On December 27-28, 2023, the second retreat of the Stellar Science Foundation (SS-F) was held at the Kashiwa-no-ha Conference Center in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture. This report is written by Shinya Midori, a science writer known for his numerous publications on science and technology, such as “Asking Dr. Shinya Yamanaka about Life and iPS Cells” (Kodansha) and “The New Common Sense of Dementia” (Shinchosha).
SS-F Retreat 2023: Bridging Worlds: Communicating Scientific Value Across Fields
“I’ve been particularly interested in bacteria that survive radiation recently.”
“Deinococcus radiodurans, right?”
“Exactly, it can survive radiation levels a thousand times lethal to humans. Its genome gets shattered, but it fully repairs itself. If we can understand that repair mechanism and modify human genes…”
“We could stop aging!”
“That’s what I’m hoping.”
“Where was it found?”
“In canned food. It was discovered when sterilized cans exploded later. They found it there.”
“It might have been born from sterilization. Does that make it an invention of canned food?”
“Haha, it’s a fascinating bacterium, but no one takes it seriously.”
“Since it was born from radiation, could it be like Godzilla…?”
The SS-F’s second retreat was held on December 27-28, 2023, at the Kashiwa-no-ha Conference Center in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture. The theme was “Bridging Worlds: Communicating Scientific Value Across Fields.” The above conversation took place during “BAR SS-F” on the first night. Researchers and SS-F staff spent the evening in a cozy corner of the conference room, furnished with sofas and tatami mats, talking late into the night.
The informal gathering thrived, likely because participants had grown closer throughout the day’s lunch, sessions, and dinner.
The retreat began with a lunch where everyone introduced themselves briefly. One researcher drew significant laughter by admitting, “I’m terrible at doing laundry.” He shared a story from his student days when he had 14 pairs of underwear, changed daily, and found that the first pair no longer smelled on the 15th day. “When I told my wife about this discovery later, she was appalled and taught me a step-by-step protocol for laundry. Now, I can do it.”
The casual atmosphere carried into the next session, named Fireside Chat. Participants discussed their research as if gathered around a fireplace. Here are some highlights (omitting researchers’ names and affiliations for brevity).
A researcher known for developing a method to rapidly degrade specific proteins revealed that a neighboring researcher gave him a Nature paper that sparked his breakthrough. This disclosure drew an “oh” from the audience, giving a glimpse into a moment of discovery. “I knew the issue but couldn’t come up with the idea myself. By discussing my concept at seminars, someone finally pointed me to the solution. It’s beneficial to talk to various people.”
This researcher is now working on an improved version with potential medical applications but firmly stated, “I’m not interested in medicine myself.” When he invited others to use it for medical research, someone immediately responded, “I will!”
Another participant sought collaborators for designing Hydra genomes using large language models like ChatGPT and diffusion models for image generation to explore multicellular systems. He invited biology researchers interested in informatics or AI models to join him.
Questions flew rapidly. One researcher studying naked mole-rats (NMRs), known for their longevity, was asked, “Humans live longer than NMRs. Could applying NMR mechanisms to humans shorten human lifespans?” The answer highlighted the correlation between body weight and lifespan, noting that while humans live long, cancer incidence and mortality rates increase with age. In contrast, NMRs rarely die of cancer, remaining youthful throughout their long lives.
A researcher developing AI technology for early disease detection and prediction from wearable devices and saliva data was asked, “Isn’t it challenging to gather pre-disease data from people? Long-term follow-up studies might be needed. How do you recruit subjects?” Acknowledging the challenge, he explained efforts to use Japanese health insurance receipts and international collaborations to collect data, aiming to create a foundational model for disease prediction.
Most participants specialized in life sciences, but their subfields varied from developmental biology to genetics, aging and health longevity, bioinformatics, and systems biology. This diversity led to unique, sharp questions uncommon in specialized conferences or seminars.
An engineering participant working on a communication system for drones and robots to relay disaster information through satellites was asked, “Why not attach communication devices to migratory birds for mountain or ocean communications without worrying about batteries?” This idea sparked interest, leading him to consider animal-machine communication systems alongside human-machine and machine-machine systems.
The relaxed jazz playing in the background, combined with the warm atmosphere, likely fostered creativity and open discussions.
Japanese researchers are often said to excel in “developmental” research, applying existing theories, but struggle with “disruptive” research, generating new ideas and approaches.
However, SS-F founder Dr. Takanori Takebe, who has labs at multiple institutions including Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Osaka University, and Tokyo Medical and Dental University, sees an advantage for Japan.
“Studies on disruptive and developmental research suggest that collaborations across distant time zones are less likely to produce disruption. Japan’s universities are geographically close, making domestic collaborations more efficient than international ones.”
Indeed, with a single time zone and close distances, in-person meetings and online scheduling are easier. “Another factor is the language barrier. While Japan’s lack of English proficiency is seen as a drawback, it also allows for unique research advancements. I believe Japan is surprisingly suited for disruption.”
However, there are areas for improvement. “Mentorship systems are weaker compared to abroad. In the West, mentors at every career stage provide guidance. The key is having multiple mentors, forming a mentoring community offering diverse advice. In Japan, graduate students often have just one professor whose approval determines their graduation and future career. This leads to mental stress and stifled research ambitions due to a lack of alternatives.”
Seminars differ too. “Japanese seminars typically feature a one-hour lecture followed by 30 minutes of casual conversation. Abroad, seminars last 2-3 days with numerous one-on-one meetings between junior and senior researchers, fostering advice, collaborations, and job opportunities. I experienced culture shock when I started my lab in the U.S. I want to provide similar opportunities through SS-F in Japan.”
The retreat included not only leading researchers but also graduate students, offering them valuable interaction with senior researchers in a relaxed setting.
Beyond weak personal support, funding is also an issue, Takebe noted. “Outside Japan, independent life science researchers receive around ¥30 million over five years from senior mentors and substantial funding, far exceeding what Japanese national universities offer. Supporting this gap is one of SS-F’s roles.”
In addition to supporting young researchers with funding and research environments, SS-F also promotes entrepreneurship as a way for Principal Investigators (PIs) to expand funding sources.
Yet, many Japanese researchers find entrepreneurship daunting. To help them take the first step, the retreat’s second-day session, “Scientific Founder Experience,” was organized.
In the opening presentation, SS-F co-founder Hodaka Kokeguchi, with extensive experience supporting startups at consulting firms, explained, “Starting a bookstore in town is commendable but different from a startup, which rapidly grows like a rocket. Amazon, an online bookstore, is a prime example.”
How do you achieve rapid growth? “You can’t do it alone. Support from venture capitalists (VCs), investors, and business partners is essential. Today, you’ll work on explaining your startup idea to your first business partner.”
Participants formed five groups, discussing (1) their business idea, (2) its impact, (3) challenges, and (4) pitching it. Some refined their ideas repeatedly, while others researched markets on smartphones. SS-F’s strategic designer Sean McKelvey and Kokeguchi, serving as facilitators, checked each group’s progress.
When facilitators advised a group preparing for their pitch on demonstrating competitive advantages to attract investors, the members focused intensely. Though a “practice” for the startup process, discussions added a sense of realism.
Each group delivered impressive pitches, impressing the audience and eliciting a comment from a surprise participant, the Japanese branch head of a pharmaceutical company: “I want to invest immediately.”
SS-F co-founder Mariko Kita expressed the importance of business in research continuation, development, and societal implementation. “Many Japanese researchers with great ideas don’t benefit economically. SS-F aims to change that.”
After the planned sessions, when the conference room doors opened, children aged 3 to 8 rushed in to join their parents. Participants attended with their families, with SS-F providing childcare at the hotel while parents joined sessions (children joined lunch and dinner).
A researcher from Kyushu appreciated the family-friendly arrangement, noting that domestic conferences rarely offer such options. “I usually leave my child with my husband when traveling, but this time we could attend as a family, which is great. It also makes a nice memory for the child.”
Nearby, children played tag, having bonded like the adults over the past two days.
When a researcher leaving with his family from Hokkaido asked his child how it was, the child’s answer seemed to encapsulate the retreat: “It was fun!”
Written by Shinya Midori
