Research projects conducted by the plant biotechnology group at the Center can be largely divided into two areas. The first one is to establish useful genes from plants and utilize them. Higher plants are supposed to have over 30,000 genes. Among them, essential genes needed to induce new function or to improve exiting are to be established, and based on them new plant organisms with new fuction of high added value in terms of industrial application are under development. The second area of research focuses on the possibility to apply plant cells as bioreactors or green factories to produce high value added proteins or plant secondary metabolic, and on the development of technology required for such a pursuit. For these two areas of research various life science-related basic and applied studies mainly targeting plant systems are being undertaken.

The basic knowledge newly attained from researches of basic and applied life sciences will be patented and commercialized. Research results with highly attractive market prospect include the development of enhanced or new plant organisms whose resistance to insects and environmental disasters is much reinforced. Also, a step ahead from the conventional concept of considering plants as food resources, developing bioreactor or green factory systems will enable us to mass produce chimotherapeutics or proteins used for the treatment of heart diseases, and secondary metabolic products used for medicinal purpose at reasonable costs. This will led to the creation of new biotech industry.