RIKEN–Seiko Collaboration Center (RSCC) Established — Improved Bio-Manufacturing through the Integration of Automated Bio-Experimentation and Precision Control Technologies —

Seiko Group and Seiko Future Creation position the “wellness” business (which contributes to enhancing quality of life) as one of their future growth areas. Leveraging their proprietary technological foundations — including precision manufacturing, factory automation, and software development — they have been promoting the automation, improved efficiency, and standardization of research environments.

Meanwhile, RIKEN has been advancing cutting-edge research across a broad spectrum of fields, from basic to applied science, while strengthening medium- to long-term collaborative creation frameworks with industry to ensure that research outcomes are effectively translated into meaningful social value.

As demand for automation, efficiency, and standardization in life science research has continued to grow in recent years, the three parties have come to realize that integrating life sciences with precision engineering is essential for building a next-generation research infrastructure. This shared understanding led to the agreement to establish the RSCC.

Beyond serving as a research and development hub, the RSCC will also function as a platform for disseminating advanced autonomous experimentation technologies. Beginning around September 2026, the Center will be incorporated into guided tour routes for leading domestic and international academic visitors to RIKEN, providing opportunities to showcase real-world applications in active research environments. To further promote collaborative creation with industry, the Center will also operate as an experiential showroom, offering demonstrations of automation technologies and creating opportunities for collaboration with corporate partners. Through these initiatives, the RSCC will actively communicate research results and technologies with a view toward their social implementation.

(1) Research on the Development of Autonomous Microbial Cultivation Systems
This research aims to build a platform for cultivating microbials that is capable of autonomously performing processes ranging from the optimization of cultivation conditions to the high-efficiency production of valuable molecules. The project aims to integrate automated cultivation equipment with machine learning in order to eliminate the dependence on expert human skills that have until now been considered essential for microbial cultivation. Success will mean the creation of highly efficient and reproducible bio-production processes.

(2) Research on the Development of Autonomous High-Precision Picking Systems
This research focuses on developing autonomous picking technologies capable of identifying and sorting microorganisms and biomolecules with high precision and high throughput. These technologies will enhance and streamline evolutionary engineering and bio-screening processes, thereby contributing to improved R&D productivity.

(3) Research on the Development of Autonomous Experimental Systems
By interconnecting modular autonomous experimental devices, this research aims to develop an integrated experimental system that seamlessly executes the entire process — from experimental design and sample processing to analysis. The goal is to perform complex bio-experiments in a highly reproducible and efficient manner, and to significantly accelerate the DBTL (Design–Build–Test–Learn) cycle.

Name: RIKEN–Seiko Collaboration Center (RSCC)
Location: RIKEN Cluster for Science, Technology and Innovation Hub (2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, Japan)
Director: Rikiya Watanabe
(Chief Scientist, Watanabe Molecular Physiology Laboratory, RIKEN)