A comprehensive portal site for Medical Innovation Support Office (MEDISO).Medical Innovation Support Office

Akiko Yamamoto

Nissan Chemical Corporation
Environment, Safety and Quality Assurance Department
Quality Assurance Group
Senior Advisor (contract employee)

Graduated from the Department of Pharmacy at Kyoritsu Collage of Pharmacy (currently Keio University) and received a Ph.D. from Gifu Pharmaceutical University. Engaged in work related to each process of pharmaceutical life cycle (research and development, sales promotion, licensing/alliance, quality assurance and Good Vigilance Practice(GVP)) at Nissan Chemical Corporation. Especially, as the corporate quality assurance department leader, managed the company's pharmaceutical quality system, and maintained and improved appropriate quality assurance systems for API manufacturing sites, manufacturing contractors, and contract testing facilities. Specifically, provided support during FDA inspections and global pharma quality audits, and advised on improvements and response policies for issues raised. Also has experience in implementing regulations and change processes when adding starting material, intermediate and API manufacturing sites, and testing facilities. In addition, has reviewed documents such as license and quality assurance-related contract contents, change applications and master files to be submitted to authorities.

Kenji Harada

Director & Chief Venture Capitalist, Medical Incubator Japan K.K

He graduated with a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, the University of Tokyo, and is an immunologist by training. He is also a licensed pharmacist and a licensed first-class radiation supervisor. After obtaining his doctorate, he performed a wide range of tasks from basic research to preclinical research as a team leader at Toray Basic Research Laboratories (currently Pharmaceutical Research Laboratories), during which he was developing anti-inflammatory and central nervous system drugs. Subsequently, he was involved in planning and promoting collaborative research with universities and making assessments of platform technologies and drug candidates of American and European biotech startup companies from the technological and intellectual aspects. Furthermore, he conducted GMP inspections in pharmaceutical products and medical device areas multiple times. After starting his career as a venture capitalist, he consistently invested in the biotech sector in the U.S. and Japan. He served as a board member in some of the investees of the U.S. and Japan. Since August 2020, He has expanded his investments into European countries at his current company. He is also engaged in several Japanese governmental projects supporting Japanese startups and research projects.

Saho Murakami

VISIONEO LLC CEO

After gaining clinical experience as an ophthalmologist, I served at the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA), where I was responsible for reviewing and providing consultations on pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and regenerative medical products in the fields of CNS, sensory organs, and anesthesiology. My work included designation reviews for Sakigake (pioneering) and orphan drugs, as well as post-marketing safety activities. Currently, I support business and clinical development across the healthcare and life sciences sectors, offering strategic and R&D advisory services to major corporations, startups, and venture capital firms.

Katsuhiro Fukunishi

Tamaki Nara

Lecturer, Medical Technology Innovation Center, Juntendo University
Director, Orbis Planning Co., Ltd.

Master of Business Administration（MBA）. Field of expertise is innovation management. While working at a major precision equipment manufacturer, engaged in new business, product planning, and corporate planning. Mainly engaged in commercialization in the medical equipment and healthcare field (such as Medical IT), as well as the establishment and management of internal joint ventures. During this time, I became acutely aware of the great significance of building an appropriate collaborative development system between medical researchers and companies, and the necessity of a place for co-creation for both parties to work together. Since then, I have been involved in providing guidance on the implementation of research and development in the medical field and building plans for industry-academia collaboration, leveraging corporate technology and academia's knowledge at medical graduate schools and hospitals. Also have been supporting Start-ups mainly from academia.