熊本地震−6 2016.10.14

地震から6ヶ月  　

早いものであの地震から半年が経ちます。損壊した家屋の取り壊しが進み、周囲では空き地が目立つようになってきましたが、壊れたままの家も数多く残っています。発生研では、国からの復旧予算のおかげで、質量分析計、FACS、次世代シーケンサーなど損傷が大きかった機器が戻ってきました。10月からは自分たちの研究だけでなく、共同研究への質量分析支援も再開しました。今年度中にほとんどの機器が原状に復帰すると思います。またつい先日、建物の修復工事の目処がたちました。窓やエレベーターなど内部は年度内に、外壁は来年中には直していただけそうです。リエゾンラボ研究推進施設や事務部をはじめ、ご尽力いただいた方々に深く感謝いたします。

地震からの復旧過程で他の学部と緊密に連絡する必要が生じ、そのつながりを生かして、10/7には研究交流会が黒髪キャンパスで開催されました。 理学部、薬学部、医学部、発生研など多くの部局からPIが集まって６時間にわたって発表が行われました。11/7には、多大なご支援をいただいた理化学研究所から研究者をお招きして、ジョイントセミナーを開催します。  また発生研のラボ間の交流を促進するために、月１回の情報交換会を始めましたし、マウスリストも共有します。これらは今までなかった試みで、地震を契機に共同研究を促進してサイエンスを進めようという、転んでもただでは起きない我々の決意に基づいています。８月には次世代シーケンサー担当技術職員の西坂さん、９月には石黒准教授と新たなメンバーも迎えて、新生発生研が動き始めています。

全国の皆様からいただいたご寄付をもとに、研究機器の固定も進んでいます。試行錯誤の中から固定法に一定のパターンが生まれ、それを実例とともにまとめました。 地震はどこで起きるかわかりません。我々の経験を公開することで、少しでも次の被害を少なくすることができればと願っています。是非ご覧ください。また発生研災害対策マニュアルもリニューアルしました。 強調しておきたいのは、いざというときにその場を指揮するのはあなただということです。所長や教授陣は出張中かもしれないし、被災して来られないかもしれません。研究所に居合わせた人だけで地震、火災、怪我人に対処し、その状況を全所員に伝えてほしいのです。この元バージョンは５年前の東北地震の直後に作成したものです。今から振り返ると不十分だったとはいえ、私は常にカバンに入れていて、それがいざというときに役に立ちました。発生研の皆様も一読したらprintoutして持っていてください。次の災害が何であれ、被害を最小限に留めてサイエンスを前に進めねばなりません。そのための責任と覚悟を共有していただきたいのです。どうかよろしくお願いします。
あれから半年、よくここまで来ました。発生研を内外から支援していただいているすべての皆様に深く感謝いたします。そしてこれまで以上に熊本から優れたサイエンスを発信する所存です。今後ともよろしくお願い致します。

熊本大学発生医学研究所　所長
西中村　隆一

Six Months After the Earthquake: A Report from the IMEG. (Oct 14, 2016)

The six months since the earthquake have flown by so quickly. Though the demolition of damaged houses and vacant lots have become prominent, while many broken houses still remain. Thanks to the national restoration budget, we were able to repair the mass spectrometer, the FACS, and the next-generation sequencing machine, which were all significantly damaged. Starting in October, not only our own research, also mass analysis support for joint research has resumed, and most of the equipment may return to its original state by the end of this fiscal year. Also, we recently received word about the building renovations. Before the end of this fiscal year, indoor items such as windows and elevators should be fixed, and the outer wall is likely to be repaired sometime next year. We are deeply grateful to the people of the Liaison Laboratory Research Promotion Center (LILA) and other offices for their efforts.

During the restoration process after the earthquake, we needed to have close contact with other faculties. Taking advantage of this connection, a research exchange meeting was held on the Kurokami campus on October 7th. PIs from many faculties such as the Faculty of Science, the School of Pharmacy, the School of Medicine and IMEG gathered and presented their research over six hours. On November 7th, we will invite researchers from the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, which gave us a great deal of support, for a joint seminar. Furthermore, we started monthly information exchange meetings in in order to promote exchanges between IMEG labs. These are unprecedented collaborative attempts, and due to our determination to advance science through the promotion of joint research, which happened to be jumpstarted by the earthquake, we are trying to make the most out of a bad situation. To help us in that endeavor, IMEG has started adding new staff – Ms. Nishizaka, a technical staff member in charge of the next-generation sequencer began in August, and Associate Professor Ishiguro began in September.

Using the donations we received from everyone across the country, we are carrying out research equipment repair. We are discovering specific methods of earthquake-proofing through trial and error, and then record the methods complete with examples. No one knows when or where the next earthquake will occur, but by disseminating our experience to the public, we hope that it will possible to reduce the damage at least a little. In addition, the disaster recovery manual for IMEG has also been renewed. I would like to place an emphasis on the point that it might be you who will have to take command of an immediate area during an emergency. The director or professors might be away on business trips, or they themselves might be visited by disaster. Only those who happen to be in the laboratory will have to cope with earthquake/fire/injury and must convey the situation to all staff members. The previous version was created immediately after the Tohoku earthquake five years ago. Even though I didn’t think it was fully comprehensive, I always kept it nearby and it was very helpful during the emergency. I recommend that you print it out, read it, and keep it with you just in case. Whatever the next disaster, we must attempt to keep damage and injury to a minimum so that we may continue to make contributions to science. With that in mind, I hope that we have done our part to help you prepare for the next disaster you encounter. (Hopefully you won’t need it!)

Coming up on a half a year since that fateful day and I think we have done quite well. We very much appreciate the support we have received from everyone, and I feel that we are ready and willing, more than ever, to produce good science from Kumamoto. We very much appreciate your continued support and cooperation.

Director, IMEG, Kumamoto University
Ryuichi Nishinakamura