When I was at university, I took a lecture that taught the following: “DNA, which controls our genetic information, is constantly damaged. Cells have a wide variety of repair mechanisms and avoid inducing a spontaneous mutation to counter such DNA damage. When that DNA repair mechanism has an inborn abnormality, this increases the risk of developing cancer.” I remember being really impressed by the fact that DNA damage and repair is constantly repeated in one’s own cells, and that information in text books comes from the findings of constant research and that information is being constantly updated. I can still clearly remember how impressed I was when I actually observed with my own eyes spontaneous mutation induced by ultraviolet rays in the research laboratory. From then on, I have been continuously fascinated by research on the DNA damage repair mechanism, spontaneous mutation and carcinogenic inducement mechanism.

Research is a search for the truth and the pursuit of intelligent curiosity - these are words of my respected elder. When one produces one’s own research data, while that data itself may be true, it may not prove the truth you want to solve. Research is the repeated acts of piecing together bits of a puzzle while considering how consistent one’s own test data is against other such data. From time to time, test results may reveal a truth that one have not expected. That wonderful moment when things add up is something a researcher only would know, and that is the beauty of research.

Around 20 years have passed since I first started research. I am very attached to my research, and I feel that it has helped create a sense of values in understanding and thinking about things. At a lecture the other day, the teacher said, “when I was worried that research may not be for me during my university days, a teacher said, ‘work makes people’”, and I thought that was spot on.

When I look back at my life, I feel that my life has been nothing but hitting dead ends. Despite this, I have continued to do the things I want to do, and I have been inspired, influenced and supported by people I have met along the way. I don’t think that such a life is too bad. A former teacher I had when I was taking my doctoral degree repeatedly said to me “if you love research, you will be able to do it for the rest of your life.” At that time, I of course loved doing my research so I couldn’t understand what that teacher meant, but I now fully understand the importance of having the power to keep such passion alive.

If there is something you want to do or you have moments when you think that something is enjoyable, don’t hesitate to take the first step. Then absorb yourself in it while maintaining a sense of responsibility in your actions. Whatever you do, if you don’t enjoy it, you won’t be able to keep at it. No matter how you live, life is not all fun and games and there are times when you run into hard times unexpectedly. I hope you will choose the path that you want even though it is tough one, and face it with honesty. When doing so, I do hope that you don’t forget to thank those around you and accept your own decisions.

Published in "Follow your own path" (2019-2022)
Affiliation, job title, etc. are as of the publication of the 2019 edition of "Follow your own path".