Comprehensive Research OrganizationWaseda University

we aim to elucidate human health from the perspective of environmental factors by utilizing cutting-edge scientific technologies. Focusing on the highly significant theme of the “brain and mind,” we will investigate environmental factors that support their healthy development and maintenance, as well as those that lead to deviations from health. Through this, we seek to uncover the fundamental nature of the brain and mind, while also exploring methods to prevent and treat health deviations. Based on interdisciplinary research led by core faculty members of the Faculty of Human Sciences, we will develop environmental medical science research in collaboration with research institutions and universities both in Japan and abroad. The fact that the mysteries of the brain and mind remain largely unresolved is evident from the lack of fundamental therapeutic drugs for neuropsychiatric disorders. In a society facing declining birth rates and an aging population, medical research on healthy development and the maintenance of health is an urgent priority. At the same time, in the field of environmental sciences—particularly concerning the effects of exposure to hazardous substances—action cannot wait for the brain’s mechanisms to be fully understood; it is likewise a pressing issue. To address these challenges, this study adopts a research strategy that promotes, in parallel, the “pursuit of knowledge” to unravel the mysteries of the brain and mind, and the “application of knowledge” in medicine and environmental science to contribute to society. By advancing both exploration and application synergistically, we aim to achieve transformative breakthroughs