We have been holding a series of events called “Find-Your-Role-Model” Session to provide students with opportunities to interact with TMDU alumni and worldwide leaders in health sciences. Through this roundtable-type, relaxed atmosphere event, we hope students will be able to find their role models in order to facilitate their career development in becoming future global leaders.

We will host Dr. Hiroshi Asahara, Professor of Systems BioMedicine at the Graduate School of Medical and Dental Science. After graduating from the medical school of Okayama University, Dr. Asahara worked as an orthopaedic surgeon. Obtaining a Ph.D. in the field of medicine, Dr. Asahara went to the USA and engaged in research at Harvard Medical School, the Salk institute for Biological Studies and the Scripps Research Institute. In 2004, he returned to Japan and was made director of the Department of Surgery and Transplant at the National Center for Child Health and Development. In 2010, he became director of the department of Systems BioMedicine and in 2011 he was inaugurated as professor of Systems BioMedicine. Dr. Asahara is now engaging in cutting-edge research using the LabDroid “Mahoro”.

This session will be carried out in a round-table discussion format, and will cover the following points. Everyone is welcome to join us in a hearty discussion.

Topics

• Career and personal background: Career history, role model, decision-making; how he overcame his previous difficulties, as well as his future vision
• For the overall revelation of embryologic and regeneration system: About current research at TMDU
• Future research in medical field: How to engage in medical research; the mind-set of a researcher
• Advice for students who desire to be a physician: Value for physicians to keep up with cutting edge medical research
• Advice for students who desire to be a researcher: What students should do to prepare for working as researcher; what Dr. Asahara thinks he should have done in his student days