Collaboration between Public Institution and Hospitaｌ-Japanese styled collaborative model for promotion of innovation in life sciences-

Accountability for investment of public funds is required and it is necessary to explain the social contribution or social return of research based on evidence. In case of life sciences R&D, we consider that the innovation in the medical treatment (drug discovery) is its goal, which will contribute to the furtherance of public health. Therefore, collaborative research between public institutions and hospitals is regarded to be crucial. We conducted an on-line survey among hospital physicians. The results indicated that physicians in national/incorporated administrative agency hospitals seem to act as a mediator between basic research and clinical trial (such as those willing to conduct clinical research or clinical trial, who have the ability to publish paper written in foreign language, etc.). In addition, we examined collaborative models between public institutes (NIH, INSERM) and hospitals abroad. Based on these models, we propose that the collaboration between the RIKEN Institute and the National Hospital Organization may create Japanese styled collaborative model covering from basic research to clinical (phase II), similar to the NIH in the United States.