Engaged in the challenging yet vital research of early childhood disease detection. A future in management will allow me to contribute to society from a more flexible position.

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Graduated from Shibuya Kyoiku Gakuen Makuhari Senior High School, a private school in Chiba Prefecture

While enjoying a fulfilling high school life, I maintained a balanced approach to studying for entrance exams. After entering Keio University and joining the Department of Biosciences and Informatics, I continued to engage in self-reflection, search for the best ways to achieve my goals, and actively participate in activities like business plan competitions. I chose the Sato Laboratory, which focuses on biomolecular chemistry, for my research. There, I tackled the challenge of researching analytical methods for the early detection of genetic diseases in children. After graduation, I will take a job in management. By deliberately choosing not to specialize, I have selected a path that allows me to contribute to Japanese society from a more flexible position.

[*] The student's academic year at the time of the interview (November 2017).

Although I attended a combined junior and senior high school focused on university preparation, our school culture encouraged us to put our all into the school festival during our third year. My approach was to fully enjoy high school life while also working hard at my studies, rather than being completely consumed by them. However, I do recall feeling a sense of a mid-term slump in my second year, which motivated me to get serious about my studies.

I loved biology and chemistry, so I never even considered the humanities. One factor was that I had always kept some kind of pet since I was little—turtles, stag beetles, rhinoceros beetles, and so on—and I think taking care of them drew me to the sciences. I also believe that learning about the fun of chemistry in a systematic way in my junior high classes, even at a basic level, contributed to my current interests.

In high school, my dream was to enter the School of Medicine and become a research physician rather than a clinician. However, due to family circumstances, attending a private university's School of Medicine was not feasible. So, I looked for a place where I could study biology and decided to enroll in Keio's "Gakumon 3" admissions category. Having aimed for the School of Medicine for so long, when that dream was no longer an option, I wanted time to rethink my future instead of making a quick decision. The Gakumon system, which allows students to delay choosing their major, was very attractive to me for that reason.

My dream of researching a field related to medicine hadn't changed, but I was hesitant about whether to choose a different department. So, I made an appointment with a professor in another department to see their lab and explained my dilemma. The professor pointed out, "This department is centered on a different area, with medicine being a peripheral topic. That might not be what you truly want to do." That advice was the deciding factor in choosing the Department of Biosciences and Informatics. This department is centered on life sciences while encompassing various fields like diagnostics and pharmaceuticals. I felt that here, even if I couldn't get into my preferred lab, I could still stick to the core of what I wanted to do.

I took courses in biochemistry and cell biology, and I found it fascinating to apply the concepts to my own body. For instance, I've gotten into weight training recently. Before, I would have just thought, "This book says to do it this way, so that must be the best method." But now, thanks to what I learned in my lectures, I can think about things like, "This signaling pathway increases nutrient uptake at this point." So it's been useful in that sense. It's a very specific application, though (laughs).

Actually, I was very conflicted about this as well. I had participated in business plan competitions and projects outside of my university studies, so I had a strong desire to start working as soon as possible. At the same time, I held a long-standing aspiration to become a researcher. The reason I decided to go to graduate school was that I felt it wasn't the right time to make a final decision. I figured that if I dedicated myself to research during my fourth year as an undergraduate and throughout my master's program, I could then choose a career path with a solid understanding of both the business and research worlds. I believed this would lead to a better outcome than making a hasty decision. In retrospect, I'm confident it was the right choice.

In short, my research focuses on the early detection of genetic diseases in children. While some illnesses, like infections, are immediately apparent from their symptoms, there are also progressive diseases that show no signs at birth and worsen as the child grows. During initial medical examinations, doctors can't distinguish between a healthy child and one who has a disease but is not yet symptomatic. By the time symptoms do appear, it can be too late for effective treatment. That's why I'm researching an analytical method that uses blood samples from newborns to identify potential diseases that could develop later in life. I've even been conducting experiments recently where I draw my own blood once a month to use as a sample for measurements.

Since my work is treated as external research for a hospital, it's a medical-engineering collaboration. That collaboration is what makes it both challenging and a source of strength. Professors in the Faculty of Science and Technology tend to place importance on mechanisms and processes. In contrast, clinical professors are more focused on the outcome—actually curing patients. With faculty members from these different positions, their perspectives and instructions often vary. In this environment, I have to think for myself to complete my thesis. It's time-consuming, but I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to hear so many different viewpoints.

There's one distinct difference: undergraduate lectures have answers, but research does not. Unlike an exam where someone asks you, "Why is this so?", in research, you have to be the one to ask, "I wonder why?" This is why a student who excelled in their undergraduate courses may not necessarily be a good researcher, while someone who struggled to earn credits might achieve brilliant research results. It requires a completely different way of thinking.

Although it's not directly connected to my research to date, I've decided to take a job related to management. I made this choice because I want to engage with my work from a more flexible standpoint. For example, when thinking about contributing to Japan's medical system, specialists and researchers are obviously essential. But from a business perspective, I can identify areas of opportunity and determine which parts of the medical field to focus on, and then use my own abilities to help them grow. If one approach doesn't work, I can leverage that experience to move into another field. In other words, I can pursue what I'm most passionate about at any given moment by adapting my methods and focus. This career path is the antithesis of the stability of lifetime employment, but I am eager to continue challenging myself.