Centers / Divisions
Center Director：Isao Murata
The Interdisciplinary Research Center was established in 2023 as an organization within the IRS aiming at enhancing the positive growth cycle of funds,human resources, and expertise in radiation science research, especially those using radioisotopes (RI), and interdisciplinary research.
To consolidate the currently evolving positive growth cycle (OU ecosystem) centered around the ongoing Development of Targeted Alpha Therapy, the research center also aims toward the ultimate goal of addressing societal challenges, to uncover new themes in interdisciplinary radiation science, cultivating specialists with exceptional capabilities,and promote co-creation between industry and academia.
In FY2025, a reorganization was carried out,establishing the Radioisotope Co-Innovation Office, the Division of Education, the Division of Interdisciplinary Science, and the Division of Translational Research, significantly strengthening the research management function that bridges basic research with industry-academia co-creation and clinical applications. It also focuses attention on the promotion of research beyond the boundaries of universities and shared use of facilities with a view to make the IRS a nationwide hub for support and promotion of research and human resource development especially for short-lived radioisotopes (RI) related research.
Office Director：Atsushi Toyoshima
The Radioisotope Co-Innovation Office was newly established in October 2025 through the integration of the Division of Research Promotion and the Research Management Office. Serving as the command center of research management for the entire Center, it plays a pivotal role in steering interdisciplinary research toward solving pressing social issues.
The Office takes the lead in strengthening collaboration across divisions and actively promotes partnerships with the Co-Creation Bureau, the University of Osaka Hospital, and the Development of Targeted Alpha Therapy hub. It further accelerates research development for social implementation by reinforcing connections between fundamental and advanced research and industry-academia co-creation through shared use of research facilities and resources. Within the university, the Office also organizes competitive funding programs for new education and research initiatives, thereby promoting projects based on inter-departmental collaboration.
Division Director：Michio Okada
Division Director：Kazuya Kabayama
The Division of Interdisciplinary Science aims at promoting short-lived radioisotopes (RI) applications in basic interdisciplinary research involving a variety of fields such as biology, physics, and medicine, wherein collaborative projects with universities and research institutes both in Japan and overseas, as well as the divisions within the University of Osaka. As a part of this cooperative project, a strenuous effort is now underway to carry out the "Targeted Alpha Therapy Project" in close coordination with the Graduate School of Medicine, Graduate School of Science, and the Research Center for Nuclear Physics. As of FY2023, preparative research for clinical trial of the second medical agent [211At] PSMA5 is being carried out, following the first case, [211At] NaAt. Other joint research (both within and outside the university) is being carried out in search of other candidate medical agents, and the number of candidates is steadily increasing. For further information on this research project, see "Research Project" below. Although still at the conceptual stage, new research projects, biological impact of radiation, and Fukushima-related research, to name only a few, are envisaged following the targeted alpha therapy. This division will continually seek accelerated development of these interdivisional cooperative research projects.
Division Director：Takashi Nakano
The Division of Translational Research was newly established on October, 2025.
It aims to build a seamless framework for advancing research from basic studies related to the development of targeted alpha therapy to clinical research and clinical trials.
