Nao Yamamoto (right) with her lab mate

Hello, everyone! My name is Nao Yamamoto. I am a senior and studying Biological Information at Kurokawa laboratory.

Last month, I had a chance to visit ELSI for the first time when they hosted a welcome event for students. It provided me with a forum for an exchange with ELSI researchers and other students. Since Prof. Kurokawa is a vice director of ELSI, I was informed of this occasion.

It was almost two years ago that I got to know about ELSI. I took a class named "Bioinformatics" and during that class, Prof. Kurokawa briefed us on ELSI. He said that an international research center focused on pursing the origin and evolution of life and the earth would be established that year. He explained that a lot of foreign researchers will visit ELSI and it will be a really "open" institute, allowing people to talk with researchers whenever they want to. Immediately, I became interested in ELSI because I was fascinated by its research environment that could attract researchers from all over the world. But until last month, I had not had an opportunity to visit ELSI so I was really happy to have a chance at long last.

As I expected, people were really open and easy to talk to. The interior of the building was cool; there was space where anyone can come and have their own time whenever they want to. It was just what I imagined.

During the exchange, I could talk with people who explore the evolution of life and the earth from various points of view. Since I don't know much about that field, though I'm interested in it, the conversation was really an inspiration, gravitating me all the more to such questions. It was exciting and thrilling for me. To hear something about different fields stimulates me, helping to broaden my horizon.

I have belonged to a lab since last April and I have just decided on my research topic quite recently. My topic is analyzing the relationship between the formation of biofilms and toxin-antitoxin gene, and I'm also going to analyze a microbial flora of biofilms composed of many kinds of microorganisms. The reason why I chose this research topic is that I can experience both analysis by molecular biological experiment and computer. At the lab, everything is new to me; everyday I'm learning, discovering a lot of things. That is really exciting, but at times I feel depressed and at other times motivated, by all that there is to learn. Since I joined the lab, I have met some researchers of high caliber, who I am afraid I cannot surpass throughout my whole life. The encounter with them has made me realize how inexperienced and immature I am, but at the same time has given me ideals to guide my aspirations. In this sense, I would like to repay my gratitude to them by working steadily towards their example and the shining lessons that they have provided me with.