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Naoko Maishi, Assistant Professor, Department of Vascular Biomolecular Pathology, Graduate School of Dental Science, Hokkaido University

I conduct research on cancer. My current research stems from my clinical experience as a dentist. The mouth plays a crucial role in human life, enjoyment, and dignity, as it is involved in eating, drinking, tasting, speaking, and appearance. Therefore, oral cancers cause a significant decline in quality of life even after treatment, including functional impairments such as eating, swallowing, and speech, as well as aesthetic impairments. My experience as a clinician involved in surgical treatment and postoperative prosthetic treatment for oral cancer, combined with my original interest in basic research, led me to pursue graduate studies in cancer research after completing my residency. Cancer requires blood vessels to deliver nutrients and oxygen to grow. Blood vessels induced within cancer tissue are called tumor vessels, and the cells that line these tumor vessels are called tumor vascular endothelial cells. My supervisor, Professor Kyoko Hida, was a pioneer in discovering that tumor vascular endothelial cells have various abnormalities, including chromosomal abnormalities, during her studies in the United States. I was fortunate enough to become a graduate student under Professor Hida's guidance when she established a special research department after returning to Japan, and thus began my research on tumor vessels.

My research topic was the promotion of cancer metastasis by tumor vascular endothelial cells. My research involved tumor vascular endothelial cells, which acquire abnormalities within tumor tissue, inducing the invasion of cancer cells into blood vessels via secreted proteins, thereby promoting cancer metastasis. This research project presented a novel mechanism of metastasis from a highly original perspective, and it garnered significant interest at every academic conference presentation. The numerous opportunities to meet other researchers through this research are invaluable. Furthermore, winning multiple academic awards for this topic gave me a great sense of fulfillment in seeing my work recognized.

I was so captivated by the fascinating world of research that I decided to continue basic research after graduating from graduate school. Following my supervisor's transfer, I moved from a specially appointed laboratory to an affiliated research institute, and then to my current position in the Faculty of Dentistry. While much of my effort was dedicated to research in the specially appointed laboratory and affiliated research institute, in my current Department of Pathology, where I have been for the past two years, I conduct research while also teaching undergraduate students and performing pathological diagnoses. Undergraduate education involves active learning and pathology practicals using virtual slides, which were not available when I was a student, and although it is challenging, it is very refreshing. I have also started studying pathological diagnosis in the oral region and autopsy (pathological dissection) from scratch, which has completely changed the pace of my work. While the time I can spend on research has decreased, I feel that I have gained a great deal from this experience, such as the joy of learning new things, being able to think about pathology from a broader perspective, and being able to apply what I have learned to my own research.

There are still not many female researchers in the field of cancer research. I have worked under female supervisors from the beginning, and I have been fortunate to see role models firsthand, such as how women communicate with lab members and collaborators, and how they manage the lab. Furthermore, the understanding regarding balancing work with childbirth and childcare is extremely helpful.

At the Japanese Society for Cancer Metastasis conference in 2019, which I attended with my child. From left: Professor Kyoko Hida, Research Fellow Dorcas Annan, myself and my daughter, and my husband, Hiroshi Kikuchi (Medical Staff, Department of Renal and Urological Surgery, Hokkaido University Hospital).

When I was younger, I could finish a task until I was satisfied and then go home, but with young children, the time I can work at the university is limited. I now do things at the university that I can only do at the university, and I do desk work that I can do at home after putting the children to bed. I've also started to rely on modern conveniences such as a fully automatic washing machine and a robotic vacuum cleaner to make the most of my time. Because I can't stay late at the office, I try to compensate for the lack of communication with lab members by using email and LINE. Recently, due to the impact of the coronavirus, online meetings and online academic conferences have increased. There are disadvantages, but I also feel there are many advantages, such as being able to participate from home in meetings that I would have had to miss due to caring for my sick children, or having the opportunity to attend academic conferences that I would have had to give up on attending. I hope that new forms that combine the best aspects of real and virtual experiences will become established in the future.

My motto is to cherish the people I meet. I also want to challenge myself in my work, pushing myself a little beyond my limits. Fortunately, my workplace is very understanding of childcare, making it a great place to work. However, childbirth and childcare are ultimately private matters, and I don't want to use them as an excuse, but rather as motivation to strive for even greater heights. Since the majority of research funding comes from taxpayers' money, I want to approach research with enjoyment while also being serious and mindful of the results. I want to utilize my experience as a dentist to conduct research that can be applied to diagnosis and treatment, and give back to society in my own way.

(Reference) Homepage of the Department of Vascular Biology and Molecular Pathology, Graduate School of Dental Science, Hokkaido University
https://www.den.hokudai.ac.jp/vascular-biol-pathol/

(Original article)
OPENeD, the National Diversity Network website
　→https://opened.network/
Published September 16, 2020: Nako Maishi, "Cherishing opportunities and enjoying work while being creative!"
　→https://opened.network/column/column-019/