1st CHILE-JAPAN Mechanobiology Workshop

Recently, from July 30 to August 8, we held the 1st CHILE-JAPAN Mechanobiology Workshop over four days. This international research event was a collaborative effort between mechanobiology labs in Japan and Chile.

I am part of the Deguchi Lab, where we had the pleasure of Cristina Bertocchi, an invited associate professor from PUC, Chile. She has visited our lab several times and proposed this workshop during her visit in April, sparking the idea to enhance student research collaboration and experience an international event between the two countries. Together with Rosario, a PhD student from my lab, and students from PUC, we planned and executed the event.

Given the significant time difference of 13 hours and the geographical distance, each session was constrained to about an hour, spread across the four days. Both Chilean and Japanese students actively participated, presenting their research and engaging in lively discussions. This was a new experience for everyone involved, but it turned out to be a great success. The event not only provided a platform for practicing presentations in English, which is a second language for us all, but also helped hone our Q&A skills.

Personally, I realized the need to further improve my English presentation skills and quick responsiveness during discussions. Despite the vast distance, this event brought us closer together, paving the way for future joint research and collaborations.

My colleagues—Rosario from the Deguchi Lab, along with Cristian and Alejandra from PUC—also felt a great sense of achievement. We are all eager to organize the next workshop in the upcoming semester. If you are a student researching mechanobiology or related fields, I highly encourage you to join and contribute to our discussions next time.

Thank you to everyone who participated. Your efforts were greatly appreciated!

For more details, visit our event website here.