What is NINS? 

The National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS), Japan is an integrated scientific research institute that was established in 2004, when the following five research institutes were merged: the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ; Mitaka, Tokyo), the National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS; Toki, Gifu), the National Institute for Basic Biology (NIBB; Okazaki, Aichi), the National Institute for Physiological Sciences (NIPS; Okazaki, Aichi), and the Institute for Molecular Science (IMS; Okazaki, Aichi). NINS is open to researchers from all over the world, in accordance with its core principle: to work together to improve and enhance the scientific knowledge and capability of humankind. NINS provides facilities that can be used collaboratively by a broad range of researchers, both from Japan and the rest of the world, for the purpose of scientific and technological research and development. 

What is IRCC-QIB?

NINS established the International Research Collaboration Center (IRCC) to conduct international collaboration beyond the boundaries of fields and institutions. Based on agreements with overseas universities/institutions. IRCC has been promoting international collaborations by co-mentoring postdoctoral fellows with partner institutions and by academic exchange through workshops, for example. The are two units in IRCC, IRCC-Astro-Fusion Plasma Physics (AFP）and IRCC-Quantitative and Imaging Biology (QIB). The latter unit broadly covers the area of life sciences and organizes this meeting. 

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