Nikken International Chairman Emeritus Mr. Toshizo (Tom) Watanabe is a Founding Member and Managing Director of the Magnetic Health Science Foundation (left). He is pictured with Dr. Makoto Kotani, President of the Magnetic Health Science Foundation (middle), and Mr. Yoji Takeuchi, President of Nikken Japan.

The Magnetic Health Science Foundation held its 24^th Research Grant Presentation Ceremony and Academic Lecture in Tokyo in March of this year. Among 22 applicants, 12 studies were selected for research grants totaling approximately 10 million yen.

Guest Lecturer Takenori Uozumia, Director of the Dementia Center at the University of Occupational Environmental Health presented on “The Usefulness of Magnetic Stimulation for Dementia.” His talk focused on the combination of drug therapy and noninvasive repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy as a possible means of improving cognitive function in the early stage of dementia.

Examples of studies selected for grants include the effects of light and magnetic exposure on enzyme activities, the effects of magnetic stimulation on motor function after stroke, magnetic biosensing through skin, and repetitive magnetic stimulation for the prevention and therapy of essential hypertension. Grants fell into the categories of “Basic Research,” “Application Research” and “Specific Research.”

Basic Research grant recipients are Associate Professor Yoko Akiyama of the Graduate School of Engineering at Osaka University and Associate Professor Yoshihisa Fujiwara of the Graduate School of Science at Hiroshima University.

Application Research grant recipients are Research Associate Kenta Fujimura of the School of Health Sciences at Fujita Health University, Professor Naoki Ohmiya of the Department of Gastroenterology at Fujita Health University, Assistant Professor Yuichiro Shirota of the Department of Neurology at the University of Tokyo Hospital, Professor Katsuo Usuda of the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Kanazawa Medical University, Doctoral candidate Masataka Tanaka of the Department of Neurosurgery at Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Visiting Research Fellow Kazuyori Yagyu of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Senior Lecturer Junya Fujino of the Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research at Showa University and Professor Yoshitaka Kitamoto of the Department of Innovative and Engineered Materials at the Tokyo Institute of Technology.

Specific Research grant recipients are Professor Hikari Kirimoto of the Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences at Hiroshima University and Associate Professor Katsuhiko Hata of the Department of Sports and Medical Science at Kokushikan University.

Congratulations are due to all 2018 grant recipients and we look forward to their new findings in Magnetic Health Science.