Knut Woltjen（2023）

第4 期　特定准教授、在職期間（2013 年4 月〜2018 年3 月）
2018 年4 月より京都大学iPS 細胞研究所CiRA 准教授

　Dr. Knut Woltjen joined the Hakubi Center in 2013 as an Associate Professor. His research focuses on the fields of genetics and biotechnology, with a particular emphasis on induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and their applications in functional genomics and personalized medicine. He received his doctorate degree from the University of Calgary in Canada and served as a postdoctoral research fellow at Mount Sinai Hospital, Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, before joining Kyoto University. Currently, Dr. Woltjen serves as an Associate Professor at the Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University.

　What attracted Dr. Woltjen to the Hakubi Programis the diverse range of researchers from various disciplines, including life science, social science, and humanies, which provides an ideal environment to build his career. He believes that understanding humanity is crucial for scientists because of the essence of discipline. Science focuses on “possibility”, while social science examines the impact of certain activities on human beings. For instance, regarding the issue of reviving dinosaurs, scientists may inquire about how to revive dinosaurs, while social scientists are more interested in the impact of dinosaur revival on human beings. For a mature and responsible scholar, a comprehensive understanding of both perspectives is essential, and the Hakubi Center offers plenty of opportunities for dialogue with peers of diverse expertise.