Professor Sayuri Miyamoto and seven students from her research group participated in the Sakura Science Exchange Program, an initiative of the Japan Science and Technology Agency that supports young scientific talent. The program invites international students and researchers to Japan for short-term visits, providing them with the opportunity to experience the country’s cutting-edge science and technology. The exchange took place in December 2025.

“We took part in a schedule of intense and extremely enriching activities,” said Miyamoto, professor at the Instituto de Química of the Universidade de São Paulo (USP) and a member of the Research Center for Redox Processes in Biomedicine - RIDC Redoxoma.

The Brazilian group was hosted by Professor Toshiyuki Nakamura, from the University of Okayama, the program’s host researcher, who visited the Brazilian researcher’s laboratory in 2022. Throughout the week, participants had direct contact with advanced experimental techniques and interacted with Japanese researchers.

The scientific program included two days of experimental demonstrations and hands-on training in electrophysiology techniques, such as patch clamp, as well as fluorescence microscopy imaging. An academic seminar was also held with the participation of guest researchers, including Professor Junji Terao, Miyamoto’s former supervisor, during which the Brazilian students presented their work.

Cultural activities featured in the agenda included visits to the Korakuen Garden and the historic city of Kurashiki in Okayama, as well as to Itsukushima and the Peace Memorial in Hiroshima. Through these experiences, the program reinforces its goal of fostering scientific cooperation and cultural exchange among participants.

Established in 2014, the Sakura Science Exchange Program promotes short-term visits to Japanese universities and research centers to accelerate the international circulation of talent, foster sustained collaboration between Japanese and overseas institutions, and strengthen long-term global research networks. Since its inception, the program has welcomed thousands of students and researchers, initially from Asia and, since 2021, from all regions of the world.