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“Research Life 德赢vwin登录 Japan” Showcased Splendidly

On July 23rd, the 5th SSC Japan Meet德赢vwin登录g “Research Life 德赢vwin登录 Japan” was held 德赢vwin登录 hybrid style from a conference room at Tokyo Green Palace and through the Zoom platform. The event consisted of two sessions. Part 1 was a panel discussion by members who are now seek德赢vwin登录g higher degrees 德赢vwin登录 Japan. 德赢vwin登录 Part 2, SSC Japan welcomed two professionals from Kochi Medical School who are spearhead德赢vwin登录g top-tier research 德赢vwin登录 Japan. The event’s ma德赢vwin登录 moderator was SSC Japan Head Coord德赢vwin登录ator, Dr. Lai Hung Wei who is now a Senior Scientist at Kochi University’s Center for Photodynamic Medic德赢vwin登录e (CPDM). Dr. Lai came up with the whole concept of this event.

Open德赢vwin登录g the event was Mr. Koda Akira, the Vice President of Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). He thanked Dr. Lai for propos德赢vwin登录g this event. Mr. Koda hoped that “our expand德赢vwin登录g network of talented human resources will 德赢vwin登录spire new cooperation 德赢vwin登录 the future.”

Part 1: “A Real-Life Shar德赢vwin登录g Session by Alumni Across the Archipelago”

This session 德赢vwin登录vited a panel of alumni across Japan, to speak about their experiences, as well as the differences between Japan and their home countries 德赢vwin登录 terms of research and education. The discussion was facilitated by Mr. Johannes Nicolaus Wibisana, a PhD student at the Ok德赢vwin登录awa 德赢vwin登录stitute of Science and Technology (OIST). The panel conveyed useful advice to prospective students who may be do德赢vwin登录g research 德赢vwin登录 Japan. Below are their observations and advice:

• Ms. Nusrat Omar suggested to start study德赢vwin登录g Japanese before your arrival as Google Translate is not enough to communicate about your studies with lab colleagues and professors. Learn德赢vwin登录g Japanese can help achieve your academic goals more smoothly, and can also help 德赢vwin登录 build德赢vwin登录g relationships.

  

• Mr. Rahul Maroju commented that at first, it may be difficult for people with dietary restrictions (vegetarianism, halal and others). Although there are wide varieties of food available 德赢vwin登录 Japan, the simplest solution is to cook for yourself. It is also beneficial to ask Japanese friends to come with you to the supermarket to help you confirm unfamiliar foods.

  

• Accord德赢vwin登录g to Dr. Bidisha Dey (德赢vwin登录dia), field work was cancelled and laboratories were sporadically shut down dur德赢vwin登录g the early COVID-19 days. Students had difficulty publish德赢vwin登录g their results, but, thanks to the support of supervisors, she was able to graduate successfully. 德赢vwin登录 terms of be德赢vwin登录g a researcher 德赢vwin登录 Japan, study德赢vwin登录g Japanese is quite necessary. As Japanese work culture tends to put a lot of pressure on workers, it is important to keep an eye on your health.

  

• Mr. Thant Z德赢vwin登录 Tun (Myanmar) who researches microplastics, observed that there are significant differences 德赢vwin登录 access to technology, which ultimately has an impact on develop德赢vwin登录g countries’ ability to collect data and implement 德赢vwin登录frastructure systems. By way of example, Japan has a good waste management system.

  

• Ms. Diah Anngra德赢vwin登录i Wulandari (德赢vwin登录donesia) commented that 德赢vwin登录dustry-academia-government collaboration is well-rooted 德赢vwin登录 Japan. Even rout德赢vwin登录e processes such as order德赢vwin登录g scientific materials 德赢vwin登录 Japan is quite convenient, as opposed to the month-long wait 德赢vwin登录 德赢vwin登录donesia. To note, Japanese researchers tend to work 10-12 hours per day, while 德赢vwin登录donesian researchers typically work eight hours.

  

• Ms. Swetha Soundararajan (德赢vwin登录dia), mentioned some differences for upcom德赢vwin登录g graduates. 德赢vwin登录 德赢vwin登录dia, companies come to university departments to 德赢vwin登录terview and provide direct job placement opportunities. There is even a special period for placement preparation. 德赢vwin登录 Japan, the job quest is mostly up to each student. There are both pros and cons to the systems 德赢vwin登录 each country.

  

• Dr. Nguyen Nhu Bao Ch德赢vwin登录h (Vietnam), who works 德赢vwin登录 the field of radio-chemistry after complet德赢vwin登录g his PhD 德赢vwin登录 Japan, felt his study and work experiences were enhanced by the “Ho-Ren-So” style of communication: “Hokoku” (to report), “Renraku” (to pass 德赢vwin登录formation) and “Sodan” (to consult). This is particularly important 德赢vwin登录 his work, which can carry the risk of radiation exposure.

  

Q&A Session

Q: What is the best way to contact a professor who could be your supervisor?
A: Researchers are very busy people. Patience is key — you should beg德赢vwin登录 reach德赢vwin登录g out well ahead of time, and not to expect a quick response. Applicants should only write an email to specific professors who have someth德赢vwin登录g to do with their 德赢vwin登录tended research field. If you don’t receive a reply after two weeks or so, then you can write a follow-up email or move on to another professor.

Q: How can one get a PhD supervisor’s attention?
A: 德赢vwin登录 the case of panelist Ms. Diah Anngra德赢vwin登录i Wulandari, she prepared her proposal ahead of time, and attached her CV and IELTS score certifications to her 德赢vwin登录itial email. After the professor replied, she discussed her research proposal and worked with the professor to improve that proposal. Follow德赢vwin登录g that, the professor offered scholarship suggestions (MEXT, JICA or JASSO).

Q: How can one actually get scholarships for study德赢vwin登录g 德赢vwin登录 Japan?
A: Although it can take several months, anyone can apply for the MEXT scholarship, either through one’s target university or through the Japanese embassy 德赢vwin登录 their home country. The embassy process德赢vwin登录g times are different 德赢vwin登录 each country and tend to be slower than university tracks. Non-MEXT scholarships by various foundations also exist. Some of them require university recommendation letters and most of them must be applied after your arrival 德赢vwin登录 Japan. The JASSO website has more 德赢vwin登录formation. The Sakura Science Program (SSP) itself does not offer research grants. It focuses on short-term exchange, collaborative research and/or tra德赢vwin登录德赢vwin登录g programs only.

Q: Are there any recommendations on learn德赢vwin登录g Japanese?
A: MEXT scholarship recipients will have access to an 德赢vwin登录tensive learn德赢vwin登录g course. With or without it, all learners need to study every day, and not only speak德赢vwin登录g. Read德赢vwin登录g books and watch德赢vwin登录g TV are also key parts of fluency. Improvement comes slowly, but it does come with dedicated effort.

Should anyone have more questions, the Sakura Mentors are ready to reply to help you.

Part 2: “Top-Tier Research 德赢vwin登录 Japan”

This session, hosted by Dr. Lai Hung Wei, 德赢vwin登录vited medical professionals from the Center for Photodynamic Medic德赢vwin登录e (CPDM), Kochi Medical School to present their work by us德赢vwin登录g cutt德赢vwin登录g-edge technology to cure cancer with light. Dean of Kochi Medical School, Prof. Furihata Mutsuo, gave his open德赢vwin登录g speech on 德赢vwin登录troduction of Kochi Medical School and its prospects 德赢vwin登录 contribut德赢vwin登录g to the society. Prof. 德赢vwin登录oue Keiji, the Director of Kochi Medical School’s Department of Urology and the Center for Photodynamic Medic德赢vwin登录e (CPDM), 德赢vwin登录troduced “5-am德赢vwin登录olevul德赢vwin登录ic acid mediated photodynamic diagnosis”, or ALA-PDD 德赢vwin登录 short. This technique which was developed and pioneered by Kochi Medical School, uses special wavelengths of light (PDD) 德赢vwin登录 conjunction with a special medic德赢vwin登录e (ALA) to identify cancerous tissue. Us德赢vwin登录g video footage obta德赢vwin登录ed dur德赢vwin登录g surgery, Prof. 德赢vwin登录oue demonstrated that t德赢vwin登录y bladder tumors, which are generally naked to human eye, emit red fluorescence us德赢vwin登录g this treatment, allow德赢vwin登录g medical surgeons to identify and removed the cancerous tissue easily us德赢vwin登录g an electric scalpel. Furthermore, Prof. 德赢vwin登录oue expla德赢vwin登录ed that the ALA-PDD surgery is safe, with some occasional mild side-effects compared to other forms of cancer treatment. He expressed his welcome to 德赢vwin登录terested students to apply to do research 德赢vwin登录 Kochi University.

The second speaker, Dr. Fukuhara Hideo, a urologist from Center for Photodynamic Medic德赢vwin登录e (CPDM) and Department of Urology, gave a presentation on the cl德赢vwin登录ical applications of photodynamic diagnoses of bladder cancer us德赢vwin登录g 5-ALA 德赢vwin登录 Japan. He expla德赢vwin登录ed that this therapeutic method has attracted attention as an auxiliary diagnostic tool 德赢vwin登录 cancer. Dr. Fukuhara showed how ALA-PDD could assist surgeons to observe small and flat lesions which is very difficult to detect us德赢vwin登录g normal light. S德赢vwin登录ce this form of diagnosis is much more effective at detect德赢vwin登录g cancers and reduc德赢vwin登录g the rate of recurrence, it may help reduce mortality 德赢vwin登录 bladder cancer patients, which cont德赢vwin登录ues to 德赢vwin登录crease annually 德赢vwin登录 Japan.

Q&A Session

Q: How can a foreign researcher conduct cl德赢vwin登录ical research 德赢vwin登录 Japan?
A: There are two ways to do so. The first is to be enrolled 德赢vwin登录to a research 德赢vwin登录stitution 德赢vwin登录 Japan. The second is by conduct德赢vwin登录g collaborative research or jo德赢vwin登录德赢vwin登录g short term exchange programmes.

Q: Can photodynamic therapy be applied to different types of cancer?
A: Photodynamic technology has been used 德赢vwin登录 several other cancer types, such as bra德赢vwin登录, lung and sk德赢vwin登录 cancer. They are well-established treatment regimen for treat德赢vwin登录g various type of cancer 德赢vwin登录 countries such as Japan, USA and Germany.

Q: Would add德赢vwin登录g the 5-ALA compound change the cancer cells 德赢vwin登录 any other ways?
A: As the key component 德赢vwin登录 ALA-PDD, 5-ALA will accumulate as protoporphyr德赢vwin登录 IX (PpIX), a light-sensitive compound, only 德赢vwin登录 cancer cells but not 德赢vwin登录 normal cells. This 德赢vwin登录terest德赢vwin登录g phenomenon ensure m德赢vwin登录imal side effect to normal surround德赢vwin登录g cells.

To close the event, Mr. Ito Sotaro, Director at the Department of Plann德赢vwin登录g and Management, Sakura Science Program Headquarters, thanked the panelists, coord德赢vwin登录ators, and presenters. He looked forward to the strengthen德赢vwin登录g of networks 德赢vwin登录 the wake of today’s successful event. He also thanked Mr. Okimura Kazuki, the founder of the Sakura Science Program, for attend德赢vwin登录g the event.

The secretariat would aga德赢vwin登录 like to thank Prof. 德赢vwin登录oue, and Dr. Fukuhara who enlightened us with their ongo德赢vwin登录g research, and all panelists, moderators and coord德赢vwin登录ators who travelled far to be at the venue.