Type: INT 97-36 **NSF/Tokyo Report: The Department of Bioengineering at
the National Cardiovascular Center Research Institute**

Org: INT

Date: 10/24/97

Replaces: None

The National Science Foundation\'s offices in Tokyo and in Paris
periodically report on developments abroad that are related to the
Foundation\'s mission. These documents present facts for the use of NSF
program managers and policy makers; they are not statements of NSF
policy.

**Special Scientific Report #97-30 (September 12, 1997)**

**THE DEPARTMENT OF BIOENGINEERING**

**AT THE NATIONAL CARDIOVASCULAR CENTER**

**RESEARCH INSTITUTE**

***Dr. Julie Higashi***, an M.D student in the Department of Biomedical
Engineering at **Case Western Reserve University** in Cleveland, Ohio,
prepared the following report. Dr. Higashi was a participant in **the
1997 Summer Institute** sponsored by NSF/NIH/USDA and the Science and
Technology Agency of Japan. **Dr. Takehisa Matsuda of the Department of
Bioengineering at the National Cardiovascular Center Research Institute
(NCVC)** in Osaka, Japan, hosted Dr. Higashi. Her husband, Robin Shaw,
who was also a participant in the program, accompanied Dr. Higashi. Dr.
Shaw worked in the Department of Cardiovascular Dynamics at the NCVC.
***Dr. Higashi*** can be reached via email at: ***jmh16@po.cwru.edu***

**The Department of Bioengineering**

Dr. Matsuda is the chairman of this department that consists of about
five full time researchers (one physicist, mechanical engineer, two
chemists, and a female biologist), two part time researchers (3 1/2
days/week MDs vascular surgeons who do research for two years), and 1
graduate student (chemistry). While I was here, six summer time
undergraduates were also working in the laboratory. Whereas the
department encompasses work in the fields of biomechanics and rheology,
its major focus concerns the development of cardiovascular implants and
devices from both surface synthesis/modification and tissue engineering
approach. The department is exceptionally well equipped (much better
than my former lab in the US) with instruments (GPC, ESCA, AFM, DSC,
cell culture facilities, excimer lasers, every kind of optical
microscope with imaging and output devices, full computer and desktop
publishing facilities are just some of the goodies). The physical
closeness of the clinical hospital (the NCVC is the also the national
cardiovascular treatment center) facilitates interaction and
collaboration between scientists and physicians.

My project focused on the examination of the endothelial cell adhesion
and proliferation on two types of surfaces: 1) a micropatterned surface
with

five different photo-grafted regions of various surface properties and
2) three different three dimensional photo-grafted gradient surfaces.
The ability to precisely photo-graft different functionalized films on
one physical sample enables the simultaneous evaluation of the cellular
adhesion as well as modifies devices in a regionally specific manner. In
addition, the gradient surfaces allow a controlled examination of the
effect of polymer chain length on the cellular response within one
physical sample. The project was quite successful and should result in a
first author manuscript submission for me.

**Members in the Department**

Each individual in the laboratory has an independent research project. I
was closely associated with one of the senior level researchers who had
already published extensively in the particular project area to which I
was assigned. I had little experience with surface chemical synthesis
and characterization, so it was very good to have one on one interaction
in the beginning. We also developed quite a friendship while working
together. In this department, there is little technical support, and the
researchers maintain all the instruments. Luckily, the technical support
operates on the same work schedule as everybody else here, so technical
assistance is very accessible. Computer facilities were excellent,
although I would not count on using Japanese versions of software unless
you are already very familiar with the English versions. I found
everyone to be extremely hard working and diligent, although there are a
fair number of breaks for just shooting the breeze in a 12 hour day.
Most people could speak a fair amount of English (everyone gets 8 years
of English in school), but carrying around a Japanese English / English
Japanese dictionary is a good idea. I found that it was much easier to
communicate after just looking up a word or two. Knowing some basics in
Japanese (I had taken one year many years before) was really great for
breaking the ice. All efforts to communicate in Japanese were sincerely
appreciated, and I learned some great words!

**My (our) Experience**

My host had spent considerable time in the U.S. (8 years, and many at
the institution where I did my graduate work), and is a close colleague
of one of my thesis committee members. I was lucky to have previously
met him face to face twice. He visited our laboratory two summers ago at
which time I asked him about the possibility of coming to spend time in
his lab through this program, and then after being accepted by the
program, I was able to hook up with him at a scientific conference where
we discussed the project. He sent me both reprints and we communicated
through several faxes back and forth in the intervening weeks. Our goal
was to produce enough results for a letter to a journal. I believe this
unusual situation was crucial to the success of the project - the prior
interaction was very helpful to define a realistic project, and the
prior interaction was also facilitated by my host\'s familiarity with my
U.S. institution and advisors. Therefore, I strongly suggest that you
utilize already existing Japanese ties with your current institution. It
really makes a difference!

The work schedule was grueling-we typically left the apartment at 8:00
am (1 hr commute) and did not return until 10:00 or 11:00 pm on a
regular basis. All members of the lab also typically worked a short day
on Saturday (9:00-3:00). We were able to do a lot of sightseeing on the
weekends, and since unlike most other NSFers, we were based in the
Kansai area, it was really easy to go to Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe. We even
made it to Hiroshima, which was only a 2-hr train ride by Shinkansen and
were able to make the NSF/JISTEC trip to Lake Kawaguchiko and climb Mt
Fuji!

All in all, despite being really really tired, I had an incredible
summer with my husband. We have been warmly received and our experiences
here have far exceeded our original expectations. I return to the U.S.
with a fresh perspective, and genuine feelings for some of my Japanese
colleagues, and an optimistic attitude about future collaborations. It
truly has been a life changing experience!