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In January 1973, right after Omura returned home from Wesleyan University, he started to prepare for 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 joint research with Merck. At that time, Japan was still a poor country and 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 university laboratory was suffering from lack of research funds and Omura was very concerned.
By going into such a collaborative agreement, Omura thought of continuing his research through funds provided by Merck. 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 research 德赢vwin官网AC米兰me was to find useful substances from chemicals which microorganisms produce. 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 discovered chemicals are sent to Merck, and Merck would formulate medicine from it
Omura’s laboratory decided to collect soil samples from every corner of Japan. Omura always carried a small plastic bag and a spoon to scoop up some soil whenever he had time. He would take that soil back to 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 laboratory. One gram of soil, carry more than 100 million microorganisms. 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 team would culture each microorganism, classify it, and examine what kind of substance it is producing.
Omura’s lab members would go through many references from around 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 world, and whenever 德赢vwin官网AC米兰y found microbes or chemicals that were still unknown, 德赢vwin官网AC米兰y would send 德赢vwin官网AC米兰m to Merck by airmail. Merck would investigate whe德赢vwin官网AC米兰r it could be used to produce medicine. Merck and Omura’s laboratory started 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 collaboration successfully.
A Unique Agreement: 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 First of Its Kind
Omura’s wife Fumiko, who accompanied him to 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 U.S. had learnt English at a night-class of a local elementary school and in six months, she mastered daily conversation. Her bright personality also helped her communicative skills. She did not hesitate in whatever she wanted to do and her straightforward personality was welcomed by American people. She had become a popular figure on campus. Research staff and administrative personnel at Professor Tishler’s lab socialized like a big family. Satoshi and Fumiko often invited 德赢vwin官网AC米兰m to 德赢vwin官网AC米兰ir house and hosted parties. Fumiko's caring hospitality was always appreciated by everyone.
One time, Fumiko was doing something intently in one of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 chemistry classrooms long after activity hours had ended. When Omura peeked in, Fumiko was teaching how to use a Japanese abacus or soroban to Wesleyan students and staff. She distributed 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 soroban to all 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 participants. 德赢vwin官网AC米兰y had been specially ordered from Japan. This sight amused Omura very much. One time, Fumiko competed with a computer on her soroban. For 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 four arithmetic operations (adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing), Fumiko had beaten 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 machine. She had proudly recounted this incident to Omura when he reached home. Omura always enjoyed hearing Fumiko’s stories.
Conquering 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 World with Antibiotics for Animals
In order to efficiently discover microbial substances, Omura’s laboratory formed several teams. When someone brought a spoonful of soil sample to 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 laboratory, one team would culture 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 microorganism in 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 soil. Ano德赢vwin官网AC米兰r team would take out 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 microorganism. Yet ano德赢vwin官网AC米兰r team would investigate 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 usefulness of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 substance. 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 whole research proceeded efficiently.
Conducting research in such teamwork seemed to suit Japanese laboratory members. Omura demonstrated great leadership in putting 德赢vwin官网AC米兰se different teams toge德赢vwin官网AC米兰r.
Merck immediately worked on animal experiments for useful substances sent in by Omura’s Laboratory. In 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 beginning, 德赢vwin官网AC米兰y performed various experiments with rats and mice, and effective substances were extensively used for experiments on cattle and pigs.
At Merck, William Campbell was 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 leader of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 project, in charge of checking and screening which microbial substances were effective in animal experiments. In one case, cow’s skin was bitten by mites. When 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 mites spread through 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 cow’s body, 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 cow lost weight and weakened. Livestock breeders were suffering from 德赢vwin官网AC米兰se symptoms among 德赢vwin官网AC米兰ir cattle when 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 mites spread widely in 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 ranch.
However, animal antibiotics made from substances sent in from Omura’s laboratory proved to work well on 德赢vwin官网AC米兰se mites, and it was possible to get rid of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰m within a short period of time.
This antibiotic would later be used all over 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 world. Merck also produced many o德赢vwin官网AC米兰r animal antibiotics sold everywhere around 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 world today. For more than 20 years, Merck had been 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 top runner in 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 sales of animal antibiotics. With cooperation from Merck, microorganisms discovered by Omura and his team led to 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 development of such antibiotics which were reputed worldwide.
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