Keio University School of Medicine and Suntory Global Innovation Center Ltd. Launch their Joint Research Project: “Water Channeling Life”

Tokyo, Japan, March 31, 2015 - Keio University (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President: Atsushi Seike) and Suntory Global Innovation Center Ltd., (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President: Masato Arishiro) will launch their joint research project, “Water Channeling Life” on April 1st in order to promote research about water channeling in the human body and its relation to health.

In recent years, people’s health awareness has been increasing as Japan continues to become an aging society. In addition, the importance of hydration while playing sports and as a countermeasure against heat strokes is becoming more widely recognized as shared knowledge. As the public is paying more attention to the relationship between water and health, this three-year project will continue to clarify water channeling and its states inside the human body and how water is related to the maintenance of life and health by leveraging the expertise of the two institutions. The Department of Pharmacology at the Keio University School of Medicine has been involved in the basic research of water channeling in the human body with aquaporins*¹ and aquaphotomics*² (led by Professor Masato Yasui) and their relation to biogenic activity, while the Suntory Group has been involved in various environmental activities such as the “Suntory Natural Water Sanctuary” and basic research to clarify water circulation in the natural world with the aim to realize the coexisting with society and nature. Therefore, this joint research project will allow both institutions to take advantage of each other’s specialties, academia and the private sector, respectively, and help accelerate research on water channeling in the human body while dispatching the results throughout society to improve the quality of life for all people.

*¹ Aquaporins: Proteins that form pores in cell membranes to create water channels. Aquaporins are involved in water circulation in humans and many other organisms.
*² Aquaphotomics: A technology to analyze changes in a water state using NIRS. It was developed by Professor Tsenkova of Kobe University.

● Primary research topics

1.	Cell biology of aquaporins Prevention and treatment of dry syndromes and obesity, application to regenerative medicine and food preservation
2.	Aquaphotomics Monitoring of water state changes in the human body and evaluation of health conditions
3.	Research on fluid intake amount of the Japanese people To understand the characteristics of fluid intake by Japanese people (age, sex, regional differences)
4.	Measuring of water flows in the human body and their simulation To propose an appropriate method of fluid intake based on the fluid balance and prediction of kinetic fluid distribution in the human body

● About the logo
The logo of this project consists of a blue line in the image of water channeling in the human body. The design represents our wish to clarify the flows and state of water in the human body and how water is related to the maintenance of life and health.

- Note -

▼ Title

Joint Research Project by Keio University School of Medicine and Suntory “Water Channeling Life”

▼ Period of research

April 1, 2015 – March 31, 2018

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