On August 1, the CiRA Research Promoting Office organized the eighth event of the Career GPS seminar series, inviting guest speakers from the Swiss-based biotech company, MaxWell Biosystems: Co-Founder and CEO Urs Frey, Co-Founder and CCO Marie Engelene Obien, and Field Application Scientist Xiaohan Xue. The trio shared insights into their career paths and the journey of transforming academic research into a thriving global biotech company. In total, nearly 40 researchers and students participated in the career development and associated scientific seminars.

Frey and Obien—formerly Unit Leader and Research Scientist, respectively, at RIKEN—offered reflections on the company's founding and its evolution over its first decade. Xue provided an inside look at her role as a field application scientist, from supporting product development to attending international conferences and working closely with scientists to maximize their use of the company's technology.

During the Q&A session, attendees from CiRA and other Kyoto University departments engaged in a dynamic discussion on entrepreneurship in the life sciences. Topics ranged from the decision-making process behind launching a startup to strategies for building strong teams, cultivating company culture, and expanding into new markets. The seminar concluded with a networking session sponsored by the company, offering participants a chance to connect with the speakers in a more informal setting.

In conjunction with the seminar, a scientific session titled "Functional Characterization of iPSC-Derived Neuronal Networks and Organoids Using High-Density Microelectrode Arrays" introduced the company's high-density multielectrode array (HD-MEA) platform, which also included presentations by Researcher Tomoya Duenki (The University of Tokyo) and CiRA's Associate Professor Makoto Ikeya (Department of Clinical Application) to demonstrate how scientists are leveraging the system for their research.

The event was a valuable opportunity to inspire participants in their career development and scientific innovation.

Highlights from the career development and scientific seminars
with MaxWell Biosystems and other guest speakers.