I want to create pharmaceuticals in the future. To fulfill that dream, I chose the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

  My decision to pursue pharmacy started with the desire to create pharmaceuticals, though it may sound cliché. I can't remember the specific reason why I thought of it, but it might be due to underlying reasons like having a grandfather with an incurable disease nearby or having a chronic illness myself. In any case, rather than wanting to explore pharmacy as an academic discipline, I think I felt that by entering a profession that creates pharmaceuticals, I could be of help to a wider range of people. As a high school student, I didn't fully understand that the beauty of the Faculty of Pharmacy is the ability to study science disciplines cross-sectionally.

I couldn't say I was good at science subjects and was more of a humanities type, so studying for entrance exams was difficult. While everyone around me was steadily improving their grades, it might have been much later that I realized the errors in my study methods. Many regular exams can be handled like a game, but I think you should think deeply during the entrance exam study period, when you are allowed to sit at your desk for long hours.  

One of the reasons I chose Keio Pharmacy among many pharmacy schools was its positive image, suggesting there would be many hardworking people. I always believe that the environment you place yourself in is important. The other reason is its focus on research. Since I applied with the desire to create pharmaceuticals and conduct research, the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, where I could immerse myself in research, was my only choice. After graduating from the undergraduate program, I went on to the Major in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences to continue my research further.

Currently, I belong to Professor Naoya Kumagai's Laboratory of Synthetic Organic Chemistry and am researching fluorescent molecules that emit light. Organic compounds of fluorescent molecules are attracting attention not only as functional materials but also as tools for visualizing biological phenomena. Our group found the core structure of fluorescent molecules. Based on that discovery, we are trying to unravel the mechanism of why fluorescent molecules glow. Furthermore, analyzing the mechanism of fluorescence leads to the invention of methods for applying fluorescent molecules.

Professor Kumagai is the type of person who purely enjoys basic research and doesn't obsess over whether it is useful for something. It seems easier to write a graduation or master's thesis if there is a clear goal, but in experiments, things often turn out differently than hoped. I learned that finding significance in those results can also be a trigger for new discoveries. I had a desire to create pharmaceuticals and was thinking of a theme like the fusion of biology and chemistry that seemed directly linked to drug discovery, but my perspective changed with the professor's words: "The world needs people who have mastered one thing professionally, like chemistry if it's chemistry." I am enjoying my current research, thinking that if I can become someone who can discuss things with deep knowledge and high expertise, I will be able to contribute significantly when the opportunity to be involved in drug discovery comes in the future.

The most important thing in the Laboratory of Synthetic Organic Chemistry is whether you have something you want to do. I think it's an ideal environment where people who have questioned what is written in textbooks can do the research they want to do to their heart's content, but it's probably not suitable for people who just like matching answers.

The staff is a group of chemistry lovers, so they will listen to you when you are lost or stuck. Students who have something they want to do are given a certain amount of freedom, and student autonomy is respected to the maximum extent.

Also, last year, I made a selfish request to the professor, asking, "Could you let me go to Germany for a research internship?" Since it was the first time since the lab was established, I think the professor had some hesitations, but in the end, I received a lot of support and my wish was granted. Although the research in Germany was short—about five months—everything was fresh, and even the hardships were fun. It was a wonderful experience that was almost too good for a student. Also, he usually tells us to create what we want to create. He even says to think of molecules as our toys. There are certainly strict aspects and slightly eccentric aspects, but basically, it is free and generous, and I think that kind of atmosphere is the charm of this laboratory.

I have already finished my job hunting and plan to take a research position at a pharmaceutical company. My dream since high school has come true. Since my employer develops global business activities, I want to contribute to research with an eye toward overseas in the future.

As is often said about English education in Japan, I remember that in high school, I specialized in reading and writing and couldn't speak, and my listening was exceptionally poor. Come to think of it, I think the concept of "global" truly entered my daily thought process after joining the lab. The staff consists of professors with postdoc experience overseas or Chinese professors, and at the external collaborative research institutions, there were naturally foreign postdocs. This brought about a major shift in my thinking, making me realize that global is just "everyday life," whereas I used to think of overseas as something extraordinary. In particular, Professor Kumagai often talks about research activities overseas, so I feel he naturally created opportunities for me to become interested in going abroad. I don't remember the details, but while talking with the professor, I also decided to start giving presentations in English. It was a very unpleasant event at first, but by repeating it for a year, it's certain that I lost my resistance to speaking English in front of people. Furthermore, I strongly feel that you only want to become good at English once you have the opportunity to speak it. I try to think of times when I want to look at my smartphone as a chance to look at something related to English, and I am conscious of creating time to be exposed to English, even if only a little. Furthermore, because my resistance to English disappeared, I was able to take action myself for the short-term study abroad in Germany. Going on the study abroad was undoubtedly thanks to the professor's help, but I believe the confidence to keep asserting what I wanted to do was built by my daily efforts.