The 20th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Association for Animal Cell Technology (JAACT2007) was held at the Takasaki City Gallery in Takasaki, Gunma, Japan from July 3 to 4, 2007. The meeting chairman was Prof. Atsushi Enomoto, Gunma University. The meeting focused on recent advancement of animal cell technologies from basic and applied aspects. We invited academic and industrial scientists to make the JAACT2007 truly successful and scientifically fruitful. More than 400 participants including high school students joined the meeting. The program was as follows:

  • Plenary Lecture

    SP-1:

    Masatomo Mori, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma University Adipocytes in brain and regulatory factors for athrocytosis.

    SP-2:

    Itaru Kojima, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University

    Differentiation of beta cells in pancreatic Langerhans islands and regeneration of pancreas.

  • Symposium 1: Process and quality in the manufacture of biomedicines (I)

  • Mini symposium: Bioscience in Gunma University; Special seminar in life sciences by Graduate School of Engineering and Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation

  • Special program I: Visiting to Takasaki Plant of Kirin Pharma Co. Ltd.

  • Special program II: Seminar on animal cell technology for high school students.

    SS-1:

    Dr Shinji Iijima, Nagoya University Eggs for production of drugs—gene manipulation of chicken.

    SS-2:

    Dr Shuichi Kaminogawa, Nihon University Foods and allergy

    SS-3:

    Dr Ryuzo Sasaki, Kyoto University and Shiga Prefectural University Mechanism of regeneration of tissues: from stem cells to functional cells.

  • Symposium 2: Process and quality in the manufacture of biomedicines (II)

  • Technical seminar

    • Dr Wataru Sato, IS Japan Co. Ltd.

    • Optimization of culture medium and introduction of ICC laboratory.

  • Symposium 3: Present status and new development of the evaluation system on food functions using animal cells

Forty eight posters were presented and exhibitions were done by 14 companies.

We believe that all participants enjoyed the scientific fruits of the JAACT2007 meeting at Takasaki. Especially the special program for high school students was very successful and contributed to encourage young people in the field of science. The editors express their sincere gratitude to all the participants, lecturers in plenary lectures, symposia, technical seminar, special programs, chairpersons and organizers of the symposia and special programs, many high school students and teachers, members of the organizing committee for their dedication in assuring the success of the meeting.

This JAACT2007 issue of Cytotechnology includes 10 papers accepted after peer review. The editors hope this JAACT issue of Cytotechnology will greatly contribute to the development of animal cell technology or innovation of life science.