iCeMS Retreat 2024 Unites Minds and Ideas
On July 4-5, iCeMS held its 14th Retreat over two days at Kobe Hotel Fruit Flower, bringing together about 120 members from the institute. After being held as a one-day event in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this annual event finally returned as a two-day retreat, fostering academic exchange and strengthening community bonds.
The retreat began with greetings from the organizing team—Drs Ken-ichi Otake, Kohei Kusada, Hirotoshi Sakamoto, and Takashi Kajiwara, members of the Kitagawa Lab. This was followed by an introduction to iCeMS by vice director Prof Jun Suzuki, providing a comprehensive overview of the institute’s history and visions. An engaging ice-breaker session with participatory activities offered a good opportunity for iCeMS members to connect.
Flash talk sessions were held before and after lunch, showcasing diverse research topics in brief, three-minute presentations by young researchers. This was followed by a Biology Talk where Dr Masae Ohno discussed Hi-CO, a technique to reconstruct genome structure at the nucleosome level, and Dr Masahiro Maruoka presented on developmental disorders caused by defects in removing unwanted neurons/synapses.
The D&I session, organized by the iCeMS Diversity and Inclusion Committee, featured a lecture and a panel discussion. The lecture by Prof Misato Otani of the University of Tokyo deepened our understanding of unconscious bias, how to overcome it, and the conditions that lead to microaggressions. The panel discussion followed, featuring six diverse iCeMS members as panelists. Facilitated by Profs Aiko Fukazawa and Daniel Packwood, this discussion provided a platform for exchanging views and sharing personal experiences related to the D&I situation at iCeMS.
Following the D&I session, there was an invited talk by Prof Tatsumi Ishihara, Director of International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I²CNER) at Kyushu University International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research, on technology development at his institute.
The evening’s poster session, held after dinner, allowed young researchers to present their latest findings and engage in stimulating discussions. This was followed by a casual networking event that fostered further interaction.
Day 2 began with remarks from the organizing chair, Prof Susumu Kitagawa, who expressed joy at the return of the two-day retreat and gratitude to the organizing team. This was followed by an invited talk by Prof Takeshi Fukuma, Director of the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI) at Kanazawa University, on innovative nanoprobe technologies. The Chemistry Talk featured Drs Yoshiki Ikeda and Maryam Nurhuda, each discussing miniature antibodies and chemiresistive sensors.
In the Alumni Talk session, Dr Hiromi Shimojo from Osaka University explored gene expression dynamics in neurogenesis and early embryogenesis, highlighting the contributions of iCeMS alumni to cutting-edge research. Dr Tomohiro Ogawa from Kyushu University captivated the audience with his engaging talk about his career journey and experiences.
The event concluded with the announcement of poster awards, recognizing outstanding presentations. The grand prize winner for the chemistry poster presentation went to Mr Shun Tokuda of Furukawa Lab, and the grand prize winner for the biology poster presentation went to Mr Kento Kiriyama of Fujita Lab. In the closing remarks, the organizing team appeared again to share their appreciation, and Prof Ganesh Pandian Namasivayam, the organizing chair of next year’s iCeMS Retreat, commented on his excitement for the future.
A BBQ lunch provided a relaxed setting for final discussions before the group departed, enriched with new ideas and connections.
The iCeMS Retreat 2024 exemplified the institute’s commitment to fostering interdisciplinary research and collaboration. We look forward to the continued exchange of knowledge and the groundbreaking discoveries that will emerge from these interactions.
