[No. 155] Kenji Kato

I first became vaguely interested in the professions of researcher and scientist in my second year of junior high school, when I participated in a local science school. There, I listened to a lecture by Professor Isao Karube of the University of Tokyo, who was at the forefront of research on the Human Genome Project. Learning that humanity was on the verge of deciphering its own DNA sequence, I was inspired to one day use codes like DNA to explore the mysteries of life and evolution. After the lecture, I asked Professor Karube a question about evolution, and he advised me, "That answer hasn't been proven yet, so you should go to university, do the research, and figure it out." Looking back, it may have been those words that pushed me to pursue a path in the sciences.

Later, to pursue research in biology, I entered the Keio University Faculty of Science and Technology and progressed from Stream 3 to the Department of Biosciences and Informatics. As I learned more broadly about the biological fields, I realized that within biology, I was interested in "humans," and within that, the "human brain." Therefore, for my bachelor's and master's degrees, I joined the Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, where I decided to pursue neurophysiological research under the guidance of Professor Yutaka Tomita and Professor Junichi Ushiba. Specifically, my research involved measuring the faint electrical signals emitted from the human brain from the scalp and investigating how the phenomenon of oscillation at specific frequencies was related to voluntary motor control. Furthermore, a fascinating aspect of this research was examining how these phenomena influenced movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease and dystonia (a state of being unable to voluntarily control muscle activity and movement in the limbs).

At the time, I was excited that my envisioned research life would begin at the newly built Sosokan campus, but the reality of research life was much tougher than I had imagined. I particularly remember the mental strain of the weekly progress presentations in front of my lab members, amid days spent shuttling back and forth between the School of Medicine and the hospital. Even in that situation, I was able to persevere thanks to sharing the hardship and helping each other out with my peers, seniors, and juniors. After three years, I had accumulated solid findings, and being able to compile them for publication in an international journal remains a great source of strength for me today. Also, when I presented at an international conference for the first time in my second year of my master's program, I had the chance to meet and discuss with researchers I had only known through papers. It felt as if the world of research, which had been confined to the lab, suddenly opened up, and a sense of identity as a "researcher" began to grow within me. It was also during this period that I made the concrete decision to advance to the Ph.D. program.

While at university, I belonged to the Wagner Society Orchestra and the Faculty of Science and Technology's Athletic Association American Football Team. Having been in the track and field club doing individual events through high school, I wanted to try team play, and I also wanted to continue with the orchestra, which I had been a part of since the fourth grade. In reality, juggling two clubs was a bit much. I had the bitter experience of getting injured in football, missing an important season, and being unable to play the violin. However, by continuing for four years, I was able to meet unique seniors and juniors whom I would not have met otherwise.

I couldn't let go of the violin even after graduating from the orchestra, and in my second year of my master's program, I took the plunge and entered the Japan Classical Music Competition. I simply wanted to challenge myself and see how far my performance would go. Although the participants were mostly current students or graduates of music colleges, performing Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto at the national competition and receiving an award (5th place nationwide in the senior division) is a memory I'll cherish for a lifetime. I still play chamber music with members I met at university and hold regular concerts.

While my case may have been a bit reckless, when you think about it, university life is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to let loose. I think it's best to pursue what you want to do and immerse yourself completely in that world. The more you immerse yourself, the longer the experiences you gain will remain in your memory, and they will be useful in various situations in your future life.

After completing my master's program, I entered the Ph.D. program at the National Institute for Physiological Sciences (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI) and began to seriously engage in neurophysiology and neuroengineering research. There, I took on the grand research theme of developing a neural interface using a microcomputer to substitute for neural pathways lost due to stroke or spinal cord injury, with the goal of restoring lost voluntary motor function. As this was progressive research that had not yet been tested in the clinical domain, we demonstrated it using primates (macaque monkeys). Everything was a new experience, but my academic advisors, Professor Tadashi Isa and Professor Yukio Nishimura, taught me the know-how of research from scratch, and I was able to successfully complete the Ph.D. program. Through this research, I was able to learn the profound depth of the background behind neurophysiology, which was an invaluable experience.

After that, I returned to Professor Junichi Ushiba's lab at Keio University as a Project Assistant Professor. Since last year, I have been at the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, where I am involved in the development and demonstration of assistive robots for daily living for the elderly, based on my experience in the fields of neurophysiology and neuroengineering.

In science, it can sometimes take years to prove a single, simple thing. On the other hand, the interpretation of a proven result can change daily as previously unconsidered factors come into play. To survive in such a dizzying, and at times, fruitless world, I believe one needs to be tough, both physically and mentally. I also think it is essential to have the perseverance to proceed steadily while enjoying the interesting process of scientifically forming and realizing hypotheses. I am still a novice researcher, but I intend to continue striving to grow steadily, one step at a time.