-DATE- Friday, March 1, 2024, 3:00 pm – 7:30 pm (EDT)
-VENUE- Hybrid: NIH Building 16 (The Lawton Chiles International House/ Stone House) & Virtual (Zoom meeting)
The 9th JSPS-NIH Forum was held online on Friday, March 1, 2024. This forum was inaugurated in 2016, aiming to introduce a new JSPS KAITOKU-NIH Fellows to the research community and strengthened their friendly and collegial ties in the Biomedical field.
This year, approximately 45 individuals participated in person while another 40 joined virtually from various locations including the NIH, other parts of the United States, and Japan.
After Dr. Junji Urakawa (Director of JSPS Washington Office) made the opening remarks, congratulatory remarks were delivered at the venue by Mr. Koji ARIBAYASHI, Science Counselor, Embassy of Japan in the USA, Dr. Yoh-suke MUKOUYAMA, Chair of Review Panel / Senior Investigator, NHLBI, NIH, and Dr. Michael GOTTESMAN, Chief, Laboratory of Cell Biology, NCI/CCR, NIH.
This year’s forum was entitled: “Neuroscience utilizing model organisms”. Dr. Motoyuki Itoh, Professor, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University presented the first talk titled “Investigating Age-Induced Alterations in Brain Function and Regeneration Using Zebrafish Model.” The talk was very interesting with cutting-edge research.
Dr. Yuko Yasui at the NIDA, NIH, gave the next lecture entitled “Sigma-1 receptor plays a critical role in cocaine-induced synaptic AMPA receptor plasticity in the VTA dopamine neurons”. The presentation showed advanced research which is valuable for the field.
Dr. Yuta Koui at the NHLBI, NIH, gave a presentation titled “NGF-TrkA-PI3K signaling promotes sensory hypersensitivity in diabetes”. Dr. Koui’s talk was significant in addressing the disease of diabetes.
During the Q & A session focused on these topics, Dr. MUKOUYAMA served as the moderator and fielded live questions from both in-person and online participants via the Zoom chat function.
The eight new KAITOKU-NIH fellows, who were recently selected in FY2023, presented their research plans with slides to the audience in three-minute time slots. The flashtalks were eye-catching and delivered enthusiastically.
The event concluded with closing remarks from both Dr. Peter Kilmarx, the Acting Director of the Fogarty International Center and Dr. Schor, the Deputy Director for Intramural Research, NIH. Their words were supportive and encouraging for the future of US-Japan research collaboration.
Immediately following the forum, the in-person participants were invited to a reception for the presenters and attendees to socialize and discuss the forum presentations. Dr. Kilmarx started the reception by proposing a toast, and attendees were free to engage in conversations and introduce themselves to one another. The JSPS Washington Office and Fogarty International Center, NIH organized this forum.
