Mansfield-PhRMA Research Scholars

The fifth group of Mansfield-PhRMA Research Scholars returned to Japan September 23 after a two-week U.S. study tour that provided a comprehensive look at the U.S. ecosystem for fostering translational research.  The tour began in Washington, D.C., where the eight young researchers from Japan’s pharmaceutical research community met with healthcare policy and regulatory affairs experts and analysts from research institutes, the United States Senate, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the National Institutes of Health.  The tour continued in Philadelphia, where the group met with specialists from Janssen Research & Development, the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, and Penn Center for Precision Medicine.  The program concluded with a week in Boston, reflecting that city’s importance as a center for U.S. biotech and pharmaceutical industries and research. There the group toured pharmaceutical labs and research centers, met with experts working on clinical trials, and visited Harvard Catalyst, the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Broad Institute.  Upon their return to Japan, the highly accomplished researchers who participate in this program are encouraged to collaborate and cultivate new ideas with their colleagues and others and contribute to discussions on medical innovation in Japan.  The Mansfield-PhRMA Research Scholars Program was launched in 2013 and is sponsored by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).