The Faculty of Advanced Life Science provides overseas travel support to its researchers to form international networks, such as by holding seminars overseas.
In May 2025, Professor Ose Toyoyuki visited the University of Montreal in Canada.
Toward Collaborative Research with the University of Montreal, Canada
In May 2025, I visited Professor James Omichinski at the University of Montreal in Canada. During my stay, I attended symposia involving students and faculty from the departments of Biochemistry, Pharmacy, Physiology, and Medicine. The main purpose of this trip was to initiate new inter-university collaborations and joint research projects.
I introduced the systematic approaches in molecular biology, biophysics, and structural biology that our laboratory applies to immune signaling pathways. As one of our research outcomes, I presented our results on elucidating the molecular mechanisms by which the JAK-STAT pathway is activated and inhibited, using a combination of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), X-ray crystallography, and NMR spectroscopy. I also introduced our findings related to intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and neutron crystallography. I was able to discuss our recently published STAT tetramer structure, including methods for evaluating IDPs and ammonia in proteins.
I participated in the 3rd Scientific Symposium of the Biomedical Innovation Center (CIB) and the 5th Université de Montréal – Hokkaido University Joint Graduate Student Symposium. Three of my graduate students also presented their research findings.
Through discussions with researchers at the host institution, I was able to learn techniques and gain know-how. One major outcome of the visit was realizing that, through future joint research, it may be possible to develop methods to evaluate the phenomena we have observed in vitro within living cells.
I also found it impressive that a large number of staff members were assigned to the joint research facilities and that they were deeply involved in the research of each laboratory. They were also very committed to student guidance. One staff member said, “Even if we are working on something else, if a student contacts us with a question or request for help, we act on it as the highest priority. That’s because helping labs move forward with their research is our job.” I found that thoughts very impressive. I was told that a similar collaborative system could also be applied to our research, and I am now considering starting research collaboration in the near future.