The Takato Molecular Cell Biology Symposium (hereinafter, “Takato Symposium”) is a two-day event held every summer for researchers of all ages and genders, similar to a training camp. The symposium features a cross-cultural exchange in innovative science with discussions spanning disciplines and generations that inspire new perspectives on everyday research activities, sometimes leading to innovations. We hope you spend time empathizing with pure science.
ORGANIZER
Tatsuhiko Kodama The University of Tokyo
Takeshi Kadowaki Director ofToranomon Hospital
Yoshiko Takahashi Kyoto University
Yukiko Gotoh The University of Tokyo
Noboru Mizushima The University of Tokyo
Erina Kuranaga Kyoto University Tohoku University
Atsushi Kumanogoh President of Osaka University
Shousei Yoshida National Institutes of Natural Sciences
Yukinori Okada The University of Tokyo Osaka University RIKEN
HISTORY
The Takato Symposium started in the summer of 1989 when the first director of Medical & Biological Laboratories Co., Ltd. (MBL) invited researchers to the Takato Sakura Hotel in Nagano Prefecture.
The purpose of this symposium is to provide an opportunity for researchers to have in-depth discussions about each other’s work while staying overnight in the hotel. Nine organizers who agree with this purpose select speakers each year, and MBL supports the organization of the symposium.
So far, we have invited about 300 Japanese researchers as speakers from a wide range of disciplines, from basic research to clinical medicine. Incidentally, three Nobel Prize winners were among the previous speakers.
The greatest feature of the Takato Symposium is that it allows researchers from a variety of different fields to interact with each other. Another appealing feature is its warm, welcoming atmosphere where speakers, organizers, and participants can feel personally connected.
In 2009, a poster session was introduced, creating a platform to showcase new research where young researchers can present their study results. In 2021 and 2022, the symposium was held online because of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, starting with the 34th event in 2023, the symposium has been conducted in a hybrid format that combines on-site and online participation at a lodging-style training facility in Harumi, Tokyo.
Although the form has evolved over a long period of time, the symposium has continued to this day, maintaining its original purpose as a place where researchers from different disciplines can connect and engage in discussions.
SUPPORTING COMPANY
The Takato Molecular Cell Biology Symposium is held with support from Medical & Biological Laboratories Co., Ltd. (MBL).
