With the disciplines of biology and life sciences seeing rapid development and innovative changes, Hiroshima University’s existing graduate education system, which provides curriculums that focus on specific narrow academic fields, is insufficient in fostering human resources who have the capability to create innovation through a flexible, multidisciplinary approach.

Now that we have entered a post-genome age, there is a growing demand for talents who have deep expertise and understanding in a wide range of fields, from the basics to applications, that include genomics, biofunctional science, biology, geoenvironmental science, mathematical and life science, and medical science. In other words, it is expected of us to develop human resources who have a keen interest in other academic disciplines and the ability to play an active role in interdisciplinary and integrated research fields, and who have the ability to promptly adapt to ever-changing and developing biological and life science research areas – including genomics, brain and neurological sciences, food science, ecosystem/environmental science, and medical science – and to solve various challenges facing global society.

With this as a backdrop, Hiroshima University will establish the Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life as an educational and research organization that meets increasingly diversified social needs, by organically reorganizing and integrating the existing biology- and life science-related departments.

The mission of the Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life is to equip students with deep knowledge and expertise based on a holistic perspective, which enables an organic link of increasingly fragmented areas of biology and life sciences within the fields of science, engineering, agriculture and medicine. To educate all the biology and life science students of Hiroshima University under the same academic vision, the Graduate School features a single division (Division of Integrated Sciences for Life).