The 99th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Pharmacological Society

Chair:Yoshimasa Tanaka(Nagasaki University), Akihiko Tanimura(Health Sciences University of Hokkaido)

Basic research in pharmacology often generates innovative seeds with substantial potential for societal implementation. However, for many academic researchers, entrepreneurship remains a relatively unfamiliar and challenging endeavor. Institutional support mechanisms, including startup incubators and translational research programs, play a crucial role in lowering these barriers and facilitating the transition from bench to business. This symposium will feature researchers at both the early and advanced stages of startup development, including those who have already launched university-based startups, as well as representatives from organizations that provide strategic and operational support for academic entrepreneurship. Together, they will present practical approaches to startup creation by basic researchers and discuss the institutional frameworks that enable such efforts. By sharing real-world experiences, including the challenges encountered and solutions devised by academic entrepreneurs, the symposium aims to foster a sense of feasibility and motivation among participants. Ultimately, it seeks to illuminate concrete pathways for translating pharmacological research seeds into impactful innovations that address real-world needs.