The progress of chromatography since the late 1970s has been remarkable. In the field of protein research, techniques for isolating target proteins advanced around Sephadex media, and the introduction of HPLC accelerated amino acid sequence analysis. Entering the 1980s, gas-phase protein sequencers utilizing Edman degradation emerged, further expanding the role of HPLC in this era. During this period, determining the primary structure of proteins was the priority, while methods for analyzing higher-order structures were limited to a few researchers focusing on structural analysis technologies. Techniques such as X-ray diffraction and NMR were far from being considered mainstream in protein analysis. By the 1990s, advances in mass spectrometry were introduced into protein analysis. However, with the rapid evolution of analytical tools for genetic research, the world concentrated on the Human Genome Project, making genome-related research the dominant focus of that era. Now, over 20 years into the 21st century, it feels like we are at an inflection point, standing on the foundation of past achievements while preparing for a new leap toward the future.
The author has observed the bioscience business within the analytical instrumentation market for over 40 years. It seems that Japanese researchers often lack the ability to reflect on past archives, predict the future, and map out endpoints to aim for. In contrast, Americans seem to have a deep understanding of the essence of marketing, recognizing its role and using it to foresee the future. This was likely a key factor in the success of the U.S. biotech industry in the past. The same could be said for research strategies: the proverb “not seeing the forest for the trees” highlights the importance of adopting a broader perspective. By identifying “Japan as No.1” in analytical measurement technologies, forming alliances with researchers as users, and striving to develop “usable instruments,” Japan can stand out on the global stage and develop products that bring pride to our nation.
PROFILE

Mr. Hisashi Iwase
Advisor for Life Science Innovation at the Japan Analytical Instruments Manufacturers’ Association (JAIMA) and President & CEO of BioDiscovery Inc.
Born in Tokyo in 1951. Graduated from the Department of Industrial Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Nihon University. Experienced in management and marketing of analytical and bioscience instruments at Merck Japan, Waters Japan, Millipore Japan, PerSeptive Biosystems, Applied Biosystems, Varian Technologies, and Agilent Technologies. Founded BioDiscovery Inc. in 2001. Since 2013, he has also served as an advisor for life science innovation at JAIMA.