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2023.6.16
My Scholarly Journey in KU Leuven: Neurophysiology, Clinical Medicine, and Cultural Exchange
I have studied at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven) in Belgium under the supervision of Professor Peter Janssen, an expert in neurophysiology. Here I report on my activities during my three-month training at KU Leuven supported by Neuro Global Program (NGP).
KU Leuven was founded in 1425. Today, it is not only the largest university in Belgium, but also one of considerable historical significance and importance in Europe. Its affiliated hospital, Universitair Ziekenhuis Leuven (UZ Leuven), which traces its origins back to a Christian hospital founded in 1080, currently has about 2,000 beds and employs about 9,000 people. Compared to Tohoku University Hospital in Japan, which is renowned for its size, UZ Leuven has almost twice the number of beds and three times the number of staff. Despite the size of these institutions, Leuven is not a bustling metropolis. Instead, it is a tranquil city with a pre-modern streetscape within a 30-minute walking radius. The unique combination of a world-class university in a quiet city seemed to provide the ideal environment for me to devote myself to science. The presence of many students led to an abundance of affordable, tasty restaurants and comfortable cafes throughout the city, which I found delightful.
My research in Leuven focused on analyzing time-series data of epileptic seizures recorded with special electrodes. To be honest, the first month was struggle from a research standpoint, as I did not see much progress at all. I had to learn how to work with unfamiliar data from previous work and master the use of MATLAB for data analysis. My fellow graduate students in the lab were very helpful. With the help of my fellow students, I was also able to adapt quickly to life at KU Leuven.
As my understanding of the data deepened, so did my understanding of neurophysiological phenomena. I began to discover behaviors not mentioned in previous reports, which led to an increased sense of research progress. The opportunity to discuss these findings with Professor Janssen and other graduate students, often leading to further analytical questions, became a daily delight. At times, I would code into the wee hours of the night, eager to perform the analysis just suggested in the day's discussion.
One of the great blessings of this study abroad experience supported by NGP was the environment that allowed me to devote myself to research. I am grateful for my clinical experience in neurology. However, in Japan, I am limited by my clinical work. The unpredictable nature of a clinician's life, with a potential emergency at any moment, isn't the best fit for subjects like mathematics and programming, which require undisturbed, structured study. Occasionally, I had the opportunity to exchange information about the academic environment for young researchers with other graduate students at KU Leuven during lunchtime conversations. KU Leuven has a reputation for being an international and innovative environment, with students from many countries, and the encounter with the diversity of these young researchers from different countries was another valuable takeaway.
In addition to the research training, I had the opportunity to broaden my clinical perspective. Under the mentorship of Professor Theys, a collaborator of Professor Janssen, I was able to observe neurosurgical procedures at UZ Leuven. Reflecting the national character, the diversity of patient backgrounds was remarkable. Belgium is a multilingual country, with Nederlands and French as the main languages, and Europe has a greater flexibility in population movement from neighboring countries than Japan. This results in a rich mix of people, both in terms of language and race. In addition, with more medical staff per patient than in Japan, the degree of task specialization seemed to be more pronounced in Europe. Although the primary focus of this visit was academic research, it also provided insightful perspectives on the differences between the Japanese and European medical systems and the ways in which professionals work.
Due to COVID-19, there were some difficulties in coordinating the duration of this study visit, resulting in a short training period of three months. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that it was a fulfilling experience on several fronts: academic research, clinical medicine, and international exchange. I would like to thank Professor Janssen for accepting my application for this study abroad program, and Celia, Elina, and Jesus at KU Leuven for their invaluable assistance. I would also like to thank the NGP office for their flexible support despite the extraordinary circumstances. My thanks also go to the Wiseguys BBQ and Café Leffe for the delicious food and beer, and to the Quetzal Chocolate Bar, for the coffee and chocolate waffles. My heartfelt thanks to all who made this unique study abroad experience possible.
27 May 2023
Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine
Department of Behavioral Neurology & Cognitive Neuroscience
Kazuo Kakinuma
