Combining Pharmaceutical Expertise and Law to Materialize the Dreams of Researchers.

The biggest reason I chose to become a patent attorney for my post-graduation work was that I keenly felt how important fundraising is in research activities. Every day, while immersed in research, there were many moments when I felt, "If only there were more funds, I could proceed with this research more smoothly." While there are several ways to arrange research funds, I believe that patents play an important role in giving back technology to society, obtaining compensation, and connecting it to the next research, and they deserve more of the spotlight.

I became interested in the industry where the law of patents intersects with my own specialty of research and technology, and I started studying on my own. I became fascinated by its depth, and it eventually became my job. I am scheduled to be registered as a patent attorney starting this year (April 2026). Currently, Japan's patent licensing income is still low compared to the United States, and I feel there is room to utilize Japan's excellent technologies. As a patent attorney with a background in pharmacy, I want to contribute to the realization of a society where Japan's research capabilities are properly evaluated while strictly protecting rights based on rules.

I aspired to the world of pharmacy because of my grandmother's passing when I was in my first year of high school. Through the combination of medications and the way prescriptions were handled at that time, I felt the importance of using medicine correctly and creating new medicines. Wanting to be involved in that research, I decided to take the entrance exam for the Faculty of Pharmacy in my second year of high school. Initially, I expected to take a research position in drug discovery, but awakening to the fun of organic chemistry in classes during my undergraduate years became a turning point.

The "Laboratory of Molecular Design and Synthesis" under Professor Naoya Kumagai, which I joined in my second year of the master's program, focused on more free and expansive basic research: "creating new substances and exploring how they change," while carrying over my interest in organic chemistry. As for my own qualities, I seem to have a tendency for my interests to disperse across various elements rather than concentrating on a single one, so the "Laboratory of Molecular Design and Synthesis" suited me well.

▶Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences Major in Pharmaceutical Sciences

▶Laboratory of Molecular Design and Synthesis

I think research is an endless task where solving one question leads to ten more challenges, but the excitement at the moment a hypothesis you built is proven by data is irreplaceable. My research theme at the time was the creation of ligands that act on the special structure of DNA (G4) using a new molecule called a TriQuinoline (TQ) derivative. This theme was one I found myself, and winning the "Student Excellent Presentation Award (Oral Presentation)" at the 144th Annual Meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan as a result of being allowed to freely engage in trial and error led to great confidence.

Also, in my third year of the Doctoral Programs, I received a conference support grant from Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and was able to participate in an international conference held in Portugal. It was a difficult time with the historic depreciation of the yen and high prices, but the experience of going there alone and exchanging discussions with researchers from all over the world is a lifelong treasure.

▶Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. research associate (non-tenured) fund

I would like examinees and juniors to definitely find "what they like" and study it. Many important discoveries in the world of science are born from the pure intellectual curiosity of researchers asking "Why does this happen?" or from accidents through trial and error. Even in the world of patents that I am involved in now, ideas that at first glance don't seem to be useful for anything can later become inventions that change the world.

I don't think studying trapped by efficiency or obsession will easily bear fruit. Of course, there is the constraint of getting a passing score for entrance exams, but in the university life that lies beyond passing, please pursue your interests to the fullest. The objective perspective and logical thinking cultivated in the world of pharmacy will undoubtedly be powerful weapons even when moving into the world of law like I did. I think it is important to first pursue what you "like" and look at the future with a broad perspective without deciding too much in advance.