "Basic research and development that contributes to GX (storage batteries, hydrogen, bio-manufacturing)"

Theme 3: "Basic and applied research using AI, machine learning, and mathematics"

＊3 Smart Cloud Lab is a research facility that integrates automated and remotely operated experimental equipment, robots, data infrastructure, and AI-powered analysis environments through a network, enabling researchers to conduct experiments and analyses without being constrained by time or location.

3. Application Method and Application Period

Applications must be submitted electronically.

Please click the banner below to apply from the NOUS website.

The application page will be posted on the above site at 10:00 on November 2, 2026.

The application period is from 10:00 on November 2 (Monday) to 17:00 on November 27 (Friday).

In applying, be sure to discuss the research theme, research plan, necessary expenses, etc. with a researcher affiliated with NINS before submitting the application form.
For information on the research departments and researchers of NINS, please refer to the website of each institute listed in "5. Research Implementation Structure" or consult with the desk stated in "10. Others Contact Information and Consultation Desk ".
Additionally, since the screening will be conducted by judges outside the field of the applied theme, try to write information that is easy to understand even for people outside the field.

4. Documents

Outline of the Call for Proposals on the OPEN MIX LAB (OML) Program for FY 2027.pdf

Application for the OML Project for FY 2027(research co-creation type, young researcher support type, theme setting type, and smart cloud lab pioneer type）).docx

Application for the OML Project for FY 2027（start-up）.docx

Application for the OML Project for FY 2027(technology development type).docx

Screening Guidelines of the Call for Proposals on the OPEN MIX LAB Program for FY 2027.pdf

5. Research Implementation Structure

If you intend to implement research from this program, be sure to include one (1) or more NINS employee as either the principal investigator or joint researchers. For the technology development type, you can apply either individually or jointly. NINS employee may serve as both the principal investigator and the expenses operating officer.
Additionally, set one (1) person among, NINS employees up as the expenses operating officer. Regarding this program, check the website of each institute for more information, etc. about the research content or those implementing the research of each institute in NINS or consult the desk stated in "11. Others Contact Information and Consultation Desk"

NINS 　
https://www.nins.jp/ or https://www.nins.jp/en/

National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) 　
https://www.nao.ac.jp/ or https://www.nao.ac.jp/en/

National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS)　
https://www.nifs.ac.jp/ or https://www.nifs.ac.jp/en/

National Institute for Basic Biology (NIBB) 　
https://www.nibb.ac.jp/ or https://www.nibb.ac.jp/en/

National Institute for Physiological Sciences (NIPS)　
https://www.nips.ac.jp/ or https://www.nips.ac.jp/eng/

Institute for Molecular Science (IMS) 　
https://www.ims.ac.jp/ or https://www.ims.ac.jp/en/

Astrobiology Center (ABC) 　
https://www.abc-nins.jp/ or https://www.abc-nins.jp/en/

Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (EXCELLS)　
https://www.excells.orion.ac.jp/ or https://www.excells.orion.ac.jp/en

6. Expenses

For expenses in this program, the expenses operating officer (NINS employee) shall allocate the budget. In operating expenses, the expenses operating officer will operate expenses. In addition, please follow the NINS rules, etc. in the operation of expenses.

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7. Screening, Etc.

The screening of this program will be decided by the NINS Research Cooperation and Liaison Committee based on documents and interviews as necessary. The screening shall be closed to the public. (If accepted, some of the information shall be disclosed.)

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8. Research Outcome and Reporting

An implementation report of the research theme shall be submitted by April 30, 2028 and we may hold a meeting to report on the results of this project; should that occur, we will contact you at a later date.
If publishing the outcome of this program with a research paper, etc., the acknowledgment or funding for the research paper, etc. must state that the outcome of the research is on the expense of the NINS OML Program.

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9. Statement of the Program at the Workshop

Please be sure to clearly state that the workshop will be held with support from National Institutes of Natural Sciences Interdisciplinary Collaborative Research Project in the workshop notice, poster, etc. In addition, other than the above description, it is not necessary to state the host, co host, co-sponsor, supporter, etc.

10. Others

About DX platform , Handling of intellectual property, Handling of personal information, Accommodation facilities and Childcare support of more information, please see below for more details.

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