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Establishing an international research hub for health biology: leading the future of health sciences and public health

As population aging accelerates worldwide, the growing social and economic burden of healthcare costs has become a critical global issue. There is an urgent need to advance health promotion research, with a particular focus on preventing the onset of diseases and delaying the decline of physical functions.

Professor Maeshige, the principal investigator of this project, has collaborated extensively with Harvard University to develop advanced screening and intervention strategies that utilize skeletal muscle as a central physiological target for disease prevention. Building on this foundation, the project advances biomarker research related to skeletal muscle function, sarcopenia, and frailty in close collaboration with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and other leading U.S. institutions.

In parallel, partnerships with U.S.-based research groups support the development of innovative tools for the detection, prevention, and improvement of age-related conditions, including dementia. By integrating these research outcomes through Japan–U.S. joint initiatives, we aim to establish a “Health Biology Research Hub” serving as a center of global impact.

Through this hub, Kobe University and Japan will strengthen their roles as key contributors to global health innovation and public health, supporting healthy longevity worldwide.