ABOUT US

Message from the CEO

A new society created by stem cells

We founded SCAD in May 2014 with the aim of commercializing stem cell and micro/nanotechnologies developed in the Kyoto University’s Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS). We have refined these technologies to develop proprietary human cell-based devices that serve the drug screening, safety and efficacy assay markets.

It is widely known that the current discovery and development of drugs and compounds is afflicted by high rates of attrition and low levels of productivity. Pluripotent stem cells (PSC), including ES and iPS cells, are regarded as key enabling technologies for driving change in the pharma industry.

The translation of PSCs into commercial products demands “T-shaped” people, who simultaneously embrace cross-disciplinary understanding with expertise in specific fields. Driven by the diversity of our team and partner organizations, SCAD is working towards the establishment of a reproducible technology of functional and mature 3D human-like micro-tissues that exceeds the strictest requirements of our pharma customers around the globe.

By pursuing the above objectives, SCAD will strive towards the realization of “a new society created by stem cells.”

CEO Kensuke Kato

Company Outline

Mission

We provide stem cell application technologies to realize efficient drug discovery. Furthermore, by continuously advancing and improving our technologies, we aim to contribute to the development of feasible regenerative medicine technologies.

Objectives

  • We develop and supply high quality cell-based products that exceed the requirements demanded by drug discovery assays.
  • We promote technology integration and development through collaboration with companies aiming at the development of cell-related fields and the creation of businesses.
Company name Stem Cell & Device Laboratory, Inc. (SCAD)
Locations
Head Office

OFFICE-ONE Shijo Karasuma 11F, 480, Niwatoriboko-cho, Shimogyo-ku,
Kyoto 600-8491 Japan

Phone:+81-75-744-1114

Head Office
IHK Office

4F Med-Pharm Collaboration Building, Kyoto University 46-29 Yoshida-Shimo-Adachi-cho, Sakyo-ku,
Kyoto 606-8501 Japan

Phone:+81-75-754-8910

Business Office
Foundation year May 29, 2014

Team

Kensuke Kato

CEO
Kensuke Kato

Kensuke Kato, PhD. is the founding CEO of SCAD. From his initial experiences at the Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (currently AIST) and Hitachi Mechanical Engineering Research Laboratory, Dr. Kato has accumulated more than 20 years of experience in product and business development in high-technology fields including life science. Through the establishment of his own start-up backed by the Tokyo Institute of Technology in 2008, he supported a wide range of companies—from electrical and material manufacturers to public research institutions—with the formulation and execution of their new business development strategies. In 2014, Dr. Kato established the Stem Cell & Device Laboratory (SCAD) in Kyoto, Japan.

He specialized in business strategies for new technology commercialization at the Tokyo Institute of Technology (PhD., Management of Technology), and studied in Management of Technology at the University of Tokyo, graduate school of engineering.
He has served as visiting professor at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU), College of International Management, and adjunct assistant professor at the University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Frontier Science. He also served as Director of Japan Society for Research Policy and Innovation Management (JSRPIM).

Norio Nakatsuji

Director, Chief Advisor
Norio Nakatsuji

Prof. Nakatsuji is considered one of the pioneering stem cell researchers in Japan. After graduating from Kyoto University’s Faculty of Science with a PhD. in 1977, Prof. Nakatsuji conducted several research stays in the United States and the United Kingdom. During his professorial careers at the National Institute of Genetics and at Kyoto University’s Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences, Prof. Nakatsuji carried out the pioneering development and differentiation of diverse cell types, including embryonic stem (ES) cells, germ cells, and neurons. In fact, he led the Kyoto University team that established the first human ES cell line in Japan and distributed them to other scientists free of charge.

In 2003, Prof. Nakatsuji founded the university-originated start-up company Reprocell, which accomplished a successful IPO in 2013. From 2003 to 2007, he served as the Director of Kyoto University’s Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences. In 2007, he founded Kyoto University’s Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, an institute which advances cross-disciplinary research and technological innovation based on cell biology, chemistry and physics. In 2014, he also established the Kyoto Stem Cell Innovation, Inc., and currently serves as its CEO. Prof. Nakatsuji is also the Director General of Nakatsuji Foresight Foundation, which is a non-profit organization established to support society and young leaders of the next generation by advancing programs relating to education, science and technology.

Kazuhiro Konishi

Director
Kazuhide Konishi

Kazuhide Konishi, PhD. has experiences in drug discovery fields in Novartis Pharma and Taisho Pharmaceuticals after working as a postdoctoral fellow at Chemistry Department, the University of Virginia in the United States. And then, he worked in foreign-affiliated venture capital to support the commercialization of early seeds and ventures centered on regenerative medicine and drug discovery-related projects. Currently, he is a representative director of a chemical software company which is founded by own him in 2015, and CEO of Kyo Diagnostics KK. since 2019, which is a technology startup from Kyoto University.
He graduated from the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University in 2000. PhD (Pharmaceutical science), pharmacist, MBA and registered management consultant.