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Research and Life in By a JSPS Fellow No. 42 Dr. Suang Suang Koid “Unravelling the Mystery of Cardiorenal Syndrome”

JSPS Postdoctoral Fellow, The University of , 2016-2018 Ph.D. (Cardiovascular Pharmacology), University of Melbourne, 2015 Tutor and Demonstrator, University of Melbourne, 2008-2015

Coming to Japan from Malaysia, Dr. Suang Q: How did you first become interested in Suang Koid is conducting research as a your research subject? JSPS Postdoctoral Fellow at the . Her host, Prof. Tatsuo Shimosawa, I became interested in CRS when I was transferred to International University doing my PhD research back in Melbourne, of Health and Welfare, Mita Hospital in Australia. In my doctoral project, I April, but remains a visiting professor at investigated the cardioprotective effects the University of Tokyo. We asked Dr. Koid of a drug called aliskiren. Many patients about her research activities and life in with cardiovascular disease develop kidney Japan. diseases, and half of the people with kidney failure die from heart disease. Current Q: What are you currently researching under treatments alleviate the symptoms of CRS, the JSPS fellowship? but are still not very effective in helping patients feel better and live longer. I chose Society of Hypertension, and he agreed to My research topic under the JSPS fellowship to study CRS during my JSPS fellowship host me in his laboratory for a week in 2014. relates to the role of immune cells in a because I want to help improve the quality Based on that experience, we decided to condition known as cardiorenal syndrome of life for these patients. submit an application for a JSPS fellowship. (CRS), in which kidney and heart disease occur at the same time. Under this condition, Q: What were your research experiences Q: Other than the relationship you formed kidney problems are thought to accelerate before coming to Japan? with Prof. Shimosawa, why did you choose the progression of heart problems, and Japan to pursue your research? heart problems are thought to accelerate the I received a prestigious Australian progression of kidney problems. The cause Government National Health and Medical I have always had an interest in Japan. of CRS remains unclear. We are working Research Council (NHMRC) scholarship I loved the “Sailor Moon” and “Dragon to identify the key immune cell populations for conducting my doctoral research. During Ball” comics when I was growing up, involved in the pathogenesis of this syndrome that time, we elucidated the mechanism and studied Japanese as a hobby during and eventually develop therapeutic strategies of cardioprotection of the drug aliskiren, my undergraduate days. During my PhD to prevent premature death in patients and reported our findings in the journal studies, I saw very good research coming resulting from this condition. Hypertension, which is well-regarded in out of Japanese laboratories, and was lucky my field. I won awards for oral and poster enough to spend an enjoyable month in an presentations at domestic and international immunology lab at the University of Tokyo. conferences, and participated in a number Another important reason that I chose Japan of collaborations, including work on a paper to pursue my research was that my husband published in the journal Proceedings of the was also offered a JSPS fellowship to do National Academy of Sciences of the United research here in Tokyo. States of America. I was also invited to act as a peer reviewer for a journal in my field, Q: What is your impression of Japan’s which really made me feel like a member of research environment? the scientific community. In some regards, the technology I am Q: How did you get to know your Japanese using here in Japan is more advanced than host researcher? that in Australia, but in other regards, the technology is more advanced in Australia. I first got to know my host researcher, Prof. The Japanese research environment values Tatsuo Shimosawa, through his mentor Prof. practice—lots of it. My project is surgery- Fujita, who has done a lot of work on kidney based and therefore highly technical. Here, I disease. I met Prof. Shimosawa at one of have had a lot of opportunities to practice, to Todai in the fall the biennial meetings of the International get to the highest standard of reproducibility 15 SUMMER 2017 No. 60 JSPS Quarterly www.jsps.go.jp/english/ SERIES

in my disease models, and thus to achieve Q: How about in Malaysia? Would you like to stressful. She told us that she finds a happy robust results. In addition, there seems to apply your research to societal betterment in balance by hiking in the mountains of Japan be more money allocated to research in your country as well? and joking around with her colleagues. We Japan. The pharmaceutical industry in Japan were extremely impressed with the loftiness appears to contribute to academic research I think that science is a very important part of her goals, which are not only highly and development, which is still not very of any society and that scientific thinking is scientific but also deeply humanitarian. As common in Australia. essential to improving the health and wellness Dr. Koid continues advancing her research, of the general population. I hope to be able to we look forward to her work contributing to Q: Before coming to Japan, what was your apply the outcomes of my research to creating the achievement of the milestones she seeks image of the country? Has your perception new medicines that improve the lives of in the treatment and care of CRS patients changed? people around the world. I would also like to around the world. remain involved in science education so as to Prior to living in Japan, I had the impression train the younger generation that working hours here were long and of scientists. inflexible and that employees generally had very little time for their family or friends. Soon after beginning our However, after I started living in Japan, I interview with Dr. Koid, saw that a lot of the local people actually our preconceived notion of make time to travel, and enjoy their private somebody who performs lives as well as their work. I also had the heart surgery being a bit impression that Japan was very strict about intimidating was dispelled. rules. But since living here, I have found Her unwavering commitment that even though there might be a consensus to the daunting challenge of about the right way of doing things, people elucidating the mechanisms can also be flexible and even happy to work of CRS have in no way dimin- around the rules when necessary! ished her radiating charm and outgoing friendliness. Q: What do you plan to do after your Dr. Koid’s immune-cell re- fellowship ends? search, which she is pursuing on this syndrome that occurs I would like to continue to contribute to in the relationship between improving the lives of patients around the the heart and kidneys, is world. painstaking and must be very Dr. Koid's host Prof. Shimosawa

Introducing Japan: Tokyo—The University of Tokyo and Its Neighborhood

My lab is based at the University of Tokyo the 11th Tokugawa shogun. It is said that the (also known as “Todai”). Todai has five gate was painted red in accordance with the campuses: Hongo, Komaba, Kashiwa, conventional practice when marrying a sho- Shirokanedai and Nakano. The Hongo cam- gun’s daughter. The Akamon gate in Hongo is pus is built on the location of the previous designated a national treasure, being the only residence in the Period. One such gate still in existence. of the famous landmarks on the campus is the Akamon gate, or Red Gate. In 1827, Lord Next to the Akamon, there is a row of gingko Tokyo City Nariyasu Maeda built the gate to welcome his trees, whose fan-shaped leaves are the symbol bride, Lady Yasu, who was the daughter of of the University of Tokyo. Every summer the trees are lush and green, but by autumn their leaves turn yellow and the distinct scent of gingko nuts fills the air. It is common to see the trees go through this transformation in the people scavenging for the ripe nuts that fall off different seasons. the trees. When the temperature drops, fallen leaves from the trees carpet the streets running The Hongo campus is a short walk from Ueno through the campus in yellow. I love seeing Park and Shinobazu Pond, which are famous spots for viewing spring cherry blossoms. There are about 600 yoshino cherry trees in the park. Every year between mid-March and mid-April, large crowds of people lay plastic sheets under the cherry trees, and enjoy chatting, eating and drinking with friends and colleagues while viewing the blossoms. During the evening in the cherry blossom season, the park is illuminated with 1,000 lanterns, celebrating the arrival of spring and With her husband in springtime Ueno Park Red Gate at Hongo Campus the end of the winter cold!