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On Friday, February 20, Dr. Magdalena Skipper, editor-in-chief of the British scientific journal Nature, visited the Keio University Shinanomachi Research & Incubation Center (CRIK Shinanomachi) together with Springer Nature Japan's Director Hiromitsu Urakami and Commercial Director Ikuko Oba.

Keio University President Kohei Itoh welcomed them by giving an introduction to the wide-ranging AI initiatives being pursued collectively by the institution. He explained about the "Advanced Diagnosis and Treatment System by AI (Artificial Intelligence) Hospital," a part of the Cabinet Office"s Strategic Innovation and Creation Program (SIP) that was adopted in 2018 at Keio University Hospital, and outlined Keio's efforts toward realizing an "AI-Native University." These initiatives span education, research, real-world implementation, and ethics, and include the signing of a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding with OpenAI. President Itoh and Dr. Skipper then exchanged views on establishing an educational framework that enables students across diverse academic disciplines to effectively utilize AI, the potential of interdisciplinary research grounded in cutting-edge research facilities and digital environments, and the role of research outcomes in addressing societal challenges.

Dr. Skipper and her colleagues were subsequently guided through the CRIK Shinanomachi facilities by the Keio University Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship's Managing Director Nobuaki Shindo. The guests listened with great interest to explanations regarding the activities of the university's incubation facilities and its system for fostering innovation. Short presentations were also delivered by startups currently based at CRIK Shinanomachi, including Tsubota Laboratory, Grace imaging, and SalivaTech. Lively discussions followed on how research in the medical and healthcare space can be leveraged to lead society forward.

*CRIK Shinanomachi is an incubation facility operating with support from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's Program for Forming Japan's Peak Research Universities (J-PEAKS).

Links:

CRIK Shinanomachi: https://crik.keio.ac.jp/ (Japanese)