Message from the Founder: “We are dedicated to contribute to human health by confronting cancer and viral diseases, leveraging the rich natural resources of Okinawa.”
Humankind has been forced to face numerus negative legacies of civilization. Cancer and virial diseases, which both create significant threat to human life are one of the symbolic diseases created as its legacies alongside with the obesity which we can describe as a diseases of civilization.
With a strong determination to improve the health of people today, who are suffering by legacies of civilization I establish this research institute to pursue solutions through science and new perspectives through a science and new prospective. Okinawa, located in a subtropical regions, has a rich biological resource that has been passed down since the Ryukyu era and I determent to continue to support human health by confronting cancer and viral diseases today and in the years ahead with this institution. -Nerome Kuniaki
Profiles of Our Institution Founder:
Nerome Kuniaki
1983: Born in Motobu, Okinawa Prefecture. Dropped out of Hokkaido University Graduate School (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine)
1966: Joined the National Institute of Health (now known as National Institute of Infectious Diseases)
- Became international leader in virus research with numerous achievements, including elucidating the origins of the Spanish flu virus.
- Served as the head of the Respiratory Virus Laboratory in the Virus Division at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Director of the WHO Influenza and Respiratory Virus Collaborating Centre, International AIDS Treatment Evaluation Committee member at Harvard University, Technical Advisor to the Hebei Provincial Government in China, Concurrent Professor at Iwate University (Graduate School), Concurrent Professor at Osaka Prefecture University (Graduate School), member of the Ministry of Education Gene Recombinant Experiment Review Committee, and member of the Ministry of Health and Welfare Pharmaceutical Affairs Review Committee.
1990: Awarded the Foreign Scientist Achievement Award (Hebei Provincial Government, China)