On October 10, when the weather finally felt like autumn with cooler mornings and evenings, four staff members from CiRA gave lectures on iPS cell research to 220 second-year students from six classes at Osumi Junior High School in Kyotanabe City, Kyoto Prefecture. After learning about the current state of iPS cell research and how iPS cells are being used, the students asked the lecturers various questions.

This event was organized as part of the "Research School for Developing Future Leaders Program" by the Kyoto Prefectural Board of Education to promote problem-solving learning.

The program started in the 2019 academic year and is designed to have students address unanswered questions throughout the year in collaboration with companies and universities in Kyoto Prefecture. From 2019 to 2021, CiRA members of the Uehiro Research Division for iPS Cell Ethics took the lead in implementing the program in collaboration with Terado Junior High School in Muko City. Since the 2022 academic year, the CiRA International Public Communications Office has been working with Osumi Junior High School to execute the program, asking students this one question: "How can we ensure peace of mind for patients receiving iPS cell-based treatments?"

The four lecturers were Professor Isao Asaka, Researcher Yasuhiro Yunoki, Researcher Mari Kamitani from the CiRA Foundation, and Specially-appointed Associate Professor Hiroyuki Wadahama, who coordinated this project.

One instructor from CiRA introduced the current state of iPS cell research to each class. The lecturers used the same PowerPoint slides and customized their talks by incorporating their specialized knowledge and experiences. In some classes, they showed videos demonstrating the process of collecting skin cells necessary for creating iPS cells to illustrate actual experiences that otherwise cannot be learned just by searching the Internet.

The students asked questions such as "Can it be used for treating baldness?" "Can iPS cells be used for weight loss?" and "Can it strengthen muscles?"

Going forward, the students will discuss the question in groups: "How can we ensure peace of mind for patients receiving iPS cell-based treatments?" It will be exciting to see what ideas they come up with.