The Research Foundation Itsuu Laboratory began around 100 years ago, in 1915, when Dr. Heizaburo Kondo of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the formerly Tokyo Imperial University established a facility in present-day Shiba, Minato-ku of Tokyo for conducting research requested by Gisaburo Shiono, the second-generation president of the Shiono Pharmaceutical Laboratory (predecessor of Shionogi & Co., Ltd.). It became a foundation in 1938 and continued pharmaceutical research during and even after the war. After moving to Tamagawa in the Setagaya-ku in 1966, Itsuu Laboratory contributed to the fields of pharmacy and organic chemistry by conducting total synthesis of natural organic compounds. Since then, over the past 20 years, we have been conducting research focused on drug discovery, although such research requires considerable time; moreover, research and development costs have increased. Therefore, since switching to a public interest incorporated foundation in 2012, we have been thinking about the future direction of Itsuu Laboratory through discussions among directors, councilors, and experts. Recently, as many foundations abandon independent research and have been switching to research grant foundations for the last years, we concluded that to contribute to the field of pharmaceutical sciences by improving the quality of organic chemistry in Japan, it would be necessary to continue wet labs. Therefore, in 2015, on the occasion of 100th anniversary of the laboratory’s establishment, we moved to a new location in the Kanagawa Science Park to set sail as the laboratory we are today. We are hoping we can engage as many young researchers as possible in researching new ideas over the course of 3-5 years with the guidance, encouragement, and support of advisory board members and various investigators/instructors. Through this, we hope to contribute to the advancement and development of pharmaceuticals based on organic chemistry in Japan.

The pursuit of a sustainable society, as exemplified by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), requires global-scale solutions to various challenges facing modern society, including resource depletion, rapid global population growth, climate change, and environmental issues. Addressing these challenges necessitates the development of innovative scientific and technological solutions, and organic chemistry undoubtedly stands as one of the most crucial foundational research fields. Since its establishment, the Itsuu Research Institute has been dedicated to drug discovery research rooted in organic chemistry. Today, it operates as a public interest incorporated foundation that is dedicated to advancing pharmaceutical sciences by fostering young researchers through research centered on fundamental organic chemistry. Organic chemistry plays a vital role in creating a sustainable society, and I firmly believe that nurturing the next generation of researchers who will underpin the future of this field is a mission of considerable social importance. Our goal is to enable promising young researchers to develop into world-class organic chemists and researchers who can contribute to the global community, making the most of their valuable time. To this end, it is essential that they develop into researchers who can formulate their own research topics, publish findings based on experimental validation of hypotheses, and receive peer evaluation of their work. I consider it the Itsuu Research Institute’s core mission and raison d'être to provide an environment conducive to such growth.