Understanding Life Phenomena as a System

From early childhood through high school, I experienced a variety of educational environments, including international schools, local schools overseas, and both public and private schools in Japan. Through these experiences, I came to value diversity, which led me to SFC. The SFC campus is exceptionally diverse in terms of student nationality, background, and academic fields. I wanted to pursue my academic interests in an environment like this, where I felt comfortable.

After enrolling, my existing interest in biology and IT led me to the field of bio-science, and I joined the Advanced Life Science Laboratory, directed by Professor Masaru Tomita of the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies. It was there that I encountered the field of "trans-omics." I felt that this fusion of bio-science and IT was very characteristic of SFC.

In short, "trans-omics" is an academic field that aims to understand life phenomena as a system. It involves comprehensively measuring molecules in cells and using mathematical and statistical methods to clarify the causal relationships between them. As a result, the system behind a life phenomenon can be visualized on a computer like a map. This method is expected to be applied to elucidating the mechanisms of various diseases and to drug discovery. For example, by comparing the phenomena in a person with a disease to those of a healthy person, we can identify where metabolic pathways are interrupted or rewired. From there, it is thought that we can trace back to determine which substances are causing such phenomena and, by extension, how the disease develops.

My research theme is "Elucidating the Mechanisms of Psychiatric and Neurological Disorders Using Trans-omics Analysis." I chose this theme because I felt that conventional research has limitations in revealing the full picture of psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia. Many psychiatric disorders are thought to develop from a complex interplay of both genetic and environmental factors, and I believed that using the "trans-omics" approach could lead to discoveries that help elucidate the mechanisms of these diseases.

I am conducting my research based at RIKEN as a trainee. This arrangement was made possible through the Advanced Life Science Laboratory's connection with RIKEN, and I received approval from both Keio University and RIKEN. Looking across SFC, there are many students who are active outside the university and use that work as their research or graduation thesis topic. I think one of the unique features of SFC is that research achievements from outside the university are recognized as part of one's academic learning.

Currently, my research is at a stage where I am honing my "trans-omics" methods by acquiring knowledge of databases and programming skills, while also carefully planning future research based on previous studies. In the future, I plan to conduct my own experiments and compile the results into my graduation thesis.

In the future, I want to have a job where I can contribute to healthcare. Working for a company that provides healthcare-related services is one option. I am also interested in starting a business to create a system that allows for the smooth application of technologies like "trans-omics," connecting the latest research with the people who need it. Although I haven't decided on the specifics yet, I aim for a career where I can be a bridge between advanced technology and society.

To achieve this, I believe business knowledge will also be crucial—for disseminating technology, promoting the value of products, and driving sales. I have taken business-related courses before, but if I were to study it again, I would consider pursuing graduate school, possibly with the goal of obtaining an MBA, to engage with it more seriously.

SFC is a campus that is very well-suited for people who have something they can say, "I love this, I'm good at this," not just in terms of academics. I believe everyone has at least one thing they are interested in. For those who want to thoroughly pursue and master that interest, I think it's a place they can fully enjoy.

It was also great for me to be able to make friends who are working in fields different from my own. This nurtured my desire to absorb new things I don't know—like design, music, and advanced technology—and fostered a feeling of wanting to be a lifelong learner. I believe I developed this mindset thanks to the network of people I built at the diversity-rich SFC.