[No. 140] Manabu Kawada

I am deeply honored to have been given this opportunity. I am not sure if my story will be helpful to those aspiring to enter the Faculty of Science and Technology, but as a quarter of a century has passed since I graduated from university, this is a good chance to reflect on my own life, so I would like to share my journey with you.

I am now a biologist conducting basic research with the goal of developing anticancer drugs, but this was by no means a childhood dream. It is true that since I was little, I enjoyed looking at things like water fleas and snowflakes under a microscope, and I believe it was in elementary school when I first heard the term "biotechnology" and became interested. However, I never won any awards for my summer research projects, and to be honest, I didn't think I was cut out to be a researcher. The professions I wanted to pursue changed from manga artist to newspaper reporter, and in high school, I was serious about becoming a radio DJ. But my grades in humanities subjects were terrible, so I don't think those were realistic options either. At a time when I was vaguely thinking about going to university without any clear goals, my high school homeroom teacher recommended me for admission to Keio University with a scholarship. My family was by no means wealthy and couldn't afford for me to spend an extra year studying for entrance exams, so I decided to give it a try with a casual mindset. It may sound disrespectful, but I had never considered Keio University at all until then, and at the time, the Faculty of Science and Technology had no biology-related laboratories, so my only thought was that it would be great just to get in.

Although I was fortunate enough to be admitted to Stream 3 of the Faculty of Science and Technology (which at the time allowed students to advance to the Department of Applied Chemistry or the Department of Chemistry), I was shocked to find that I couldn't understand the lectures at all, especially math and physics, and realized my foundational academic skills were lacking. It was a struggle to keep up, and I might have studied the hardest during that time. However, the lectures were interesting, and I became particularly fascinated with organic synthesis, intending to pursue that path. I remember getting excited with friends over drinks, discussing whether red blood cells could be synthesized since they have no nucleus. In my third year of university, when it was time to choose a laboratory, it was suddenly announced that a new biology-related laboratory (under Professor Kazuo Umezawa) was being established. Although I had been set on organic synthesis, my mind changed in an instant. I suppose I must have always had a fondness for biology. When I applied for the Umezawa Laboratory, the competition ratio was two to one. The spots for female students were decided easily through discussion, but the male students were at a complete impasse, and we ended up deciding by playing rock-paper-scissors. Looking back, I have to say that winning that game of rock-paper-scissors is what led me to where I am today.

Perhaps because I joined a newly established laboratory, my first days were spent unpacking equipment and reagents from cardboard boxes. We didn't even have a full set of reagents, and I remember practicing by measuring water with an instrument called a Pipetman. Looking back, I think it was a very valuable experience to be part of a lab startup. We didn't have much, but all the students were very passionate, and we even got into arguments over experiments. I am very grateful that from a relatively early stage in the lab, I was given many opportunities, such as presenting at academic conferences and publishing papers, which allowed me to interact with various professors. In those days, there was no internet, and all papers were submitted by mail, so it took longer than it does now, but there was a certain pleasure in the waiting. Even the rejection notices from famous journals came as logo-imprinted postcards, which are now fond mementos. The lessons I learned during my time in the laboratory are countless, but if I had to pick one, it would be to "mix well." It's something you tend to forget as you get used to it, and I'm still careful about it even now. Another is the question, "If you had everything you wanted, what research would you do?" I still pose this question to the young researchers in my lab today, but it's easy for all of us, myself included, to get caught up in the immediate experiments. I believe it serves as a hint for thinking about "what problems to solve" as a researcher.

Although I obtained my doctorate in graduate school, finding a postdoctoral position was difficult, and it was mentally taxing when the search dragged on until around February of my third year in the Doctoral Programs. I learned the hard way that no matter how strong your hopes are, the world is not that easy. Later, thanks to a professor I met at an academic conference, I was able to secure a position at my current research institute. My research involves searching for compounds in microbial culture broths that could become sources for anticancer drugs—a job that you could say is like a treasure hunt. In reality, however, it's not so easy to find them, and it's a continuous series of days where things don't go well. But by persevering without giving up, I occasionally make progress, and those moments bring me pure joy. I want to continue my research without giving up, in the hope of saving as many cancer patients as possible.

While university doesn't determine the rest of your life, there is no doubt that it has a very significant impact. The Faculty of Science and Technology at Keio University attracts students with diverse backgrounds from all over Japan. I believe that by stimulating each other, new ideas emerge naturally, helping to build the deeper parts of oneself. I think the most important thing is to enjoy whatever you do.