An interview with Kenichi Shimada, a pharmacology researcher at Harvard Medical School, about Japan’s exam-oriented English education, the use of English by scientists in the natural sciences, and the mindset essential for effective intercultural communication.
嶋田 健一 Kenichi Shimada
A postdoctoral researcher in pharmacology at Harvard Medical School. His work addresses the serious risks of drug-induced organ damage, which can occur when medicines that treat illnesses inadvertently harm organs such as the liver. If undetected, such damage can lead to complete loss of organ function—a condition for which no cure currently exists. Drawing on biology, chemistry, and information science, he investigates diseases caused by these forms of drug toxicity.
Originally from Tokyo, he spent four years in the Netherlands during elementary school due to his father’s work assignment, attending a Japanese school there and thus not acquiring English. After completing his education in Japan through the master’s level, he made a decisive move in 2006 to begin a Ph.D. program at Columbia University in New York. He earned his doctorate with research on anticancer drugs and has been in his current position since 2015.
Kenichi is a PhD researcher at Harvard Medical School. About half of his time is spent in the lab, conducting experiments such as administering drugs to mice, while the other half involves analyzing large datasets, often referred to as “big data.” His research focuses on studying drug-induced liver side effects, aiming to find ways to treat serious liver conditions like cirrhosis. He clarifies that, unlike a medical doctor, he conducts basic medical research and does not treat patients directly.
Kenichi first encountered English between ages 6 and 10 while living in the Netherlands due to his father’s work. He attended a Japanese school, following the Japanese curriculum, but observed English in daily interactions with his parents and locals. Weekly English lessons at school were simple and motivational, teaching songs and greetings rather than full language comprehension. After returning to Japan, he largely lost contact with English until middle school, though he remained intrigued by his younger sister, who attended an English-speaking school and became fluent.
In middle and high school, Kenichi attended English cram schools, largely under his mother’s guidance. His early exposure to English was primarily academic, focused on grammar, sentence parsing, and reading for exams, rather than practical communication. He notes that Japanese exam-focused English training rarely leads to real-life conversational skills.
Kenichi’s perception of English changed in university, when he traveled alone in Asia with limited funds. He deliberately placed himself in situations where English was necessary to navigate and survive, experiencing firsthand the difference between studying English and using it practically. He realized that conveying essential meaning in English requires simplifying thoughts and that his existing skills were sufficient for practical communication, though distinct from Japanese fluency.
These travel experiences, combined with his admiration for experts in various fields, fueled Kenichi’s desire to study abroad. He felt confident despite limited language skills, motivated by research opportunities and the chance to engage fully in an English-speaking environment. Upon arrival in the U.S., he faced intense language challenges but leveraged his prior knowledge in biology and his natural tendency to ask questions to adapt quickly.
Kenichi emphasizes the importance of asking questions early, even at the risk of temporary embarrassment. In his first year, he actively clarified points in class, using the understanding that “listening now prevents larger problems later.” He intentionally asked seemingly “silly” questions to signal his language level and integrate smoothly into the community, learning to balance immediate understanding with long-term participation.
Kenichi found it invaluable to initially work with long-term non-native English speakers. This eased his adaptation, provided emotional support, and helped him gain confidence before transitioning to a lab dominated by native English speakers. The staged exposure prevented early discouragement and facilitated gradual adjustment to a challenging environment.
Kenichi highlights that effective communication in English, especially in academic settings, requires repeatedly checking understanding. It is essential to prioritize comprehension over fear of interrupting, since accurately grasping questions allows researchers to provide precise answers. He stresses that English fluency is less important than ensuring mutual understanding and engaging in the communication process.
