Course Description
Why Our Science Matters
The “Learning Lounge” features young scientists who, in 20 minutes deliver a presentation that will persuade any curious listener, even those without a scientific background, why their research area — not just the personal research of the speaker — is important to the world.

Dr. Ken-ichiro Kamei
“My life as a microchip”
Away from the lengthy, costly, and failure-prone animal models, novel ways are needed to study the physiology, the causes of diseases, and the responses to drugs and chemicals of whole living systems. Here I will introduce a potentially disruptive solution for recreating these fundamental phenomena in a single micro-device: the ‘Body on a Chip’.

Dr. Koh Nagata
“What did you eat yesterday? — How to manage your cholesterol”
What did you eat yesterday? Steak, hamburger, fried chicken, ice cream… Often you are reminded, from the TV or your mother, how bad you are for eating such cholesterol-rich foods. Yet, cholesterol is an indispensable component of your body, whose concentration is elaborately regulated. Here, I will present how ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL) is invaluable in preventing heart disease and extending your good health.