Tokyo Institute of Technology · Business, Management and Accounting
Professor Shintaro Sengoku's research lab focuses on health innovation, particularly at the intersection of digital health, regulatory science, and biotechnology. The lab explores how machine learning and behavioral science can improve public health outcomes, such as increasing cancer screening rates, while also investigating the role of innovative financing mechanisms like social impact bonds. A key focus is on understanding how regulatory frameworks—such as Japan’s functional foods with claims (FFC) system—influence industry innovation and startup development. The lab also examines strategic alliances in biotech and digital health ecosystems to drive sustainable innovation in pharmaceutical development and medical technology.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
There have been prior attempts to utilize machine learning to address issues in the medical field, particularly in diagnoses using medical images and developing therapeutic regimens. However, few cases have demonstrated the usefulness of machine learning for enhancing health consciousness of patients or the public in general, which is necessary to cause behavioral changes. This paper describes a novel case wherein the uptake rate for colorectal cancer examinations has significantly increased due
Regulation has long been a counterpart of innovation in the health care industry, and recent cases have demonstrated that appropriately designed regulations can both coexist with and promote innovation. This study is the first study to explore how the regulatory environment affected the innovation process during the transition of the regulations for functional foods in Japan by examining quantitatively the impact of the foods with function claims (FFC) system on industry, companies, and products
SaMD, as an industry, is nascent and dominated by incremental innovation. The innovation process of the present SaMD industry is shaped by data accessibility, which is key to building disruptive innovation.
Biotech startup firms developing pharmaceutical seeds from scientific and technological innovation are burdened by significant Research & Development (R&D) expenses, long-term R&D operations, and low probability of R&D success. To address these challenges while sustainably creating innovations and new drugs, business alliances with existing pharmaceutical companies are one of the most important issues on the management agenda. The present study explores the necessity and signific
We employed a bibliometric approach to examine regional stem cell research in the USA, the UK, Japan and China based on publications from 2007 to 2011 with a co-citation clustering analysis to identify region-specific clusters of global competencies. We observed that there are clear differences in the number and interdisciplinary spread of competencies across regions: the USA retains the largest capacity and capability for pursuing medical and pharmaceutical applications; China has shown substan
In recent years, technological progress in smart devices and artificial intelligence has also led to advancements in digital health. Digital health tools are especially prevalent in diabetes treatment and improving lifestyle. In digital health’s innovation ecosystem, new alliance networks are formed not only by medical device companies and pharmaceutical companies but also by information and communications technology (ICT) companies and start-ups. Therefore, while focusing on digital health for
Motivation is one of the most important factors driving innovative activities such as interdisciplinary research (IDR) and transdisciplinary research (TDR) for the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs). While there has been progress in developing ex-post indicators to evaluate their performance, only a few trials have been conducted to explore how researchers’ motivations are related to their proactive participation. To address this issue, this study empirically investigates the ef
We have studied the projection of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs), during the developmental and regeneration processes, using the transgenic mouse carrying the differently tagged odorant receptor genes, MOR28. We have found that the axon terminals of the two sets of MOR28-positive OSNs, one expressing the lacZ tag and the other expressing the green fluorescent protein gene, are dispersed and intermingled at early developmental or regeneration stages. Projection areas become more distinct and se
Good manufacturing practice (GMP) is advocated and implemented as a standardized procedure for manufacturing dietary supplements. However, in Japan as a case, only half of the manufacturers in this field so far adopt it. To address this issue, the present study aims to explore the effect of key characteristics of a company on the adoption of and compliance with GMP for dietary supplements. The focus is on the effect of expertise in the pharmaceutical industry. The relationships between company c
Large-scale, publicly funded research and development (R&D) programs are implemented to accelerate state-of-the-art science, technology, and innovation applications that are expected to solve various societal problems. The present study aims to build on the body of theory on the mechanisms that promote or impede the creation of intellectual property in such programs. Using a mixed methods approach and combining quantitative network analysis and qualitative semistructured interviews, we condu
This study addresses the critical need for innovation in the healthcare sector, particularly in Japan's functional food industry, amid rising chronic diseases and healthcare costs. It explores the complex relationship between regulatory design and corporate behaviour, focusing on how companies' compliance strategies influence their research and development (R&D) investments. A mixed-method approach was used, analysing data from 15 major dietary supplement companies and 74 products under Japan's
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