This past weekend, three Medical School students from Keio University, in Japan, came to PUCRS and at the Brain Institute of RS. They came to Brazil through the IMA-KEIO program, Keio University’s International Medical Association, and were welcomed by InsCer’s Superintendent for Teaching, Research, Development and Innovation, Dr. Douglas Sato. The University’s Office of International Cooperation also assisted in designing the program of the visit which included Cultura Square, the Main Library and the Science and Technology Museum.

On Sunday, Prof. Jin Nakahara joined the trio and had a dinner with Dr. Yukio Moriguchi, Emeritus Professor of PUCRS and founder of the Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology. Prof. Moriguchi is a former Keio University alumnus and was thrilled to interact with students from the same university he got his degree from. The dinner was also attended by neurologist Bruna Klein da Costa and Rafael Sommer, 4th year Medical School student at PUCRS and BraIns student. Sommer did research at the institute in collaboration with Nakahara.

The Japanese students have been in Brazil for a month. They are among the large number of exchange students of the Japanese university who travel all over Brazil to find out about medical practices, especially in indigenous and poor regions. The students have been to Manaus, Brasilia, Cuiabá and Dourados. After their visit to Porto Alegre, they will spend a couple of days in São Paulo before returning to Japan.

“Students were impressed by some of the technology features of the PUCRS Campus, the interactive nature of the Museum, and BraIns’ infrastructure for research and assistance. They commended the University’s efforts in providing students with wellness areas and were excited that Keio University students will have the chance to come to PUCRS in the near future”, Douglas Sato says.