I went to Kitasato University because I loved animals. I found the practical training very interesting, and through this, I recognized how fun it is to learn the answers to my questions step by step. Out of all my lectures, I was particularly interested in the class about the functions of microorganisms. In my fourth year, I subsequently joined the Cellular and Molecular Function Laboratory, which researches topics including gut microbiota. Taking up the reins of research undertaken by my predecessors, I slowly but surely learned how to cultivate different kinds of bacteria. In the future, I would like to find a job developing more effective functional foods (e.g. milk that could be enjoyed by lactose-intolerant people) by better understanding gut microbiota. I did have the option of finding employment after four years at university, but I decided to enter the Graduate School and become a researcher who could have an immediate effect.

I am currently researching lactic acid bacteria and the intestinal colonization mechanism of bifidobacteria. Researching can be tough as you often don’t get the results you would expect and must verify whether the cause was the bacteria or a problem with the procedures themselves; nevertheless, I find it all worthwhile. My time on Towada Campus is spent conducting experiments, sitting in front of the computer, or unwinding in the forests and meadows on the campus grounds, which really helps me better concentrate on my studies.