We are pleased to announce that the 11th Annual Meeting will be held over three days, from June 15 to 17, 2026, at the Kyoto University Clock Tower Centennial Hall. Following the successful conclusion of our commemorative 10th Annual Meeting in 2025, and having surpassed the major milestone of the 10th anniversary of the Japanese Society for Genome Editing, the 2026 meeting will mark our step toward continued future development.
The field of genome editing began with the development of gene modification technologies like ZFNs and TALENs, and achieved explosive technological innovation with the advent of CRISPR-Cas9 in 2012. The Consortium for Genome Editing Research, which began its activities in 2011, established the Japanese Society for Genome Editing (JSGE) in 2016 amidst this rapid expansion, broadening the scope of our efforts. Since then, the evolution of the technology has expanded into multiple areas, including the discovery of diverse CRISPR systems like Cas12 and Cas3, as well as the creation of innovative applied technologies such as Base Editing and Prime Editing, which enable precise editing at the single-base level. These technologies are quickly being translated into societal applications. New nucleic acid editing enzymes continue to be discovered, leading to the development of novel tools that further expand the potential of genome editing. Furthermore, the practical advancement of AI has continued to broaden the research frontier. The ten years since the society's founding have been a period of intense technological diversification and scaling, during which genome editing has fundamentally transformed life science by finding applications in various fields, including medicine, food, environmental science, and manufacturing industries.
Genome editing is now the central technology in modern life science for elucidating the functions of DNA and RNA, and it remains the core of further development for various applied technologies. Our Society has consistently promoted the growth and expansion of this field with the goals of information exchange, research and development of foundational technologies, social contribution, and human resource development. The Annual Meeting serves as the core venue for these essential activities. At this conference, we look forward to reports on the latest achievements from leading researchers both domestically and internationally. We sincerely hope that new collaborations and exchanges among researchers from diverse fields will lead to the further advancement of the genome editing field.
I conclude my address as President by expressing my sincere wish that your active participation will ensure this meeting is an opportunity for fruitful discussions and vibrant exchange.
