On April 4, 2025, the International Human Frontier Science Program Organization (HFSP) announced the recipients of its 2025 Research and Accelerator Grants. This year marks the launch of the new Accelerator Grant, a three-year pilot program that allows teams who received HFSP Research Grants in 2024 to invite an additional collaborator from one of seven selected countries, including Japan. The goal is to bring fresh perspectives and broaden global participation in cutting-edge life sciences research.
HFSP was founded in 1989 by the G7 nations and the European Commission to support international collaboration in frontier life science research. Since 1990, HFSP has supported over 8,500 scientists from more than 70 countries — including 31 future Nobel laureates.
Professor Vincent Laudet, head of the Marine Eco-Evo-Devo Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), has been invited to join the international project “Decoding invisibility: from genome evolution to tissue optical properties in transparent fish.” The project is a collaboration between experts in neurobiology, genomics, and physics, including Dr. Filippo del Bene (France), Prof. Mirana Ramialison (Australia), and Prof. Sonke Johnsen (USA).
The research aims to uncover how tiny fish like Danionella remain transparent throughout their lives. Prof. Laudet’s team will compare the developmental processes of Danionella and zebrafish, focusing on the roles of hormones, genes, and pigmentation. Their work will also explore the genetic and structural factors behind transparency and investigate how this trait may help fish avoid predators.
Prof. Laudet shared his excitement, saying, “It’s a privilege to join such a talented and interdisciplinary team to explore this fascinating mystery. Transparent fish are truly remarkable. I’m thrilled to apply our expertise in metamorphosis and hormonal regulation to help unravel how and why this trait evolved.”
Congratulations to Prof. Laudet and his team at OIST!
