At Institute of Industrial Science of The University of Tokyo (UTokyo-IIS), all professors, associate professors and lecturers independently lead their own laboratories. When Yoshiho Ikeuchi joined UTokyo-IIS as a lecturer in 2014, he sat alone in his newly established lab and was carefully mapping out his future research plans. One day, he received a visit from Jiro Kawada, a postdoctoral researcher at UTokyo-IIS who aspired to develop medication for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Together, they launched a research project that merged neuroscience and engineering, which eventually lead to the biotech startup Jiksak Bioengineering.

Eight years have passed since the company’s founding. The young CEO Jiro Kawada is devoted wholeheartedly to drug discovery, and Professor Yoshiho Ikeuchi works alongside him as a technical advisor while also continuing his academic research. Their conversation hinted at a wide range of career possibilities, not only for PhD holders but also for those with master’s and bachelor’s degrees.

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To reach the goal as quickly as possible:

――Jiro, when did you decide to start your own company?

Jiro: I’m not sure when exactly it was, but by the time I visited Yoshiho, I had already made up my mind to start a company.

Yoshiho: Jiro was already determined to start a company from the moment we met. Jiro came to see me at a time when my lab had nothing but a desk and a chair. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Then, Jiro walked in and said, “Hello. You have published a few interesting papers about axons.” I remember thinking, “What an interesting guy.” At least in Japan, it’s rare for someone to just burst in like that, so Jiro left an impression on me.

Jiro: I showed up all of a sudden without even making an appointment by email. That just shows how little social sense I had.

Yoshiho: I like the momentum, though. Many people struggle to gain that much drive.

Jiro: That’s probably true. In fact, when launching a start-up company and seeking funding, you can’t make progress unless you shrug off many rejection and just move on to the next opportunity. That kind of determination was essential in raising capital, so in a way, my lack of formal politeness actually worked to my advantage.

Yoshiho: Oh, you were perfectly polite! (laughs) Nothing to worry about there.

Laughter fills the room as Jiro and Yoshiho continue to talk.

――Jiro, why did you decide to start your own company?

Jiro: It’s really quite simple. I realized that if I truly wanted to discover a treatment for ALS, this was the only way. In academia, you can eventually have your own lab and take the lead in the kind of research you envision––but you can only secure a job position like that after publishing numerous papers and accumulating achievements. My sole focus was on putting research findings into practical use and developing a treatment for ALS, so I figured that moving into the industrial side early on would speed up the research process.

My research happened to be linked to developing a treatment for ALS, and I saw before me a path that no one had yet ventured down.

So, I resolved to take the leap—with the mindset that even if I hit the bottom, it would have been worth it.

Collaboration with startups inspires researchers

――How has your relationship developed since founding the company?

Jiro: Yoshiho also serves as our technical advisor, and I regularly seek his advice on a wide range of matters.

Yoshiho: “Advice” in this context is really just our usual discussions about research. Actually both Jiro and his co-founder Nori Yumoto have strong basic researcher background and mindset. Plus, they also see things differently than academic researchers, which gives me an opportunity to learn different views from them. When I talk with Jiro, I can learn how trends and goals of the biomedical industries are constantly evolving. This gives me broader views outside of my research field.

――Jiro, what challenges do you face in your position that differs from that of a researcher?

Jiro: Not being able to pursue the research I personally want to do is definitely a downside. Our company is currently engaged in drug discovery, but the core technology that led to its founding is something we call Nerve organoid™—tissue made up of bundles of axons formed from neurons derived from human iPS cells. In fact, as a personal interest, I’ve long wanted to create a Nerve organoid™ using giraffe cells.

――What!? Giraffe cells?

Yoshiho: Well, giraffe necks are so long, and their axons can extend several meters. Reproducing such long axons in a dish would be difficult, but it certainly sounds like a fascinating challenge.

Jiro: Yeah, no joke—scientifically speaking, researching giraffe axons would be absolutely fascinating. The ability to maintain and control such long motor neurons is amazing, so uncovering their mechanisms could provide insights that lead to new treatments. Still, I can’t exactly pursue personal interests or projects with low commercial viability like that within the company (laughs). As a company leader, there are many challenges I’m still getting used to, but the joy of seeing the goals I set at the time of founding gradually come within reach more than makes up for any difficulties. We’ve finally arrived at the stage where we can fully begin our project to develop a drug for ALS. Honestly, it may have taken us longer than we had hoped to reach this point, but it’s a plan we’ve carefully refined over time. Launching this venture is what has enabled us to take on the challenge of drug discovery, so I genuinely feel glad to have chosen this path.

Putting what you want to do at the top of life’s priorities

――Jiro, when you decided to start the company, didn’t you feel anxious about the possibility of failure?

Jiro: People still ask me that even now, but my mindset was, “If it doesn’t work out, I can always go back and live with my parents.” Of course, there are financial concerns, but if I return home, I’ll manage to get by somehow. More importantly, though, my highest priority in life is to do what I truly want to do. Developing medication for ALS is at the very top of my life’s priorities. So, whenever I’m not doing something toward that goal, it feels like wasted time. I would hate to look back one day and think, “I didn’t make any lasting achievements in my life.”

――There still aren’t many people who start their own business after earning a doctoral degree in Japan, are there?

Jiro: That’s true. I believe that those with a doctoral degree have far more potential than is currently being tapped, and I want to help them broaden their possibilities. The traditional path is, of course, to become an academic researcher at a university or public research institution. Then also many companies hire people with PhD. However, there are definitely many other places where people with a doctoral degree would be able to take on a diverse range of roles––and the more such opportunities there are, the more people there will be who pursue a doctoral degree. It would be wonderful if we could demonstrate that launching a venture is a viable option in Japan. Of course, if we’re going to serve as that example, failure simply isn’t an option.

Yoshiho: Sometimes here, undergrad students go on to a master course without really thinking about what career paths are out there. I would like the way postdoctoral careers are structured to be changed some degree, and I feel that UTokyo-IIS has the potential to do that.

Jiro: I don’t think it’s necessary to go straight into a doctoral program right after finishing your undergraduate or master’s degree. You can step out into the workforce first, and then come back to study again when you feel the need to, which is perfectly normal and common in the US. For instance, if––at the age of forty––you suddenly want to take on the challenge of developing a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, there’s nothing wrong with going back to university and entering a doctoral program at that time. When you establish a clear sense of vision and purpose, you learn things much more quickly. When people with diverse backgrounds enter a research environment, it inspires and energizes those around them. Someday, I’d like to take part in career education programs for doctoral students.

Yoshiho: Encouraging people to return to university for further study indeed is a good idea. But I’m not sure that education alone can solve the current issues. Providing the right environment is equally important—places where people with similar aspirations can learn and inspire one another.

――Lastly, could you share a message for graduate students and researchers who are interested in starting a business but are still unsure about taking the leap?

Jiro: I think people who hesitate are often just overthinking it. In my case, when I learned that tens of thousands of people were suffering from ALS, I simply decided, “Okay, then, let’s create a treatment!” You can experience the joy of research and learn how to conduct business as you move forward toward your goal.

Yoshiho: It’s true that Jiro decided from the very beginning to launch a venture and contribute to society, but just as important was his deep interest and experience in science—particularly in fields of tissue engineering and disease mechanisms. I believe the key is to unleash your passion for science and persevere with determination. We would be always happy to help people with that kind of drive.

――Thank you very much. I look forward to seeing both of you continue to succeed in the future.

In Ikeuchi laboratory, together with lab members present during the interview.

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Related Link> Jiksak Bioengineering, Inc.