Every experience enriches life
Yu Toyoshima
（ Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences )
March 2012 PhD Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, the University of Tokyo. 2012-2013 Project Researcher, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, the University of Tokyo. 2013-July 2021 Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, the University of Tokyo. August 2021- Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, the University of Tokyo.
Q. What was your favorite subject as a child?
A. Home economics and science
I enjoyed making discoveries on my own through the process of building things or taking care of and observing insects.
Q. What were you interested in when you were in middle and high school?
A. Computers, video games, anime, music (J-POP, video game and anime soundtracks)
I was hooked on playing video games and listening to music on my computer. So much so that whenever my computer broke down, I wanted to fix it myself and researched it thoroughly. That sparked my interest in the mechanisms underlying computers and machines.
Q. What books or textbooks would you recommend to students?
A. Euler's Gift written by Takeshi Yoshida
It is written in clear language and is easy to understand. I felt it helped me intuitively grasp fundamental mathematical concepts. It taught me the valuable lesson of understanding and applying the same basic principles to different problems or approaching the same problem from different angles. It is in Japanese only; the title provided here is a loose translation to give an idea about what kind of book it is.
Q. What is your motto?
A. Every experience enriches life (and research) / My science/biology teachers in elementary, junior high, high school, and at university
Connecting various things that you are curious about leads to a world unique to you. My interest in biology and computers, combined with meeting wonderful science and biology teachers throughout elementary, middle, and high school, has led me to where I am today.
Q. What are your hobbies?
A. Music
I have always liked music, and now I enjoy listening to my kids share all the latest songs they have learned at daycare or school.
Q. When was your first love?
A. After I turned 30
I attended an all-boys junior high and high school, and the Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry at college was also very close to an all-boys environment. I think enjoying research also contributed to this.
Q. Do you consider yourself lucky?
A. YES
I had the good fortune to meet wonderful science and biology teachers in elementary, junior high, and high school, and college. I believe I am who I am today thanks to their support.
Q. What are your sources of inspiration?
A. Taking a bath or shower
Ideas often come to me when I am having a shower or taking a bath. I think my brain is subconsciously working on the problems that are on my mind and lets me know the answer when I am relaxed.
Q. Do you think aliens exist?
A. Yes
The universe is infinitely vast, so I believe they exist somewhere. I like science fiction, too, even though I am not sure existing aliens would be humanoid or possess intelligence.
Q. If you could be reincarnated, travel in time, or be reborn as an animal, which would you choose?
A. I would want to be reborn as a cat.
Because I could live a self-sufficient, carefree life.
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