Message

Message from the Program Coordinator

The importance of coordinating medical sciences with engineering has long been emphasized, and this program is based on the concept of “studying engineering and pharmacology in a rich medical research environment”. It includes basic and applied research in engineering and pharmacology as well as in basic medicine, clinical medicine and nursing care so as to train leaders who are motivated to exploit new areas of research across the medicine / engineering / pharmacology boundary.
In a “super-aging” society such as Japan, medical / nursing care for the elderly is an absolute necessity for attaining healthy-longevity.
Another major purpose of this program is to support human resources development, training individuals so that they can actively transmit various ideas to support the aging society; ideas not just for medical care at hospitals, but also to support family doctors and to manage long-term recuperation facilities. I earnesly hope that talented young people will join this field.

Hidenao Fukuyama, Specially Appointed Professor,
Center for Educational Program Promotion in Graduate School

Expectations for the program

During those training days as a junior scientist, I believe that I managed to become a qualified researcher of basic medical science, or medico-engineering after I entered the field from outside. But looking back, I also sometimes think that I could have performed better if I had full training and knowledge of anatomy and physiology at that time. While such knowledge may have had little effect on the results of my research, it could at least have helped me to be more tactical and time-efficient. Collaborations between researchers from different fields such as engineering, medicine and pharmacology are sometimes hindered by communication difficulties between them. I am confident that, mentoring the students of graduate school of medical science / pharmacology the knowledge of engineering, and the students of graduate school of engineering the basic knowledge of medical science and pharmacology in this LIMS program will surely improve their mutual communications and accelerate nurturing of individuals to lead the future longevity society.

Yasuo Mori, Professor,
Graduate School of Engineering

Expectation from the society ~Messages to the students~

Our country has undergone an unprecedented aging, even with regard to medical expenses only, 20 of 37 billion yen (year 2010) of medical expenses have been spent for people over the age of 65. This problem heavily impacts national economy and finance. In order to develop new equipment and systems that could cope with that, the existing collaboration between medicine and engineering is not sufficient.
We expect from students who graduate from this leading program to be trained as engineers that advance development of new equipment, pay attention to national policies and social trends, to be able to discuss with government officials and experts with a wide vision and proficient judgment. This type of leader is in desperate need.

(Equipment manufacturer)

“What human resources does the society request?”
People who not only focus on their own research field, but also continue to actively absorb major global trends and the business customs of different industries. We are looking for people who can solve this challenge from a technical standpoint.

“What are the expectations on Ph.D. (Doctorate of Philosophy) graduates?”
With regard to their specialty, we expect that they not only confine themselves to practical issues of their own research, but rather that they will gain the capability to think flexibly and at a meta-level.

(NTT Data Institute of Management Consulting, Inc.)

As a research and development company, through “light” we search for what is still unknown to mankind.
By pursuing the true characteristics of light, we aim at acquiring new knowledge and to generate new industries for the advancement of humankind.
In our research institute, strong motivation to explore “what is still unknown to mankind,” originality, and creativity are required.
Beside specialized knowledge and skills always expected of doctoral students, we hope that they have problem solving abilities along with personalities and judgements suitable for future leaders.

(Hamamatsu Photonics KK)

International standardization is an inevitable subject when putting results of research and development into social implementation and global application. For one who wishes to be recognized as a member of the inner circle that leads international standardization activities in each specialized field, it is increasingly important to have a reputation as a doctorate in related field(s) in addition to one or two decades of continuous participation in the activities.
We expect that students now participating in the LIMS program would one day lead international standardization activities as Japanese representatives and contribute to the formation of novel rules that can be beneficial to the global society.

YOKOTA Makoto
(General Manager, Corporate Planning Division, ZEON CORPORATION)

Commercial success in biomedical innovation has been based world-wide on close partnerships between academic research and industrial implementation, on the one hand, and between basic science, engineering and medical practice, on the other. The invention and wide exploitation of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in radiology, neurology, neuroscience, cardiology, sports medicine, and oncology offer perfect examples of this five-way partnership, and have resulted in excellent career pathways in universities, hospitals and major multi-national companies. These careers have often been intertwined. Major biomedical companies have good reasons to support academic training and research. The broader social and scientific perspectives and the greater conceptual depth that arise from academic education are necessary complements to the brilliance of focused problem-solving found in industrial development, and to the practical needs of healing patients. Graduates of the LIMS leading programme can be expected to have a major impact on the speed and effectiveness of innovation in Japanese biomedical industries, and to establish academic traditions within universities that ensure a continuing supply of such innovators.

Dr. Robert TURNER
Director Emeritus
Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences
Leipzig, Germany