[Part 5] Yoichi Iimura

I am now in my third summer since coming to the UK. The winters here are long and dark, so the British people's longing for summer, when it stays light past 9:00 p.m., far surpasses that of the Japanese. I came to the UK to conduct exploratory research on drugs for the central nervous system, and looking back on my life as a researcher, I recall several connections with the UK.

It started in the summer of my first year in the Doctoral Programs. I was back in my hometown for the Obon holiday when I received a sudden phone call from my mentor, Professor Kin-ichi Tadano. He informed me that a team at the University of London was working on the same total synthesis research I was conducting. Hearing that we still had a chance to win, I immediately returned to the lab, canceled my planned attendance at an academic conference, and devoted myself to my research. In just about two weeks, I managed to complete the synthesis before the University of London team. A letter arrived from them that read, "We were beaten ---," and I was able to savor the double joy of success as an organic synthesis researcher.

When I was preparing for university entrance exams, I had no idea what I wanted to do in the future, other than that it would be in the sciences. At that time, students at the Keio University Faculty of Engineering chose their major at the end of their second year, not when they took the entrance exam. This was one of the reasons I chose to apply to Keio University. After two years, I somewhat arbitrarily chose the Department of Applied Chemistry. Then, in the fall of my third year, it was time to choose a laboratory. Even at this point, I was still unsure of what to do. One day during my lunch break, I went to the library. There, I saw a professor engrossed in research. It was Assistant Professor Tadano (now a full professor), whom I knew slightly from student lab experiments. I casually asked him about his research. He stopped what he was doing and passionately explained the joy of organic synthesis. Just as the bell rang to signal the end of the lunch break, he invited me, "Why don't you join my lab?" I remember replying instantly, "Yes, please," as if it were yesterday.

The next instance was in April 1997. I visited the British resort town of Brighton on a business trip. I had been invited to a conference celebrating the launch of Aricept, a treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Perhaps thanks to a combination of jet lag and fatigue, my requested speech went smoothly. I received congratulations from many attendees and was able to savor the fulfillment of one of my dreams as a drug discovery researcher.

After obtaining my doctorate, I joined Eisai Co., Ltd., wanting to use the knowledge and skills I had learned at Keio University to help people in a more tangible way. The theme I was assigned was the development of a treatment for AD. It was a continuous struggle, but with a great deal of luck, I was able to synthesize Aricept (generic name: donepezil hydrochloride). Two lessons that Professor Tadano repeatedly taught me as a student were instrumental in this success: "Don't do what others are doing" and "Never throw away your starting materials." Aricept is now sold in over 60 countries worldwide and has established itself as the first-line treatment for AD. (For those interested in the details of the research and development, please read "Kiseki no Shin'yaku Kaihatsu Project" [The Miracle New Drug Development Project] by Etsuo Umeda, published by Kodansha +α Shinsho.)

As you can see, my life as a researcher began with a chance "encounter" with Professor Tadano at Keio University. I intend to continue to press forward as a drug discovery researcher with the spirit of "Wakaki-chi" in my heart. I am also confident that the Keio University Faculty of Science and Technology will surely provide all of you with opportunities for great "encounters."

And now, today is another beautiful day. It is the exciting British summer.