  |
 |
|
|
Starting
from Chatting
| Dr.
Jun Motoyama |
| Senior
Scientist Molecular Neuropathology Group |
|
|
| I
am studying the development of the brain. The study of brain development bears
resemblance to that of history. In the development process, a fertilized egg frequently
undergoes cell division to gradually grow bigger, until at last it will turn into
many different masses of cells. This may be identical to cancer in that they equally
keep on multiplying. What distinguishes it from cancer is that growing cells earn
diversified properties with appropriate timing and numerous cell groups take a
fixed time-space configuration. Thus, there is never a moment when cells remain
in the same state. I am attempting to clarify a causal relationship in ever-changing
cellular forms as well as cell groups that are increasingly diversified. This
attempt is just like tracking back in history. While studying these themes, I
have often asked myself about my own brain. What kind of a character am I? What
pleases, displeases, concerns, assures, irritates, impresses, saddens, angers
or excites me, and what food, sounds and scenery do I like or dislike. What kind
of factors has helped form these traits in me? 35 years have passed since my brain
came into the world. In that period of time, my preferences have been changing
gradually. You may say that's just natural|because I have experienced so many
things... because I have amassed what I have learned and memorized in that period.
Then, in what aspects and how has my brain been changing? Needless to say, the
character inherited from my parents comprises the core of such changes in my brain,
but another clue seems to be found in the growth path that my brain has been on.
As in the research of a brain development, I am interested in going back in the
history of my brain in an effort to explain what kinds of experience, learning
and memory have helped form which trait of mine at which time. A recent tendency
of mine is to extend this interest to others as well. In the past, I was almost
never curious about what other people said or did. But now I think about other
people and ask them various questions. For example, I often ask myself this: 'Why
does this person look so nice? What kind of things does he or she like? What experience
has he or she had thus far?' Even when talking with some scientist about their
research, I occasionally wonder why he or she is studying this theme or why he
or she is taking this approach? To know many things about him or her, I ask lots
of questions. In fact, I have become extremely interested in other people. It
is probably my experience in studying abroad that has changed my attitude in this
manner. When I was studying abroad, all people around me showed a great deal of
originality, irrespective of sex or age. It seemed like each individual was releasing
his or her own energy. None of them were identical to each other in any respect.
What is more, they seemed natural and to be under no constraints. I would often
chat with them over beer or while performing an experiment. It is no exaggeration
to say that when I was studying abroad, I spent most of my time talking with those
around me, although my English was poor. We would choose whatever topic with no
holds barred. For example, we talked about what we could do to modify a human
being to improve his performance. Miniaturization of human beings could help to
ease food shortage or energy shortage. It would be a good idea to start a business
of selling ever-lasting life by making a human body with cloning technology and
transplanting a brain into it... and so on. Although we discussed nebulous matters
like these, I realized that each individual has his own brain. Namely, what I
found through such conversations is diversity of personalities. It's really nice
to be able to think differently from others. Being varied or diversified is neat
Š I still believe so. Japanese have a great deal of individuality, but few tend
to express it aggressively. So I have to ask lots of questions to get to know
a person that I talk to. For this reason, my fellow workers in the lab have started
calling me an "interviewer." Now letÕs stop chatting and try to find
something novel and interesting in our work that cannot be found in any kind of
journals. I believe that science is something for us to enjoy. I have a feeling
that my brain will be changing further. If we enjoy ourselves, our brains must
be happy as well. |
|
|
|
|
