I announced that I was ending this blog, yet here I am writing another post before the ink has even dried on those words. Looking at myself, I must admit I am not very consistent.
But this time, I truly will be taking a break for a while.
I stopped in Geneva for the EADV (European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology) meeting, and afterward came to Chamonix.
The plenary session on Friday featured a lecture by Professor Kenji Kabashima of Kyoto University. Standing before an audience of European dermatologists in the main hall, he delivered a truly commanding presentation. Since he is known for his enthusiasm for marathon running and trail running, his lectures often begin with slides related to those pursuits, and this time was no exception. He opened with a slide showing that he had completed the 100-mile UTMB (Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc) only two weeks earlier.
“This,” he joked, “is the highlight of today’s talk,” and the hall erupted in applause and laughter.
His lecture on skin immunity, making full use of iSALT and advanced 3D imaging, must have deeply impressed the audience. Though I wondered whether ordinary clinicians could fully keep up with it. Yet the endless stream of questions afterward showed just how powerful an impact the presentation had made.
Having attended EADV several times now, I have gradually become accustomed to navigating the enormous venue. Listening to lectures by world-leading scholars is enormously inspiring, but for someone like me it often feels like “casting pearls before swine.” I find myself thinking, “This is extraordinary,” while at the same time not truly understanding much of it because of my limited knowledge and language ability. My participation may, in the end, belong more to the realm of personal enthusiasm than professional competence.
Still, as Professor Kabashima and Professor Watanabe of Teikyo University often say, I believe ambitious young Japanese dermatologists should venture out more into the international arena and establish a stronger presence. If we remain satisfied within our own Galápagos-like isolation, even within Asia we may eventually be overtaken by countries such as China and Singapore. Japan has so many talented young physicians, and yet…
(Though perhaps some would say I should mind my own business.)
On Friday evening, I had dinner with a friend at Izumi, the restaurant on the top floor of the Four Seasons, accompanied by excellent wine. For someone like me, who usually eats alone on cheap local fare or instant noodles, it was a luxurious and memorable evening.
On Saturday afternoon, I left the conference venue and wandered through Geneva’s old town. Most major European cities take pride in their long traditions, and Geneva is no exception. Since I did not have much time, I passed by Rousseau’s house and instead visited the Museum of Art and History. That too was a luxurious moment for me.
(Though perhaps I should have been attending the conference more diligently.)
Afterward, I traveled by bus to Chamonix.
This post has already become rather long, so I will leave Chamonix for the next installment.
Postscript
One thing that particularly impressed me at this conference was the contribution Japanese physicians have made to medicine internationally.
I occasionally drop into the pediatric dermatology sessions because they are always rich in content and intellectually stimulating. This time, regardless of the specific topics, I was struck by how much Japanese researchers have contributed to the field. Genetics—especially concerning nevus syndromes—as well as pediatric emergency diseases, are consistently remarkable.
During the lectures, terms such as Kawasaki disease and the Nagayama spots appeared quite naturally. In infectious diseases, Professor Satoshi Ōmura’s ivermectin was also mentioned. Concepts such as regulatory T cells now appear almost routinely.
In a session on drug eruptions and viruses, I heard the abbreviation “DiHS” for the first time. In Europe, discussions of drug eruptions generally revolve around the term DRESS, and I had almost never heard the term DIHS used there. Once, at a medical meeting in Urayasu, I rather naively asked Professor Abe from Niigata why DIHS was not commonly used overseas. Looking back, I realize it was quite an unreasonable question, but despite appearing slightly troubled, he answered me very politely. If I remember correctly, he explained that “DRESS” simply sounds better phonetically, and also that, unlike in Japan, viral antibody titers are not so easily measured or widely available in some countries.
(Though I could not help privately suspecting there might also be a trace of French pride involved.)
Still, this time the term appeared not as DIHS but as “DiHS,” and the Japanese group’s work on viral reactivation and immune reconstitution was properly acknowledged.
Japanese physicians have contributed greatly to the world in this way. Yet hearing the concerns expressed by senior professors, I could not help wondering whether Japanese researchers will continue to play such a prominent role in the future. Alongside a sense of pride, I also felt a slight uneasiness about what lies ahead.
To be continued: Holiday in Chamonix(1)
English version prepared with AI assistance
(Originally written in Japanese)
Japanese version:
- Distant View of Geneva
- Distant View of Geneva
- Palexpo, the Venue of the 26th EADV Congress, Geneva
Conveniently located next to Geneva Cointrin International Airport
- Geneva Central Station (Gare Cornavin)
Less than ten minutes from the airport by train