Since its establishment in 1942 by Dr. Hitoshi Kihara, the Mozume Laboratory of Crop Evolution, Graduate School of Agriculture, has been striving for the preservation and management of more than 10,000 lines of wheat and related wild species from around the world that have been collected through academic expeditions by Kyoto University and other institutions. Since 2002, the preservation and distribution of genetic resources have been continued under the support of the National BioResource Project (NBRP) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan. The Lab also plays an important role as a center for human resource development for plant and agricultural research, utilizing its genetic resources and the latest technologies in genomic analysis and developing cutting-edge research in the fields of crop origins and evolution, as well as in crop breeding.

This Fund will be used to ensure an up-to-date research environment, as well as to add seed refrigeration and cryopreservation facilities to the Lab. With a projected 60,000 or more lines of wheat genetic resources, the Lab is expected to play a role in protecting genetic resources from conflicts and to distribute seeds to the world—that is, the role of a "global food repository."

In addition to improving the Lab facilities, making use of the Lab’s long-standing tradition as a leading facility for research and education, the Lab strives to develop the next generation of human resources in research, education, and engineering through its fellowship system.
The Lab aims to grow into a world-leading independent plant genome research and education organization, while developing cutting-edge research and disseminating information, and thus contribute to agriculture of the world.