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2025.2.28
Research Stay at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
From September to December 2024, I conducted a three-month research visit at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) in Professor Christine Rose’s laboratory. Düsseldorf, located in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, has a population of approximately 600,000 residents. Although it is smaller in both area and population than Sendai, the atmosphere of the city center felt somewhat reminiscent of Sendai. Düsseldorf is a financial and economic hub, home to numerous European branches of Japanese corporations and is home to one of Europe’s largest Japanese communities. As a result, there are many Japanese supermarkets and restaurants, making it possible to experience aspects of Japanese culture even while abroad. The city features a blend of historic stone buildings and modern glass architecture, providing a fascinating environment for exploration. In addition, the public transportation systems—particularly the subways and trams— are well-developed, ensuring excellent connectivity between different regions as well as between the city center and the university.
During my stay, I rented an apartment in the city center through Airbnb. Markets, shopping districts, museums, and parks were all within walking distance, making daily life extremely convenient. Each morning, I commuted to the university by tram, but navigating ticket purchases and timetables required some German. I encountered challenges in the details of daily procedures despite English being widely used and understood everywhere in the city. Nevertheless, thanks to the support of lab members, I was able to settle in smoothly and enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. Moreover, because it was difficult for me to conduct animal experiments on weekends and sometimes it was difficult to do long experimental hours on weekdays, I enjoyed leisure time for activities such as visiting museums, strolling through parks, and exploring local markets and various culinary offerings.
Düsseldorf’s markets and supermarkets featured many dishes that are rare in Japan, such as “Mett” a sandwich made with raw ground pork, Alt beer or sandwiches filled with lightly salted raw herring. Discovering new flavors almost daily was a highlight of my stay, and my twice-a-week supermarket runs quickly became one of my greatest pleasures. Additionally, Düsseldorf’s location made it easy to reach Cologne by train and Amsterdam in about three hours, giving me the chance to visit these cities on weekends and experience a variety of urban landscapes and cultures. Because my apartment was situated in the city center, I could to immerse myself in the numerous Christmas markets that appear throughout Düsseldorf in December. Together with some of the lab members, I had the chance to enjoy Glühwein and local specialties, fully embracing the quintessential German winter festivities.
The laboratory I joined was highly international, although German students and researchers formed the majority at both the lab and throughout the university. The Rose lab specializes in imaging techniques, with extensive know-how in assembling and maintaining advanced optical systems. Through everyday conversations, I often learned valuable information and gained new insights during experimental work. Almost everyone—from postdoctoral researchers to graduate students—would gather in the break room at lunchtime, where conversations spanned from scientific discussions to lighthearted talks about German cuisine and culture. There were also chances to exchange ideas about dietary choices and animal experimental ethics.
For my collaborative research project, I had the privilege to work with Dr. Jan Meyer to explore the mechanisms underlying astrocyte signaling using acute brain slices in mice. We introduced fluorescent sensors into cells within these slices to measure astrocyte activity, conducting pharmacological interventions to modulate and analyze the resulting signals. HHU enforces rigorous ethical standards for animal experiments: laboratory animals are cared for by dedicated staff in specialized facilities, and once they are brought to the laboratory, researchers are required to minimize the animals’ stress by completing experiments within a very short timeframe. Although this limits how much experimentation can be done in a single day, being in an environment that prioritizes animal welfare above all else underscores the importance of conducting experiments as efficiently and humanely as possible. It also heightened my awareness of the responsibility researchers carry when working with living organisms. Furthermore, strict ethical guidelines foster a work environment where researchers can maintain a healthy work-life balance. Evenings can be used for reading, reviewing interesting papers, or simply resting, all of which can expand the researcher’s perspective.
I also found the lab’s and university’s approach to record-keeping and data management noteworthy. HHU encourages cloud-based archiving of experimental records and data, and the laboratory I joined employs an electronic notebook system called the eLab. This platform integrates experimental designs and protocols, offering a single repository for records that is easier to track and share than traditional paper notebooks. Such practices not only streamline data handling but also enhance the transparency and reproducibility of research.
My three months in Düsseldorf were a valuable opportunity to conduct research while experiencing and appreciating different cultures and perspectives. While I certainly noticed differences compared to universities and research environments in Japan, these variations were less of an obstacle and more of a source of new ideas and lifestyle inspiration. Exchanging views freely with lab members from diverse backgrounds led to fresh discoveries in both science and day-to-day life. I was particularly struck by the German emphasis on work-life balance alongside rigorous scientific investigation, as well as the efficient progress of experiments under strict ethical standards—both approaches that I hope to integrate into my research moving forward. Building on the knowledge and experience gained from this stay, I aim to continue collaborating and exchanging information with researchers both in Japan and abroad, with the goal of achieving high-quality research outcomes.
December, 2024
Tohoku University Graduate School of Life Sciences
Super-network Brain Physiology D3
Hiroki Yamao
