I chose Japan to carry out this student mobility opportunity as it has always been a ‘bucket list’ country for me to immerse myself in and travel around. When applying for this opportunity, I read into Hoshi University and saw the excellence in research and pharmacy education. As this was a research opportunity, I familiarised myself with the various laboratories within the university, as well as their areas of research. I was beyond impressed with the extent of active lab-based research ongoing in Hoshi, and the variety of fields that were being covered. Japan to me has always been a place that embodies greatness in leading scientific discovery and progression. I could not have thought of anywhere else I would rather have partaken in a research abroad opportunity. Coming from Ireland (a relatively smaller research community) the prospects of living and working on research in Tokyo was extremely exciting to me. I was very eager to learn of international experts and see first-hand the universal strive for scientific progression through research as well as the way in which science and research unite us all – even as far a distance as Dublin to Tokyo.
I partook in laboratory-based research over a 9-week period in the Epigenetic Laboratory under supervision of our principle investigators – Professor N. Hattori and Prof Yuyu Liu. This was my first experience of extended lab-based research. I was immediately extremely impressed and interested in the work that was being carried out in the lab. I never once felt overwhelmed or unsure due to the fantastic and continued support of all members of the lab team. I focused on methylation patterns in HER2 positive breast cancers, and how such patterns can predict responsiveness to targeted HER2 therapies. I had recently completed studies of cancer and pharmacology of cancer therapies prior to my trip to Japan – something that greatly helped my understanding of this topic. Myself and Edward were permitted to partake in all aspects of lab work – which included being trained on a variety of techniques such as; QT-PCR, Tissue Culture, CRISPR-Cas9 technology, electroporation, Knock-Out of cell lines, immunostaining techniques, dissection and DNA, RNA and protein extraction. I really enjoyed every aspect of this work and found myself excited to go in to the lab every day. The learning from this experience was second to none and incomparable to any classroom-based teaching of the topic that I had had in university prior to my travels to Japan. The welcome both Edward and I received as well as the continued hospitality and respect from all members of the lab and fellow students is something I will never forget. I have and will continue to carry the fondest of memories from my time spent in Hoshi. I am already planning on my return to Tokyo.
I quickly realized that for the best food – we had to ask locals for recommendations. This never
disappointed. I am a lover of Japanese cuisine and experiencing this first hand was amazing. Sushi,
ramen, BBQ, wagyu
Any time we did travel, we used AirBnB. Everywhere we stayed was very cheap, safe and clean. Our primary accommodation was in Sakura House in Yukigaya-Otsuka which was about 20mins from Hoshi by train with a small walk either side of our journey. Initially, we stayed in Togoshi which was a lovely town within walking distance of the university.
We arrived in the ‘rainy season’ in late May. This meant there was not much of a shock as are very used to frequent rain in Ireland. However, as the weeks went by, it become more and more hot! Summer in Japan is very warm, something I did not fully appreciate until I experienced it. The weather was amazing but caution was advised to not get burnt/dehydrated while getting to and from Hoshi or while travelling around on holidays/weekends. Although infrequent and mild, we did experience earthquakes while staying in Tokyo. We found this alarming at the beginning as we had never experienced this in our lives before, but after a while, realized the normality of frequency of such events
Every part of Japan we visited demonstrated excellent levels of public safety. Not once during my 2-month stay did I feel unsafe or on-edge while in public – this included while travelling on the metro and while being alone or out at night.
Any free time should be spent exploring Tokyo as well as the rest of the beautiful country that is Japan. Here is just a list of some of the places that were visited. Meeting with friends after work in the lab to explore new parts of Tokyo or grab some food was something I tried to do a few times a week. Any free time from the lab was spent exploring, eating or shopping! Below is a list of just some of the amazing places that I was lucky enough to visit.
The JR pass allowed us to travel to so many different cities outside of Tokyo, including Kyoto, Hiroshima, Miyajima and Osaka. One of my favourite places to travel to (somewhere I went most weekends) was Yokohoma. I loved it here and visited over 6 times!
I consider myself very lucky to have been granted the opportunity to carry out research in Hoshi University this summer.
I have learned so much about epigenetic research and various laboratory techniques. More importantly I have come to learn and appreciate the diverse and beautiful Japanese culture, experiencing first-hand the famous kindness, hospitality and warmth. This experience was also a fantastic opportunity for self-growth, being so far away from home for so long.
Linking in with academic staff before travelling to Tokyo would be very beneficial and would allow for pre-reading in the area of research. I would also recommend to anyone partaking in such programmes to keep a daily diary, reflecting on daily activities and experiences. This is something I did, and will come to treasure in the future.
I just wanted to thank everyone at Hoshi University for marking this experience possible for me. The hospitality we received as well as the level of support and teaching apparent in the laboratory was incredible. I have learned so much about the area of my research, Japan and about myself.
Choosing Hoshi University for my study abroad allowed me to immerse myself in a unique culture, while also allowing me to broaden my academic horizons and experience. Studying here in Japan not only let me advance my own studies, but also allowed me to experience the rich and unique tapestry that is Japanese life and culture. Even at home in Ireland, 9,500km from Japan, the influence of Japanese culture was well known, be it the renowned Shinkansen train system, various anime (most notably Studio Ghibli), the automakers, or even just the vast scale of a city like Tokyo. Once I heard that RCSI was organizing this exchange, I knew that I had to go to see it for myself.
Hoshi University specifically offered me a chance to undergo research in the epigenetics department. This was a field I was not well versed in and so it provided me with an opportunity to learn a great deal about something novel rather than simply reinforcing my prior knowledge. Given the nature of this research, it would also be done in a wet lab setting, a setting in which I was eager to experience further.
Throughout my stay, I gained hands-on experience in a range of different skills and procedures as part of my research. These included but were not limited to PCR, RT-qPCR, DNA and RNA purification, immunofluorescence microscopy, western blotting, transfecting mammalian cells with genetic material, plasmid extraction and many more. While learning these skills I received excellent guidance and tips from my preceptors which greatly aided my learning during my stay at Hoshi University.
I also attended weekly “Work Conferences” where the epigenetics faculty would gather, and a faculty member would update members on his/her progress since they last presented. I found this particularly interesting as the topics investigated by different members varied greatly, but also because it gave an insight into the inner workings of research. The progress and future steps of these presentations would then be discussed at length among faculty members until a final course of action was decided upon. I found this very enlightening as it readily showed the process of research where criticism is welcomed rather than shied away from, to further each presenter’s respective investigation. This was ultimately something I was then asked to do as my project finished up, which brought things full circle in a very rewarding fashion.
I was also able to meet students from other labs (both Japanese and International), whom I thoroughly enjoyed my time with. The students also showed me the best places to eat around Togoshi and introduced me to some unique parts of Japanese life, ranging from exchanging pleasantries to being shown the Japanese martial art of archery known as “Kyūdō”.
Ultimately, I could not have asked for better guidance or facilities at Hoshi University and thoroughly enjoyed the learning experience and the people I met there!
Adapting to the eating habits of the Japanese was one of the easiest things I’ve done. In truth, the more difficult thing is readjusting back to what’s available in Ireland! Be it Wagyu beef, Sushi, Takoyaki, Dango or even more adventurous cuisine like tongue, raw liver or colon, I found Japanese cuisine to be absolutely delicious and I will greatly miss it. I admit I wasn’t a great fan of Matcha but generally, it was far superior to what we have back home.
I’ll be the first to admit that the weather, especially towards the end of July was a bit challenging. Temperatures regularly breached the 35°C mark during this period, but so long as you don’t stay directly in the sun during peak hours, this wasn’t a huge issue. While I wasn’t quite capable of withstanding the peak temperatures, the evenings were a very pleasant 26ish°C. I also found the people in Japan to be incredibly kind and polite and never once felt even a slight bit nervous walking around Tokyo regardless of the time of day.
I spent most of my free time in Tokyo sightseeing and exploring the local nature, visiting sites such as Meiji Jingu, Sensō-ji, TeamLabPlanets, Greater Tokyo, Kamakura, Yokohama, and many more. I also hiked Mt. Takao and the local Kanazawa Trail. With regards to greater Japan, I also purchased a JR Pass and travelled by Shinkansen to Hiroshima, Kyoto, and Osaka. Notable highlights of this trip included Miyajima Island, Kinkaku-ji, Kiyomizu-dera, The Atomic Bomb memorial, Dotonbori and the Fifth Station at Mt. Fuji. In truth, there is a mountain of things one could do in Tokyo and greater Japan, and even after 2 months here, I still have plenty on my mind to see and do once I inevitably return.
I think the thing I am most glad to have done is to simply do things that weren’t necessarily in my comfort zone. One such thing was the dissection and subsequent lung and kidney extraction from a mouse. While it’s something I’m certainly not itching to do again, it gave me an insight into something that is rarely talked about in research. After extracting the organs, I certainly found that I treated the resulting samples with a great deal of care, knowing what went into attaining them. Furthermore, I also learned a great deal of new procedures as I mentioned earlier e.g. PCR, DNA extraction which will no doubt benefit me in the future.
I am also very thankful to have done a research project specifically in the department of epigenomics, as while this area of research is somewhat adjacent to my degree in Pharmacy, it permeates almost every facet of the field. This is particularly relevant when I think of the growing trend of personalized medicine where research into epigenetics is likely to take a central role in. Learning about ChIP-Seq, ATAC-Seq and other next-generation genomic sequencing methods in this regard has been very fulfilling.
Regarding the future, I think that the skills I have gained during my time at Hoshi University have expanded and built upon my prior knowledge greatly. Moreover, the skills and techniques I’ve learned during my time here at Hoshi will serve as an excellent foundation to build upon, should I choose a research or similarly technical role in the future.
On a broader level, I think that the deepened understanding of epigenetics that I now possess will serve me well, as this knowledge permeates almost every facet of Pharmacy, be it rational drug design, patient response, or dosage alterations but particularly its central role in the growing field of personalized medicine. Whether I choose to go on to pursue further research, industry or a more clinical role, this expanded knowledge will no doubt prove very useful in the future. Such is the cutting-edge nature of the research at Hoshi University. Epigenetics is posed to have a significant impact on medicines, and with this in mind, I feel that the insights, knowledge and skills I’ve learned here will only grow in their relevancy as time moves forward.
To conclude, I’d just like to thank all the people in Hoshi University and Japan for making me feel so welcome and at home in Japan. There’s so much more I want to do once I go back and the experience, I had there was really top notch. I can’t speak highly enough of my time there.
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