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World Brain Awareness Week |
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March 10th to the 16th marked the 4th Annual World Brain Awareness Week, an international event that promotes brain research and understanding to the public. This year 12 research centers in Japan participated, offering events over the course of the week that presented and demonstrated the significance of current research.
RIKEN Brain Science Institute offered a one-day science course for high school teachers and students on March 15th in the East Wing of the Institute. Opening comments from Dr. Masao Ito, the Director of RIKEN BSI, started the day, which included an animated video of the basic workings of the brain and two lectures: "Mechanisms for Nerve Cells Growth" and "Searching for the Genes that Cause Brain Disorders: Epilepsy and Down Syndrome". Following the lectures, participants were divided into smaller groups to observe research technology : fMRI, EEG and eyetracker (to measure eyeball movement). Lively question-and-answer sessions occurred throughout the day, proving that the science course was an unqualified success. |
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The Third Picower-RIKEN Neuroscience Symposium |
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From March 26 to 28, 2003, the 3rd Picower-RIKEN Neuroscience Symposium was held at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The event was jointly hosted by RIKEN-MIT Neuroscience Research Center and the Picower Center for Learning and Memory. Prof. Richard Axel and Dr. Robert Desimone delivered keynote speeches that were followed by lectures from 20 invited researchers who presented their work in a variety of fields within neuroscience. From BSI, Drs. Keiji Tanaka, Hitoshi Okamoto and Ryosuke Takahashi presented lectures and Dr. Masao Ito offered closing remarks. The poster session held outside the symposium hall resulted in productive exchanges. |
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Nurturing the Brain : Learning about learning |
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To inaugurate RIKEN Brain Science Institute's newest research theme "Nurturing the Brain", which officially opened April 1st, a mini-symposium under the same title was held on March 27th. The event was held to explore key issues in developmental brain research and to start international dialogues with other individuals working in these areas.
Dr. Takao Hensch, Group Director for the Critical Period Mechanisms Research Group, introduced the "Nurturing the Brain" cluster in his opening comments. Created in response to growing social desire to know more about how the brain develops, BSI took two of its current research groups :
• Brain Development Research Group, led by Dr. Mikoshiba, with 4 labs
• Critical Period Mechanisms Research Group, led by Dr. Hensch, with 3 labs
that focus on basic cellular and molecular mechanisms in the brain. Two more groups, each with two labs to begin, will be created to explore higher brain function with emphasis on humans:
• Cognitive Development Research Group
• Human Learning Research Group
Alison Gopnik from UC Berkley presented information to show that children make sense of the world using scientific methods: they form theories and test them and change them based on the results. Looking at parallel affects of sleep on human speech perception and birdsong learning, University of Chicago's Daniel Margoliash demonstrated the importance of sleep in young zebra finches learning birdsong. His research suggests that sleep consolidates learning. Finally, Annette Karmiloff-Smith from University College London argued that cognitive development must be included in research on brain disorders.
Active exchanges followed each presentation, proving that interest in the subject is strong. The event successfully launched RIKEN BSI foray into human brain development. "The research that emerges", said Bruno della Chiesa, from the OECD, in his closing comments "will be important in developing education policies and practices."
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The 4th RIKEN-MIT Neuroscience Center steering committee |
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On March 29, the 4th RIKEN-MIT Neuroscience Center steering committee meeting was held at MIT. The RIKEN-MIT Agreement, that will extend the partnership between RIKEN BSI and MIT for five more years, was signed. This agreement ensures that the two institutes will continue to foster mutual interactions and closer research collaborations. |
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RIKEN Open Day |
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Traditionally during Science and Technology Week in Japan events are held nationwide with themes like "Filled with Mystery", "Filled with Dreams", or "Let's play with Science". "In Wako, the main campus of the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN) participated in events by opening its facilities to the public on Saturday, April 19. More than 5,000 visitors came to the campus, thanks in part to the good weather.
At RIKEN Brain Science Institute, families and students eagerly listened to explanations and examined ingenious exhibits prepared by its research staff. More than 20 meeting rooms in the Main Research Building of BSI were set up for displays and activities A large crowd also gathered in Suzuki Kotaro Memorial Hall to listen to a lecture called "Is there an Orchestra in our Brains" by Yoko Yamaguchi, the Dynamics of Emergent Intelligence Research Laboratory Head.
The day was fruitful, bringing together the general public and researchers to share and learn about RIKEN's world of science. |
Remembering Dr. Gen Matsumoto The only one
"Let's aim to be the only one, not the best one." That was one of the fervent messages that Dr. Gen Matsumoto used to repeat to us-a typical "Dr. Matsumoto statement" . He believed that "the best one" is chosen after weighing the merits and demerits of all options against existing values. "The only one", however, emerges through the creation of new values. By telling us to be the only one, he was probably telling us to be more creative. In my view, Dr. Matsumoto was extremely close to being "the only one" and this clearly had a great influence on how he conducted his research.
His goal was to create a brain that was not simply a new object that operates like a brain, but to create a truly living brain. Therefore, he first had to formulate the meaning of "living" and thoroughly understand its connection with the brain in order before he could attempt to unravel the mystery of the mind.
One can easily imagine that, without that restricted condition "that it live," it would be very difficult for individuals to process the extremely non-linear real world that surrounds us. However, because this stipulation is too challenging and heart breaking to thoroughly consider, it is often neglected. Nonetheless, Dr. Matsumoto was "the one" who unswervingly pursued matters that he himself viewed as essential. I hope that I can someday present the courage, sincerity, and kindness that Dr. Matsumoto displayed.
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| Tetsuya KimuraBrain-operative Expression LaboratoryBrainway Group |
| Dr. Gen Matsumoto, Director of the Brainway Group passed away on March 9, 2003.Everyone at BSI prays that his soul may rest in peace. |
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