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| Moving to Realize What Today Can Only be Dreamed of |
Biotechnology is a scientifc field that pursues various biological functions inherent in living organisms and seeks to apply them for the benefit of people.
Sumitomo Chemical is one of the Sumitomo Group companies who is in the forefront of vigorous developments in the biotechnology field. Through its Biotechnology Laboratory, the company is taking on the challenge of applying the state-of-the-art technologies—gene recombination, protein engineering and cell engineering, among others,—to make a reality of things that people can only dream of today. Here's just a few of the latest projects the Laboratory's scientists are working on. |
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The Biotechnology Laboratory is carrying out research & development about
the creation of plants which can grow in an enviroment with strong
sunlight
such as desert. |
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Creation of functional plants
The development of functional plants based on tissue culture, cell fusion and gene recombination is accelerating throughout the world. With those advanced techniques, crops that are resistant to herbicides or that contain insecticidal proteins have already been developed. Sumitomo Chemical is actively promoting the development of plants with such new functions. Besides, the company is exploring for further applications of biotechnology through involvement in the breeding of plants resistant to high stress such as the harsh sunlight in the desert. |
R&D into new pharmaceutical
"The Human Genome Project", an attempt to decipher the whole, vast expanse of human genetic coding, is in progress. Sumitomo Chemical is working closely with the Helix Institute to gain a foothold in genome research. The company intends to apply the fruits from its collaboration with the Institute in its ongoing basic research into a variety of biological mechanisms such as mammalian cell differentiation and induction to develop novel, breakthrough drugs.
Development of hybrid processe
Gene recombinant enzymes are widely used in the food and chemical industries. Sumitomo Chemical is making efforts to apply those enzymes in manufacturing high value added chemicals as the company moves to develop bio/chemical hybrid processes with the use of enzymes that are optimal for respective processes. The results of the efforts will find applications in various areas—pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and functional chemicals.
Project for biological fixation of carbon dioxide (CO2)
Government organizations are working on solutions to global warming by, among others, utilizing photosynthetic microorganisms, such as chlorella, capable of fixing atmospheric CO2 more efficiently than plants. Sumitomo Chemical is involved in the Project for Biological CO2 Fixation and Utilization at Japan's Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE). |
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| Development research of new pharmaceuticals |
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The Laboratory is working on the research of new pharmaceuticals based on
the fundamental understanding of life phenomena such as cell
differentiation, genes expression, and signal transduction. |
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