17th Grant

I gave an oral presentation titled "A Study on the Stable Supply of Antimicrobial Agents Using a Systems Approach" at the 44th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, held in Kobe.

To identify vulnerabilities in maintaining the production and supply management system for antimicrobial agents, I applied an approach based on safety engineering. I constructed a conceptual model based on cases related to pharmaceutical production and supply, as well as interview surveys with stakeholders in the pharmaceutical industry, and identified scenarios that could lead to an inability to maintain a stable supply of antimicrobial agents.

By applying a new approach to the highly important public health issue of antimicrobial production and supply and re-examining it from a systematic perspective, I believe this research presentation provided a new viewpoint on the stable supply of pharmaceuticals—a problem that has been a growing concern in the industry in recent years—and successfully raised awareness of the issue.

This research presentation received the "Excellent Presentation Award," an award from the society. This achievement was made possible by the guidance and cooperation of my professors and everyone involved in this research, and I feel it is a testament to being able to present in a convincing manner to the audience.

It was also a good experience to be exposed to the presentations and discussions of other researchers.

Participating in this conference was extremely meaningful from the perspective of both advancing my research and my personal growth. I will use this experience to continue to strive for excellence after graduation.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. for their support in attending this conference.

(Kanna Ito, 6th Year, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy)

I participated in the 28th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Pharmacoepidemiology, held at Kyoto University from November 16 to 18, 2023, and gave an oral presentation titled "A Survey on the Reality of Clinical Inertia in Japanese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Using a Clinical Information Database Derived from Electronic Medical Records."

In the treatment of type 2 diabetes, it is required to set glycemic control targets, re-evaluate treatment approximately every three months, and make prompt treatment adjustments if the targets are not met. However, in recent years, the existence of "clinical inertia"—where treatment is not reviewed despite poor glycemic control over a long period—has become a concern in clinical practice. In this study, we used a clinical information database derived from electronic medical records to clarify the reality of clinical inertia in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes. The results showed that clinical inertia occurs from the early stages of type 2 diabetes treatment in Japan and that various patient backgrounds influence it. It was also found that further investigation is necessary, taking into account factors such as medication adherence.

Since type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease, the issue of clinical inertia can potentially affect many patients. However, awareness of it is still not high. Therefore, presenting at a conference where experts in pharmacoepidemiology gathered and sharing this issue was a very valuable opportunity. I was also honored to receive the Best Abstract Award, which taught me the joy of completing a research project. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. for their support in attending this conference.

(Yuka Kikuchi, 6th Year, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy)

I would like to express my sincere gratitude for being selected for the Sato Pharmaceutical Research Encouragement Award. The research encouragement fund was fully used to cover the participation costs for the 28th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Pharmacoepidemiology, held in Kyoto from November 16 to 18, 2023.

I gave an oral presentation titled "Compliance with the RECORD Statement in Reporting of Studies Conducted Using Japanese Health Information Databases (DBs)." In recent years, the number of studies using health information DBs has been increasing, but the quality of reporting for DB studies in Japan has not yet been clarified. Therefore, we clarified the quality of reporting by comparing original articles of Japanese DB studies with guidelines that establish reporting standards for DB research. This study was also selected as one of the six oral presentations out of a total of 41 abstracts.

Through the conference presentation, I had the valuable experience of considering from various perspectives how to effectively convey and ensure understanding of the message I wanted to communicate within a limited time. After numerous discussions and revisions with my professors while preparing materials and practicing the presentation, I was able to deliver a performance I was satisfied with and received an Excellent Abstract Award. In addition to my own presentation, I had many invaluable experiences, such as attending numerous symposia and poster presentations and interacting with researchers from various backgrounds. I will strive to build on these experiences and continue to devote myself to my work.

Finally, I would like to once again express my sincere gratitude to Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. for subsidizing my conference participation fees.

(Haruka Sugimori, 6th Year, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy)

I would like to express my sincere gratitude for being selected for the Sato Pharmaceutical Research Encouragement Award.

I gave an oral presentation titled "Impact of the AMR Action Plan on Antimicrobial Prescriptions for Outpatients with Influenza: An Interrupted Time Series Analysis of Claims Data." In Japan, the appropriate use of antimicrobial agents is being promoted by the National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). However, while awareness surveys suggest that a certain number of antimicrobial agents may be used for treating influenza, the actual situation has not been clarified. Therefore, this study focused on the prescription of antimicrobial agents for outpatients with influenza and evaluated the impact of the National Action Plan on AMR using a large-scale health insurance claims database.

Although I was nervous during the presentation, I was able to leverage my extensive practice and deliver it smoothly. During the Q&A session, I received many questions from physicians and researchers, which deepened my thinking about future research.

In addition to my own presentation, I was able to gain the latest knowledge on survival analysis and the use of real-world data through pre-seminars and symposia over the three days. I intend to apply the knowledge gained at this conference to my future research activities and strive for further improvement.

In closing, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. for their support in attending this conference.

(Daichi Yarita, 1st Year, Master's Program, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences)

I participated in the 9th Asian Biomaterials Congress 2023, an international conference on biomaterials held in Penang, Malaysia, and gave an oral presentation titled "Development of a Temperature-Responsive Hepatocyte Separation Column."

In regenerative medicine, there is a high expectation for the development of methods to separate cells while maintaining their activity. In regenerative medicine using hepatocytes, there is a growing demand for technologies to isolate hepatocytes from donor livers and to separate and purify hepatocytes differentiated from iPS cells, ES cells, and other sources from undifferentiated cells for applications in artificial livers and hepatocyte sheets. In this study, we created a temperature-responsive cell separation column using silica beads modified with a block copolymer—polymerized with the hepatocyte-recognizing polymer PVLA on the lower layer and the temperature-responsive polymer PNIPAAm on the upper layer—as a carrier. We then investigated a simple separation and purification method under mild conditions without modifying the cell surface. Through this research, we were able to achieve the separation and purification of hepatocytes by changing the temperature.

At this conference, I was able to listen to fascinating presentations on cutting-edge biomaterials research, which deepened my knowledge in this field. Furthermore, when I presented my own research, I was able to deepen the discussion in response to the questions I received. Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. for their generous support in attending this conference.

(Junnosuke Matsuda, 2nd Year, Master's Program, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences)

I participated in the 97th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Pharmacological Society, held in Kobe, Hyogo, and gave an oral presentation titled "Expression and Functional Analysis of the Immune Checkpoint Molecule LAG-3 in Microglia."

This conference aims to bring together researchers from a wide range of fields, including neuroscience, molecular biology, and immunology, to discuss and exchange opinions on cutting-edge research findings. I presented on microglia, a type of glial cell, and the immune checkpoint molecule LAG-3, and was able to have discussions with experts on microglia, T cells, macrophages, and cancer. As a result, I received feedback and advice from a broad range of perspectives that I could not have obtained in my usual research life, providing an opportunity to think more deeply about future research challenges and possibilities. The oral presentation was also a good experience that helped improve my own presentation skills. However, there were times when I could not answer questions concisely and accurately, so I would like to make that a challenge for the future.

Furthermore, at this conference, I also participated in the "Matching Event for Young Members (Students and Postdocs) of the Japanese Pharmacological Society with University Laboratories and Pharmaceutical Companies." By exchanging opinions with people from pharmaceutical companies, I was able to learn about their perspectives on my research from a clinical viewpoint.

Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. for their generous support in the form of a research encouragement fund.

(Motoki Oshima, 1st Year, Master's Program, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences)

I gave a poster presentation at the 10th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Extracellular Vesicles titled "Elucidation of the Secretion Mechanism of COPB2 into Extracellular Vesicles in Lung Epithelial Cells."

In recent years, attention has been focused on the physiological functions of extracellular vesicles (EVs). In particular, it is becoming clear that EVs derived from cancer cells induce changes in surrounding cells, creating an environment that facilitates cancer cell survival. In a previous study in which my department participated, it was revealed that the protein COPB2 is contained in serum EVs of COVID-19 patients. COPB2 is known to be important for the survival of lung cancer cells, and I hypothesized that COPB2 is also contained in EVs derived from lung cancer cells and contributes to their survival, so I presented these research findings.

By participating in discussions at a conference where experts researching EVs from all over Japan gathered, I was able to update my knowledge. Additionally, there was a company introducing a service that allows one to try a technology for analyzing EVs particle by particle, similar to flow cytometry for cells. This gave me the new idea that it might be possible to construct a system to quantify COPB2 in EVs by expressing a fusion protein of COPB2 and a fluorescent protein in cells.

Finally, I would like to thank Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. for their support in attending this conference. I will continue to work hard so that I can repay their kindness with my research results.

(Yuji Dan, 4th Year, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy)

I gave a poster presentation titled "Relationship between Microgravity and Myoblast Proliferation" at the 10th Federation of the Asian and Oceanian Physiological Societies Congress (FAOPS 2023), held in Daegu, South Korea.

Disuse muscle atrophy, which occurs during bed rest or cast immobilization on Earth and during spaceflight, is induced by reduced activity and microgravity. However, the mechanisms for sensing reduced activity and how gravity contributes to muscle homeostasis remain unclear. This study aims to clarify the mechanisms of muscle atrophy, a challenge in spaceflight, with the future goal of developing methods to suppress it. This time, we investigated the proliferative capacity of myoblasts under microgravity, focusing on its relationship with intracellular Ca2+ concentration, using a simulated microgravity device. As a result, we found that myoblasts cultured under simulated microgravity showed a significant decrease in proliferative capacity and a significant decrease in intracellular Ca2+ concentration compared to those cultured under terrestrial gravity. In the future, we plan to investigate the relationship between the decrease in intracellular Ca2+ concentration and the decrease in proliferative capacity in more detail.

This conference is an international meeting for physiology researchers from Asia and Oceania, and there were many studies related to muscle cells and intracellular Ca2+ dynamics. During the poster presentation, I was able to interact with such researchers from both my own country and others, which was a very educational experience for me, as it was my first time presenting research.

Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. for their support in attending this conference. I will use this experience to further dedicate myself to my research in the future.

(Ayaka Ichihara, 5th Year, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy)

I participated in the 21st Awaji International Forum on Infection and Immunity, held in Nagano, and gave an oral and poster presentation titled "Bidirectional Interactions between Gut Microbes and the Host under Artificial Hibernation."

In recent years, it has been shown that stimulating Q neurons using the DREADD system can induce an artificial hibernation-like state characterized by a decrease in body temperature and oxygen consumption. In this study, we investigated changes in the gut microbiota and the effects of the gut microbiota on host metabolic functions during an artificial hibernation-like state, and I presented these findings.

This conference is a meeting aimed at promoting infection immunology, bringing together researchers from around the world involved in cutting-edge bacteriology or immunology research. Lively cross-disciplinary discussions took place during the symposia and poster presentations. During the conference, I presented the research findings mentioned above and engaged in lively discussions with researchers from different fields. I received many opinions from researchers in various fields and was able to gain new perspectives on my research results. I am confident that these experiences were extremely significant for the future development of my research activities.

Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. for their generous support in attending this conference.

(Reina Miyajima, 4th Year, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy)

I participated in the Asian Federation for Pharmaceutical Sciences (AFPS) 2023, held from November 8 to 10, 2023, at the Foreign Relations Hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam, and gave an oral presentation titled "Enhanced Invasion of Extravascular Trophoblast Cells by Human Vascular Endothelial Cells and Its Effect on Gene Expression." The AFPS, established in 2007, is a federation of pharmaceutical sciences centered in Asia, with members including individuals and societies related to pharmaceutics, such as the Academy of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Japan. This was the 7th scientific conference to be held.

Preeclampsia is a serious disorder characterized by high blood pressure, organ dysfunction in pregnant women, and fetal growth restriction. However, its cause remains unknown, and no definitive treatment has been established. As a pathogenic mechanism, an abnormality in the process where cells constituting the uterine vessel walls are replaced by trophoblasts from endothelial cells has been proposed. In this process, trophoblasts invade toward endothelial cells, so elucidating the molecular mechanisms that promote this invasion could lead to new therapeutic targets. Therefore, this study aimed to clarify the invasive ability and gene expression changes of a trophoblast model through co-culture with an endothelial cell model. Using comprehensive mRNA expression data from RNA-seq, we revealed that invasion is promoted by changes in the expression of genes related to the extracellular matrix within the trophoblast model.

Presenting this research, which aims to identify drug target molecules, at an international scientific conference attended by a wide range of pharmaceutical researchers provided a meaningful opportunity to receive insightful opinions for considering future research strategies. Furthermore, interacting with researchers active overseas increased my motivation for my own research.

Finally, my participation in this conference was made possible by the support from Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude. Thank you very much.

(Yukako Harada, 2nd Year, Master's Program, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences)