09
- Kei Shuping
- Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University
To thoroughly master one's area of expertise,
Be a border crosser who looks beyond other fields and industries.
LILAS
Leaders for people with innovation,
Liberty and Ambitions.
A series of interviews with female researchers introducing leading female leaders who are at the forefront of their fields.LILASLilac means lilac in French, and is also known as the flower of Sapporo. Along with plant arrangements inspired by the interview content, we will be sharing this original interview series, conveying messages about the strength, flexibility, and diversity that plants possess.
- 09
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Our ninth interviewee is Ms. Hui Shuping from the Institute of Health Sciences. After graduating from medical school at a university in China, Ms. Hui worked as a cardiologist in clinical practice. She came to Japan in 1992 and is currently a specialist in lipid analysis, actively conducting research that contributes to the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases and dementia. We spoke with her about managing her research lab, which has members from many different countries, and her research approach that emphasizes giving back to society.
From clinician to research,
In search of the "cause" of the illness
How did you start your career as a researcher?
After graduating from medical school at a university in China, I worked as a cardiologist in a hospital. While treating many patients with heart disease and stroke, I was always troubled by a major question: "Why do these diseases occur?" and "Could they have been prevented earlier?" At the time, the exact causes of these diseases were not yet understood, and only vague reasons such as lack of exercise were given.
However, after witnessing numerous cases where it was already too late by the time patients were brought to the hospital, my desire to uncover the cause of the disease and explore preventative measures grew stronger. That's when I focused on "lipid oxidation." I hypothesized that the accumulation of oxidized lipids (such as lipid peroxides) in the artery walls might be the cause, and I decided to pursue research to scientifically clarify the reality of this phenomenon.
How did you build the foundation for your research?
After arriving in Japan, I honed my skills under Professor Takao Kurosawa (a graduate of Hokkaido University's Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences) at the then Hokkaido University of Medical Sciences. Professor Kurosawa was a leading expert in organic chemical synthesis and analytical chemistry. Researchers from all over the country came to learn his outstanding techniques.
In fact, lipid peroxides, which are thought to be the cause of disease, are extremely unstable substances, and no commercially available standard substances for component analysis or internal standards for measurement exist anywhere in the world. I thought, "If I can't get them, I'll just have to make them myself," and spent 11 years thoroughly learning organic synthesis techniques from Professor Kurosawa. Being able to synthesize standard substances and internal standards for lipid peroxides myself became the greatest strength in my research career. It was because of this technology that I was able to establish my own analytical methods and build the advanced lipid analysis laboratory that I run today.
Maintaining diversity is a clear strategy for raising the level of research.
What difficulties did you encounter in running your research lab?
Our lab currently has five mass spectrometers. Keeping them running smoothly requires maintenance costs of around 10 million yen per year. The financial situation surrounding national universities is severe, and we constantly face financial difficulties due to cuts in operating grants and a low acceptance rate for research grants.
One of the strategies I adopted to overcome this challenge was to utilize diverse talent. At one point, out of 10 staff members in the lab, only one was Japanese, and the rest were all foreigners. Currently, we have a multinational staff and international students from China, India, Bangladesh, Congo, and other countries. We also had an international student from the United States until last year, so the lab is always a very international environment.
Why is utilizing diverse talent a financial strategy?
Diversity is not merely an ideal, but a clear strategy for raising the level of research. When members with different backgrounds bring together their respective values and experiences, the organization becomes more flexible and can create greater value.
The outstanding foreign researchers hired through Hokkaido University's previous "Young Researcher Recruitment Program" are highly proficient in English. By leveraging their strengths, we were able to publish research findings very quickly in top-ranked international journals. As a result, we have accumulated an impressive track record, including publications that grace the covers of prestigious journals, which has led to the acquisition of competitive research grants such as KAKENHI (Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research).
Furthermore, this environment offers significant advantages for Japanese students. They can have an experience similar to studying abroad while remaining at Hokkaido University, and seminars and daily discussions are conducted in English. As a result, graduates go on to work for international companies and are highly regarded as globally active individuals.
To create a research environment that allows us to work towards common goals.
How about managing a diverse group of students and staff?
Running a research lab while maintaining diversity is by no means easy. That's why I value "dialogue" and "inclusion" above all else. Specifically, I conduct my own surveys twice a year within the lab regarding teaching methods and the research environment.
The reason I started this survey was because a student secretly came to me and confided that "other students sing loudly in the lab, and I'm having trouble concentrating on my research." Even problems that are difficult to talk about individually can be gathered through a survey. Based on the results, we set up "special time slots" where concentration is needed and established rules such as requiring earphones when listening to music. I always strive to create an environment where we can acknowledge each other's differences and cooperate towards our common goals of "producing research results" and "earning degrees."
Please tell me about your collaborative research.
At its peak, we collaborated with dozens of universities, research institutions, and companies both domestically and internationally. While this was becoming overwhelming, and we've reduced the number somewhat since then, the secret to our success in so many projects lies in building "win-win relationships" and "trusting relationships."
My guiding principle has always been to act with the other party's best interests in mind, rather than solely considering my own. For example, I make sure to respond to emails as quickly as possible to avoid causing anxiety to our collaborating companies. I am conscious of being seen as a trustworthy person, not just as a provider of technology. I have come to realize the importance of this approach in building strong relationships of trust, such as exceeding expectations with genuine sincerity and consistently providing solid research evidence, which has led to our donations continuing for over 16 years.
We solve clinical questions through research.
Returning knowledge to society
Please tell me about your research and contributions to society.
It is a crucial mission of researchers to return research findings to society as a driving force. Therefore, I actively accept speaking engagements at public seminars whenever possible. In these seminars for the general public, I often discuss functional substances found in common foods, based on the latest evidence.
For example, oysters are a good illustration. Many people tend to think that they are more nutritious when eaten raw, but the new multifunctional antioxidant we discovered, DHMBA, only appears when heated. On the other hand, the unsaturated fatty acids in oily fish oxidize and lose their quality when heated. When we provide this kind of specific and practical knowledge about "what to eat and how to eat it to prevent disease," we receive a tremendous response from the public. I feel great joy in being able to give back to society in the form of "prevention" through diet, drawing on my own experience as a clinician.
Don't be afraid of failure; pursue both depth and breadth.
Please provide a message for young researchers aiming for higher positions.
First and foremost, "thoroughly master your own area of expertise." This will build confidence and provide an unshakeable foundation for engaging with others. However, you must not confine yourself to your own shell. I want you to be a "boundary crosser," actively looking out at neighboring fields and industries, and continuously considering how your research connects to society.
Research is a series of failures. I myself have experienced countless times when a substance I synthesized disappeared the very next day, leaving me with a stomach ache from the shock. However, the process of investigating the causes of failure is the gateway to new discoveries. Don't be afraid of failure, and hone your leadership skills to pursue both depth and breadth.
LILAS
Library
This book is like my bible, filled with fundamental principles for success in life and research. In particular, the teachings on "cultivating character" and "building win-win relationships" have become the very philosophy that underpins my multinational team management and numerous collaborative research projects. I firmly believe that avoiding self-centeredness and respecting others is the key to creating a better future.
LILAS
Plants
The cherry blossom, said to originate in the Himalayas, is widely distributed from Nepal to the continent and Japan. Its dedication and collaboration with research institutes around the world are reminiscent of the cherry blossom, which blooms fully, then sheds its petals and leaves grow thick.
Himalayan cherry blossoms bloom in the autumn. Just as plants change with movement, people also thrive and are sustained by their environment. I chose cherry blossoms based on what Professor Megumi told me.
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Yokozakura (Yokozakura)
Scientific name: Prunus campanulata 'YOKO' Family and genus: Rosaceae, Prunus
LILASThis is part of the Hokkaido University 150th Anniversary Project. Hokkaido University will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2026.
