UC San Diego is opening an office in Tokyo where researchers will seek new and deeper partnerships with Japan’s immense life sciences industry.

The office will represent the entire campus. But the idea is being pushed hard by UC San Diego’s Jacobs School of Engineering, especially in digital health, bioengineering and computer science.

Several of the university’s scholars will be in Tokyo to talk about their work when the office formally opens on July 26th.

“I’m trying to make the university better connected to Japan,” said Albert Pisano, dean of the engineering school. “It will help accelerate our research agenda. We’re looking for projects of mutual interest.”


Pisano noted that Japan has a large older population that might benefit from the type of wireless, wearable health sensors that are being developed at UC San Diego.

The campus also will try to deepen its ties to Japanese pharmaceutical and biotech companies.

The move follows a decision by Mitsui Fudosan Co., a real estate developer, to create LINK-J, a life sciences trade association that will have an international focus. UC San Diego signed on as an inaugural partner.

San Diego is home to a similar trade organization, Biocom, which opened a branch office in Tokyo last year to promote trans-Pacific partnerships.


“San Diego is becoming the preferred destination for partnering in the life sciences,” said Joe Panetta, Biocom’s president. “The opportunities in regenerative medicine and genetics are enormous.”