We have been holding a series of events called “Find-Your-Role-Model” Session to provide students with opportunities to interact with TMDU alumni and worldwide leaders in health sciences. Through this roundtable-type, relaxed atmosphere event, we hope students will be able to find their role models in order to facilitate their career development in becoming future global leaders.

We will host Dr. Ryo Kubota, Representative Executive Officer, President and CEO of Kubota Pharmaceutical Holdings Co., Ltd. He received his MD and PhD from the School of Medicine at Keio University, where he started conducting research in the field of ophthalmology while working as an ophthalmologist. During this time he discovered myocilin, one of the causative genes of glaucoma. He then moved to the United States to continue his career as an associate professor at the University of Washington, and in 2002, he established his first start-up, Kubota Vision Inc. The start-up continued expansion, going through multiple funding stages and signing joint development contracts, successfully listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 2014. Currently, he is engaged in developing new drug candidates for numerous ophthalmologic diseases, as well as medical monitoring devices (Patient Based Ophthalmology Suite) and wearable device designed to manage myopia.

This session will be carried out in a round-table discussion format, and will cover the following points.

Everyone is welcome to join us in a hearty discussion.

Topics

• Personal Background: His career vision and its origin, decision-making processes for current career, what he learned from starting a new business
• Current activities: New drug and medical device development, what it is like to work as a business manager, plans for future development
• Mindset in pursuing career: Things to consider when making decisions on big turning points in life, philosophy and belief in pursuing career
• Advice for students/medical: Advice for students thinking of engaging in new business establishment, what preparation can be done at an early stage in your career