We interviewed Mayu Kajino, a fourth year student (at the time of the interview) in the Doctoral Program in Division of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences. As a HaKaSe +selected doctoral student, she is actively earning the doctor's degree. We interviewed her about the allure and value of the doctoral program and the worthiness of her study. ? ??? For the interview video, please click Official research instagram.
Please tell us why you decided to enter the doctoral course.
My biggest motivation for pursuing a career in pharmacy was being assigned to the pharmaceutical research lab during my fifth year of School of Pharmacy studies, where I was captivated by the fascinating world of research. I originally entered university wanting to become a pharmacist, but my desire changed. I wanted to contribute to healthcare from a different perspective than direct patient care, helping patients in a way that was different from clinical work, and that's why I decided to pursue a career as a researcher. Also, having a senior student who went on to pursue a doctoral degree and seeing them inspire me was another factor that motivated me.
Could you tell us about your study?
It is known that babies born to mothers who have been given ritodrine, a drug used in the treatment of threatened preterm labor, have a high risk of neonatal hypoglycemia. We are conducting research on neonatal glucose metabolism with the aim of clarifying the mechanism of its occurrence. We are conducting experiments on animal models of rodents such as rats and mice, which have a similar placental structure to humans.
Research is an accumulation of small successes. In fact, it is not always possible to get the desired results from experiments, and I am constantly repeating failures, but the joy I feel when I get good results is what motivates me in my research.
What skills or experiences have you acquired through your research so far?
What I feel I have acquired the most is "logical thinking”. I have developed the ability to think in an orderly fashion, separating the known from the unknown and asking myself what hypotheses I can formulate when I incorporate what I know into my research.
The other is "communication skills”. I had many opportunities to participate in academic conferences and give presentations on my research, and since there were also foreign students in the lab, I had to speak English on a daily basis, so I was able to acquire language skills while enjoying my research.
What support or programs have you found helpful at HaKaSe+?
In the HaKaSe? program, I have the opportunity to conduct joint research with faculty members in fields such as science and engineering, which allows me to learn a wide range of subjects beyond my own field of expertise.
I also studied abroad for three months in Vancouver, Canada, with support for travel and accommodation expenses. The environment in which all discussions and daily conversations were in English helped me improve my English communication skills.
The biggest thing I learned through my study abroad was that by experiencing research and experiments in an environment different from that of Japan, I was able to look at myself from the outside, as what I had taken for granted before was different in a foreign country. For example, in Japan, it is not unusual for experiments to be conducted until late at night, but in Canada, I was surprised to find that many people come to the lab early in the morning and leave around 3:00 pm. I was also impressed by the fact that the lab was an open lab, and student interactions between labs were very active.
Finally, could you share your dreams for the future?
During my doctoral studies, I have devoted myself to research on glucose metabolism in neonates. After graduation, I plan to work on research on endocrinology and glucose metabolism in adults.
I have always had a strong interest not only in elucidating diseases, but also in the fundamental mechanisms of the human body that have not yet been fully elucidated, such as how human physiological functions are established, and I continue my research with a desire to unravel these mechanisms one by one.
My motto is "Think globally, act locally”. While taking a broad view of the significance of research, I would like to steadily face the challenges ahead of me and continue to put my ideas into practice.
In the future, my ultimate goal is to become a world-class researcher while contributing to patient care through "reverse translational research," in which the results of basic research are returned to clinical practice.
*All affiliations, grades, years, etc. are current at the time of the interview. Please note that all affiliations, grades, and years are current at the time of interview.
(Tamayo Kido, writer)
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