I am Atsushi Kawakami from the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Division of Advanced Preventive Medical Sciences who has been appointed as the Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
We, at the Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, have two major aims; to develop translational/reverse-translational research and to train next generation researchers. However, many medical postgraduate schools in Japan, including Nagasaki University, are having difficulties such as the lack of sufficient study time for faculty members tied with complex clinical duties, fewer applicants in basic science fields, and changes in application trends in clinical science fields under the new system for medical specialist education. Regarding the research environment, genome decoding has been completed, and research methods have become more sophisticated, such as the progress of data-driven multiomics research that connects multi-layered omics information. These environment changes prompt us to build the interdisciplinary research collaboration system. Infinite information is available for study today, which can be expressed as “a new research environment in the era of information explosion”.
Our graduate school is an advanced multidisciplinary research institute comprised of departments in Medicine (Medical Sciences, and Health Sciences), Dentistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tropical Medicine, and Atomic Bomb Disease. This provides a strong advantage for a joint research environment. What we have adopted are: 21st Century COE program, Global COE program, Program for Leading Graduate School, WISE program, Division of Advanced Preventive Medical Sciences (a joint educational unit among Kanazawa University – Nagasaki University – Chiba University) program, Nagasaki University School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health program. From October of this year, Nagasaki University Interfaculty Initiative in Planetary Health will begin where specialists in sociology, economics, engineering, environmental science, medicine, data science, etc. will tackle global issues beyond their academic fields. These activities will nurture a bird’s-eye view and execution ability and Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences is going to deeply involve with this interfaculty initiative. In addition to our two prestigious research disciplines: Tropical Medicine/Emerging & Reemerging Infectious Diseases, and Radiological Sciences, our graduate school has developed 6 interdisciplinary core research units (Leading Medical Research Core) to promote positive impacts beyond our graduate school.
Our Graduate School has an ideal structure to perform interdisciplinary research, a good example of which is the program of Innovation Platform & Office for Precision Medicine (iPOP) which was organized in 2017 (See our HP). I believe that the aforementioned application of the “software facilities” in our graduate school is a key to accomplishing interdisciplinary research efficiently.
2022 is the 21st year since the establishment of our graduate school in 2002. In recent years, our student enrollment has been over 100% of the quota, and the development of next-generation researchers is on the right track. However, now seems to be a good time for us to review and reorganize our current systems, and introduce new ideas that correspond to rapid changes occurring in our social environment. Considering the current trends of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, Data-driven science, Globalization, Inter Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration, and Convergence of knowledge, I would like to develop our graduate school and our future together.