This Biophysics Week, we're highlighting some of the outstanding members of our Student Chapter program. Today, we'll hear from Hibiki Yoshida, a 3rd year Pharmacy major at the Sanyo-Onoda City University Student Chapter.
What inspired you to study biophysics?
My grandfather was a doctor, and I listened to him talking about his job. Therefore, I have been familiar with the medical field since my childhood. At first, I was interested in medical care and healthcare, so I wanted to enter medical school. However, as I learned biology and chemistry, I came to understand that not only medicine but also those fields are connected to the medical field such as treatment of diseases and human health care. And now I realize I’m attracted to biological science too.
What do you think makes the study of biophysics unique?
I think several characteristics make biophysics unique. First, it is deeply related to the medical field. Research in biophysics can be useful in clinical practice. For example, some biophysics researchers study human cells or organs, and such studies help identify new treatments and the causes of diseases. Second, the study's scale is wide-ranging. Some researchers study at a micro level such as proteins and DNA, while others work at a larger scale such as organs.
What skill have you learned in your studies that you find useful in other aspects of your life?
Knowledge about food hygiene is useful in daily life. I took microbiology and food hygiene classes last semester. I learned about bacteria and parasites that can be present in food. Because of those classes, I gained accurate knowledge about food hygiene. As a result, I now know what points to be careful about when cooking and how to store food safely. For example, when you buy raw salmon for grilling, it may contain Anisakis. Therefore, you should heat it to 70℃. This skill is useful in daily life. It helps me cook and preserve food safely.
What is your dream career?
I haven’t made a clear decision about my dream career, but I’m considering pursuing a PhD and working for a company in the pharmaceutical industry in the future. However, I'm interested in PhD programs; there isn’t such a system in Japan. Therefore, I want to pursue a PhD in the United States as a PhD student. I’m especially interested in basic research, so I’ll choose a basic research lab next year.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
I’m most proud of the science event that I planned with other pharmacy students for children. In our Student Chapter, we host science events every year to help more children learn about and enjoy science. Because I’m the executive of the Student Chapter, I worked as one of the leaders last time. We asked our professor to give an engaging scientific performance for children, and we set up some booths where they could make crafts related to scientific topics. Many children and their parents came to our event. Seeing their smiles made me feel that it was beneficial for them. This year, we have the event too. I want to make it more attractive and help children feel science is fun next time.
What advice do you have for someone thinking about studying biophysics?
Biophysics is a great choice. I believe if you are interested in both biology and physics, biophysics is the best choice for you. You can study biology from physical perspective, and you can research that combines both physics and biology. Even within biophysics, there are so many different fields. Also, there are various ways to research, such as lab experiments and computer analysis. Therefore, even if you cannot decide right now whether you prefer dry lab or wet lab work, it doesn’t matter. You can explore and decide as you learn biophysics.