The Research Institute for Microbial Diseases (RIMD) was established in 1934
to study microbial and infectious diseases, the immune system, and cancer.
The RIMD of today is the result of the hard work and amazing achievements of many researchers over the years.
- History
- Achievements
1930
Tenji Taniguchi
Professor of Bacteriology at the Osaka Medical school. He played a huge role in the foundation of RIMD as he emphasized the need for a research institute in the KANSAI area that focused on microbial or infectious diseases.
Gendo Yamaguchi
A successful businessman in the KANSAI area. He gave back to the community by offering his property for public benefit services and temples. He donated 200,000 yen to establish RIMD.
1934
Research Institute for Microbial Diseases opened
RIMD was founded through a merger of the Research Center for Communicable Diseases (Osaka Medical School), the Takeo Tuberculosis Institute (donated by Mr. Jiemon Takeo), and the Osaka Leprosy Institute (donated by an anonymous benefactor).
1950Around 1950
Discovered
Vibrio parahaemolyticus
Tunesaburo Fujino
1960Around 1960
Discovered cell fusion
Yoshio Okada
Developed a measles vaccine
Yoshiomi Okuno
1967
RIMD buildings in 1967.
RIMD moved to the Suita Campus
1970Around 1970
Discovered a viral oncogene
Kumao Toyoshima
1980Around 1980
Developed a chickenpox vaccine
Michiaki Takahashi
1993
RIMD Hospital was merged with Osaka University Hospital
2000Around 2000
Elucidation of the Innate Immune System
Shizuo Akira
Developed GFP mice (Green mice)
Masaru Okabe
Selected for funding by the 21st Century COE programs on the theme of “Combined program on microbiology and immunology”
2005
Three centers for specialized research on infectious disease and genome information launched
The Research Collaboration Center on Emerging and Re-emerging Infections in Thailand was founded
2007
Immunology Frontier Research Center (IFReC) was founded
2008
Selected for funding by the Global COE programs on the theme of “Frontier Biomedical Science Underlying Organelle Network Biology”
2010Around 2010
Developed a malaria vaccine
Toshihiro Horii
Certified as a “Joint Usage/Research Center” by the MEXT
2015
BIKEN Innovative Vaccine Research Alliance Laboratories was launched