Research Activities

Osaka University is home to many world-class researchers and numerous outstanding results in advanced research.

1. Nobel Prizes and Other Distinctions:

  • Winner of Nobel Prize: 1 person, YUKAWA Hideki (Thesis produced while working at Osaka University)
  • Winners of Order of Cultural Merit: 18 persons
  • Persons who have made outstanding cultural contributions: 25 persons
  • Winners of Imperial Prize of Japan Academy: 15 persons
  • Winners of Japan Academy Prize: 41 persons 
2. External/Third-Party Funding
    Selections for the 21st Century COE Program
  • 2007
    		Spacer imageLife Sciences (1 project), Chemistry/Materials Sciences (2 projects), Information/Electrics/Electronics (2 projects), Human Sciences (1 project), Interdisciplinary Research/Combined Research Areas/New Fields of Research (1project) Total: 7 projects
    2008
    		Spacer imageMedicine (1 project), Mathematics/Physics/Geological Science (1 project), Mechanical Engineering/Civil Engineering/Architecture/Other Engineering Sciences (1 project), Social Sciences (1 project) Total: 4 projects
  • Selections for the 21st Century COE Program
    • The 21st Century COE Program supports the development of internationally competitive, world-class universities. The following projects have been selected thus far as research strongholds at the doctoral level.
    • 2002
      		Spacer imageLife Sciences (2 projects), Chemistry/Materials Sciences (2 projects), Information/Electrics/Electronics (1 project), Human Sciences (1 project), Interdisciplinary Research/Combined Research Areas/New Fields of Research (1project) Total: 7 projects
      2003   Spacer imageMedicine (3 projects), Mathematics/Physics/Geological Science (2 projects), Mechanical Engineering/Civil Engineering/Architecture/Other Engineering Sciences (1 project), Social Sciences (1 project) Total: 7 projects
      2004   Spacer imageNew Scientific Fields (1 project) Total: 1 project
  • Selection for Government Financed Projects
    • Osaka University has ranked among the highest in the number of projects which have received support of basic research systems from government-affiliated corporations and other corporations receiving government funds, and in the amount of funding which has been received.
      Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)--Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology
      National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT)--Systems for the promotion of fundamental research in information communication fields
      Other fundamental research promotion projects operated with various government funds
  • Selection for "Research Revolution" (RR2002)
    • A lot of Osaka University's projects have been selected as research commission development works in five major fields supported by the Special Coordination Fund for Promoting Science and Technology. Osaka University has ranked among the highest in the number of projects receiving support and in the amounts received.
  • Selection for the Strategic Research Center Development Program (Special Coordination Fund for Promoting Science and Technology)
    • The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) started this program in 2001 with the aim of creating a research development organization for producing excellent results. The program aims to promote the restructuring of the organizational management of research institutes through the outstanding vision and leadership of the organization leaders in order to create internationally outstanding and attractive research centers.
          Osaka University's Frontier Research Center Project was selected for this program in 2001
          Project title selected in 2006: Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science
          Osaka University Research Institute of Sustainability Science (RISS)


    • Osaka University ranks as one of Japan's top universities in terms of the number of research grants per scholar provided by MEXT.
    • Osaka University is one of the top Japanese universities in the number of times it has been selected for commissioned research, joint research, as well as in the amount of scholastic donations.
    3. Research Results and Achievements
      • Osaka University scholars are nationally among the highest in the number of articles published, including ones published in magazines such as Science and Nature.
      • Osaka University is among the highest in the number of patents registered in the USA.
    4. Establishment of the Organization for the Promotion of Nanoscience and Nano Technology Research (2002)and Organization for the Promotion of Research on Bioscience and Biotechnology (2003)

      Along with integrating Osaka University's educational organizations dealing with nanoscience and nanotechnology, both strategically and organizationally, Osaka University is planning to promote campus-wide education and research through coordinating, integrating, and organizing a framework of education and research.