Shizuoka is now promoting a Triangle Research Cluster
Project. This aims to concentrate distinctive industries
in each region - life science industry in the east part
of Shizuoka, food, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries
in the middle, and optoelectronic industry in the west.
Pharma Valley Project
World-class healthcare and wellness R & D
A great number of pharmaceutical and medical equipment manufacturers are concentrated
at the foot of Mt. Fuji in eastern Shizuoka. As a result, the prefecture boasts
the nation's 2nd biggest production in the industry in value terms. Also, the
region is a gateway to the Izu Peninsula, one of the nation's most popular hot
spring regions. In the Pharma Valley Project, making the best of abundant resources
in the region, healthcare related companies, research institutes, universities,
and hospitals form a collaborative network around the core of the Shizuoka Cancer
Center and Research Institute, and conduct world-class research into and development
of medical care and wellness.
 Research fields and specific projects
- Shizuoka Cancer Center and Research Institute
- A comprehensive joint research agreement has been made with major private firms to develop systems for early detection and diagnosis of cancer and equipment for next-generation proton beam therapy.
Joint research in treatment and diagnosis methods for cancer has been conducted
with universities, including the Tokyo Institute of Technology.
- Drug development exploration system
- A library of chemical compounds has been constructed. Also, the screening
of anti-cancer and anti-viral drugs has been performed.
- Fuji Clinical Trial Study Group
- A clinical trial network, which comprises of 28 hospitals (14,000 beds in total), has been established to encourage quick, high-quality, and inexpensive clinical trials.
Food Science Hills Project
Lifestyle solutions through smart food
The nation's leading food industries are concentrated in the central region.
They take full advantage of abundant agricultural and marine resources
to produce seasonings and canned food. This area is home to universities
and research institutes known for their excellence in life science, including
the University of Shizuoka. The Food Science Hills Project aims to combine
industry's engineering prowess with academia's research and development
capability and achieve the advancement of existing industries and the creation
of new food and pharmaceutical industries.
 Research fields and specific projects
- Center of Excellence for Evolutionary Human Health Science in University of Shizuoka
- A new comprehensive academic field has been established to focus on the prevention and treatment of diseases. Also, highly functional food products have been developed, and a variety of efforts have been made for drug discovery based on such products as seeds.
- Development of new functional foods
- New functional food has been developed and distributed. It contains GABA,
which produces a relaxing effect, and phospholipid, which is effective in
relieving stress.
- Use of deep-sea water from Suruga Bay
- Deep-sea water from the Suruga Bay has been studied for practical use to
stimulate the local economy through collaboration among industry, academia
and government.
Photon Valley Project
Applying optoelectronic strength to next-generation industries
 The
optoelectronic technology that the western region boasts is applicable in a variety
of industries, such as a medical care, machining, and agriculture, and will lead
to the advancement of existing industries and creation of new business.
Relevant measures have been implemented intensively to accelerate the further
concentration of the optoelectronic industries in the western region. The Photon
Valley Project plays a key role in driving Shizuoka's manufacturing industries
in the 21st century.  Research fields and specific projects
- Monitoring technology for real-time depth measurement of holes
- Monitoring technology that allows the real-time measurement of the depth
of holes drilled using a femtosecond laser has been developed for the first
time in the world.
- Wide dynamic range CMOS image sensor
- An image sensor with a linear response mode has been developed. It is capable
of capturing an image with a wide range (8 digits) of brightness, a much wider
range of images than existing sensors can capture.
- Blood vessel modeling system for the diagnosis and treatment of vascular lesions
- A system has been developed to create 3-D models of blood vessels based on image data. It allows the visualization and measurement of blood flows.
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