Interview No.3　DAI YANCEN　生命理工学院

My name is Yancen DAI. I come from China and have obtained my bachelor’s and master’s degrees from China. Currently, I am a 3rd-year doctoral candidate just having done all the necessary documents for graduation. I usually spend my spare time listening to music (especially light music), watching dramas, and doing exercise. What I like the most about Tokyo Tech is its cherry blossom views on the Suzukake campus.

Research Outline

My research is about the development of immunosensor, called Quenchbody (Q-body) for the live-cell imaging of intracellular targets. Q-body technology was first created in our laboratory (Ueda-lab). It is made by labeling the antibody fragment with fluorescence dye(s). The dye is conjugated nearby the antigen binding site of the antibody. After labeling, the fluorescence of the dye is quenched while lighting up upon antigen-binding. Since the antibody has very high specificity and sensitivity to the corresponding antigen and the Q-body technology is widely applicable to most antibodies, Q-bodies used for the detection of various antigens have been successfully developed. Benefiting from these, the Q-body technology is expected to overcome the current challenges of dynamic imaging of intracellular targets. In my research, a new Q-body probe (called C11_Fab Q-body) showing antigen-dependent response and a switchable (on-off) fluorescent signaling, enabling the visualization and sorting of cells expressing p53, a tumor suppressor biomarker protein was successfully developed. This research demonstrates the potential of Q-bodies in live cell imaging for better visualization of dynamical intracellular changes and provides an approach for intracellular antigen-specific sorting of live cells using a Q-body.

Anything is possible as long as you try your best

It is my great pleasure to have a chance to study at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. And I appreciate the financial support from “Cross the border! Tokyo Tech Pioneering Doctoral Research Project” which largely reduced my burden and let me fully involved in my research in the 3rd year of my doctoral course. I am also deeply thankful to the people who helped me get the chance to study at Tokyo Tech and who assisted me to get my Ph.D. degree. I have crossed a lot in my study field from agriculture (bachelor’s degree majoring in aquaculture) to science (master’s degree majoring in biology). Now I am going to obtain my Ph.D. degree in engineering (majoring in protein engineering). I have never thought about I will get a Ph.D. degree and studying abroad someday when I was an undergraduate student because I was bad at English (I even failed my English language test) and was scared of speaking in front of the audience. I could not imagine that I will get a Ph.D. degree and write my thesis in English. There was a lot of hard time and difficulties before and after enrolling in Tokyo Tech. But finally, I made it. Here, I would like to talk about my experience gained on the way to obtaining my doctoral degree by employing some famous quotes. And I would like to tell some suggestions while doing academic research.

If you try, you might fail. But if you don’t try, you’ll never succeed. And anything is possible as long as you try your best. I knew these quotes when I was very young from my mathematics teacher. But I have never felt about the truth of them until recent years. At that time, I was not confident, usually underestimate myself, and fare of fail when I face challenges or meet some opportunities. Therefore, I barely felt a sense of achievement and then become depressed. I was only admitted to a normal-level university and forced to choose a major I don’t like. I failed an English test and I was depressed myself when I was an undergraduate student. Until I met the best friend of my life in a club. He told me about his experience of how he built up his confidence and his growth journey from the scare of speech in front of others to enjoy it. The main point is whenever you get a chance, please try your best and be prepared to accept the worst result then get fully involved in it. In this case, even if you failed, you still can learn a lot of experience and knowledge during the process. Someday, you will finally get great progress.

About doing academic research, here I would like to share this Japanese quote, “本気ですれば大抵のことができる。 本気ですれば何でもおもしろい。 本気でしていると誰かが助けてくれる”. I first heard this quote from my academic supervisor in our lab orientation. As mentioned before, my research field during my master’s course was totally different from what I am doing during my doctoral project. Although I don’t have much background knowledge about my research field at the very beginning, once I decided on my research project, I will fully dedicate myself to it. Therefore, I can get my Ph.D. degree smoothly with some delightful achievements. So, I think if one made a decision or made a goal, please be fully involved in it and be positive. Finally, you can achieve what you are pursuing.

Besides, I feel it is important to try to find out the possible reason and/or solution by yourself first whenever you met any problems in your research, then discuss them with your supervisor. It may help you to build up your ability of problem-solving and critical thinking. Last but not the least, be initiative to report your research progress to your supervisor regularly. It may help you avoid detours.

Message

Getting a Ph.D. degree is not one’s final purpose in life. The important thing is to learn from experiences during the journey of pursuit. I hope all adopters of Cross the border! Tokyo Tech Pioneering Doctoral Research Project can fully enjoy their doctoral study life, catch every cherished opportunity, and have fruitful achievements. For the applicants of this project, please actively apply for this project, don’t be afraid to fail your application. As I mentioned before, if you try, you might fail. But if you don’t try, you’ll never succeed. Please take this opportunity to succeed.