Blog

Mukaiken-kai Doctor Society 2017 seminar

2017.03.20

The day before the Chemical Society of Japan, I gave a lecture at “Mukaiken”. The place is Tokyo University of Science. The Mukaiken Doctor Association is a group of people who have obtained a doctorate under Dr. Teruaki Mukaiyama.

However, it includes not only those who studied directly at the Mukaiyama Laboratory but also their apprentices, grandchildren and now great-grandchildren.

In other words, almost half of Japan’s researchers is limited to organic chemistry, they will belong to this range.

If you look at the actual gatherings including the social gatherings, you will definitely feel that the people at this party are spreading organic chemistry in Japan. I am a grandchild of Dr. Yujiro Hayashi, who has obtained a Ph.D. from the Mukaiyama Laboratory.

Now, this meeting is held on the day before the annual meeting of the Chemical Society of Japan. In other words, if anyone who do not enter the day before the annual meeting meaning nobody can participate in the meeting. I had to stay overnight at Nagoya so I could not participate easily.

To tell the truth, I participated for the first time in 10 years and I never participated after I got my degree. This time it is held at the University of Science so Dr. Shiina who was in charge of management is from the University of Science was invited as a speaker after he was appointed as PI a year ago.

The program is as follows,

Mukaiken-kai Doctor Society 2017 (lecture) program

Date : March 15, 2017 (Wednesday)

Time: 14:55 opening (registration starts from 14:30)

Venue : Tokyo University of Science Kagurazaka Campus Building No.1, 17^th floor Memorial Hall

Schedule:-

14:55 : Opening

15: 00-15: 40 : Tsuneomi Kawasaki (Associate Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Fukui) “Self-replication of chiral amino acids by Strecker synthesis”

15: 40-16: 20 : Yasushi Kiyoo (Associate Professor, Tokyo Institute of Technology) “Synthesis of fluorescent and optical caged nucleic acids by chemical modification of the base”

16:20−16:30 : Break

16:30−17:10 : Junichiro Yamaguchi (Associate Professor, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University) “Development of novel coupling and synthesis methods for aromatic molecules”

17:10−17:20 : Announcement of Mukaiyama recent situation

17:30−18:00 : Self-introduction of new members

18:00−18:10 : Commemorative photo

18:20−20:10 : Social gathering

The venue for the lecture is at 17th floor of Building 1 of the University of Science. As a student, this was a venue where prominent researchers such as Prof. Keijiro, Takeshi Kitahara, and Prof. Toru Fukuyama gave lectures at the symposium of the Synthetic Organic Chemistry Society of Japan.

I was a little nervous to present my presentation in front of the legend but I had fun talking about it.

I could not use my Mac laptop due to a malfunction and the sentences were misaligned (I am sorry for causing trouble).

I was very happy that a teacher (probably Sato and former teacher at Waseda’s previous job) who was probably over 80, said that it was the most interesting lecture in my life.

After the seminar

After the lecture ended and listening to Prof. Mukaiyama current situation, we all headed to the social gathering.

Dr. Tsuneo Imamoto, who is developing many phosphorus ligands such as QuinoxP *, told us that it was very interesting. Next year, it will be held in Tokyo so I would like to participate normally this time.

Second drinking party

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Dr. Isamu Shiina of Tokyo University of Science and all other members of the Tokyo University of Science Mukaken Doctor Society.

I went out to the second drinking party with the “grandchild apprentice” and “great grandchild apprentice” who remained after the social gathering. All of them are young researchers active in various fields. It was a fun drinking party.