Japanese Researchers to Gather at Cincinnati Children’s April 25-26

Post Date: April 18, 2025 | Publish Date:

innovation

photo of people speaking in a panel on stage at Cincinnati Children's Sabin Auditorium

Global event highlights international collaboration and groundbreaking research

The United Japanese Researchers Around the World (UJA) Global Gathering will take place at Cincinnati Children’s Burnet Campus on April 25-26, 2025. Now in its second year, the prestigious event highlights international collaboration and groundbreaking research, reinforcing Cincinnati Children’s status as a premier global research institution.

The event will spotlight UJA’s activities in the U.S., including the 10th UJA Outstanding Research Award Ceremony and discussions on challenges faced by Japanese researchers working abroad.

Satoko Matsuyama, MD, PhD, research fellow, Reproductive Sciences Center, is president of UJA. Satoko and her husband, Kazuhiro Matsuyama, BA, predoctoral student in the Division of Allergy and Immunology, have planned a significant amount of the conference. One of the aims of the event, according to Satoko, is to exchange with overseas researchers, institutions, Japanese funding agencies and companies.

Tetsuo Shoda, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Division of Allergy and Immunology and president of the Global Gathering, emphasized the significance of the venue choice.

“Hosting the event at Cincinnati Children’s provides a platform to showcase its pioneering research and collaborative spirit,” he said. “While the organization is well-recognized domestically and internationally as one of the leading pediatric care and research facilities, there is still significant potential to further elevate its profile in Japan.”

Friday’s program begins with the award ceremony and a keynote by Atsuo Sasaki, PhD, UJA founding president and professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. The afternoon will focus on fostering research and training collaboration between Cincinnati and Japan, highlighted by a keynote from Takanori Takebe, MD, PhD, director of Commercial Innovation in the Center for Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine (CuSTOM) at Cincinnati Children’s and professor at Osaka University in Japan.

Takebe, who had admired Cincinnati Children’s since his days as a medical student, expressed his excitement and gratitude for being part of the event.

“We have more than 10 Japanese faculty, so many fellows and students here,” he said. “I don’t know of another U.S. center or institute—West or East Coast—with that many Japanese researchers aggregated in one place. Cincinnati Children’s truly embraces global excellence in science and pediatric medicine.”

The gathering also features presentations from leading Cincinnati Children’s researchers, including:

Tony De Falco, PhD, co-director, Reproductive Sciences Center
Rashmi Hegde, PhD, vice chair for Basic Research and Education
Jeffery Molkentin, PhD, executive co-director, Heart Institute, and division director of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology
Marc Rothenberg, MD, PhD, director of both Allergy and Immunology and the Cincinnati Center for Eosinophilic Disorders
James Wells, PhD, director for Research, Division of Endocrinology, and chief scientific officer, CuSTOM

Saturday’s sessions, held primarily in Japanese, will focus on Japanese science and technology, with participation from supporting administrative agencies. The event is financially supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) and the Japan External Trade Organization–Chicago, Consulate General of Japan (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

“This event is drawing attention from top-tier Japanese funding agencies that support discovery, translational research, and education,” Takebe said. “Ultimately, science is driven by the people. The diverse perspectives, curiosity and experiences that come together at this gathering are key to launching innovative projects.”

With compelling talks, cross-cultural dialogue and rich networking opportunities, the UJA Global Gathering is poised to advance global science—and there’s no better place to host it than Cincinnati Children’s.

Learn more about the event and register to attend.