Call for Support
Humans have utilized a wide range of chemical reactions to improve our quality of life. However, discovering a truly revolutionary chemical reaction takes decades and at this rate there will not be sufficient time to solve major problems such as depletion of energy resources and pollution of the environment.
The Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery (WPI-ICReDD) at Hokkaido University aims to revolutionize the chemical reaction development process by performing fusion research at the intersection of experimental chemistry, computational chemistry and information science. We are aiming to accelerate the development of chemical reactions that will be indispensable to the future of humanity.
We hope you will support ICReDD’s efforts towards creating a prosperous future society through research.
-ICReDD Director Satoshi MAEDA
To receive details on how to make a donation to ICReDD, please send a message with “ICReDD Donation” at the beginning of the subject line to the address below:
office AT icredd.hokudai.ac.jp (replace AT with @)
About ICReDD
ICReDD was established in October 2018 by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEXT) as part of the World Premiere Institute (WPI) Initiative. ICReDD aims to create an advanced, international research environment and establish itself as an institute where researchers gathered from around the world conduct top-level research.
ICReDD is attempting to create the new research field of “Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery”, which combines information science, computational chemistry, and experimental chemistry. Quantum chemical computations are used to perform automated reaction path searching, generating reaction path networks. Information science is then applied to this data to output useful information guides experimental chemists towards the most promising parameters, greatly cutting down on the trial-and-error typically required for the discover of new chemical reactions.
Additionally, by utilizing information science to analyze experimental data and provide feedback to computational chemists, these three fields function together as one, making it possible to realize an improved, sophisticated chemical reaction design methodology.
By pushing the envelope of chemical reaction design and discovery through the fusion of experimental chemistry, computational chemistry and information science, ICReDD strives to solve humanity’s problems.
How donations are used
Your support will be used for the following activities:
Personnel Development
Support overseas research travel and professional development of young researchers
Research Activities
Support start-up projects and fusion research initiated by young researchers
Contribution to Society
Support the organization of public lectures/classes and the dissemination of ICReDD’s research results to the world
Institutional Management and Operations
Support our top-level research environment through new equipment acquisition and the hiring of research support staff
Rewards
(1) The below rewards will be given to everyone who donates to ICReDD:
・Name and message will be posted on the ICReDD website
(2) To those who donate above 30,000 yen:
・ICReDD will send its new PR publications (1 year)
(3) To those who donate above 50,000 yen:
・ICReDD will send original ICReDD merchandise
(4) To those who donate above 200,000 yen:
・A nameplate with your name inscribed will be displayed in the new ICReDD building that is scheduled to be done in April 2023.
Chemical reactions are everywhere
Chemical reactions may sound like something that only occurs in a laboratory, but chemical reactions are all around us, affecting our daily lives and playing an important role in nature.
In plants and animals:
When animals digest food, enzymes break down starches into sugars, proteins into amino acids, and fats into fatty acids. The nutrients produced from this digestion are converted into energy using the oxygen animals breathe and carbon dioxide is released.
Plants use another chemical process called photosynthesis to convert light energy, water, and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates (sugars or starches) and oxygen.
Chemistry in our food:
When bread is made, first the yeast breaks down sugars into carbon dioxide and alcohols. When the fermented dough is baked, sugars bond with amino acids to form a compound with a pleasant aroma. The grill marks on steak or grilled fish are also a product of a similar chemical reaction.
Chemistry all around us:
There are lots of common products around us that are made using chemical reactions. Our world is overflowing with such items that improve our quality of life, including batteries, bleach, glue, iron, plastics, water absorbers in diapers, organic LEDs, liquid crystals, synthetic fabrics, medicine, inks and dyes, and makeup. Many of these products are made from natural resources such as petroleum and minerals by utilizing chemical reactions
How to donate
Please send a message with “ICReDD Donation” at the beginning of the subject line to the address below to receive details on how to make a donation to ICReDD:
office AT icredd.hokudai.ac.jp (replace AT with @)