Citizen Public Lecture by Dr. Prabodha Kumar Meher at Aomori Rosai Hospital, Hachinohe, Japan

It was an exciting feeling for me to receive an invitation from Dr. Yasushi Mariya, Vice President, Department Chief of Radiation Oncology, Aomori Rosai Hospital in Hachinohe, Japan to deliver a citizen public talk on “Adverse effect smoking on Radiotherapy efficacy” at the satelight campus of Hirosaki University at Hachinohe on 21 September 2024.

A copy of the lecture announcement in Japanese circulated at Hachinohe for the citizens.
A Google translated version (though it has some mistakes) of  the lecture announcement.

Giving talks to the science students, scientists, and researchers are kind of a life I had experienced several times during various seminars and conferences. However, giving a citizen public talk was special. I highlighted the serious issue of smoking kills and how smoking cause deadly cancer in the human body. The most important point of my talk for the citizens was awaring them about the adverse effect of smoking on radiotherapy. I presented some of the latest research findings  from different studies. It was satisfying to answer several questions from the citizens from Hachinohe city. especially a couple of questions from older age (60+) persons. Their quest for proper knowledge and scientific information was remarkable and appreciable.

The Citizen public lecture was also special with the interesting talk by Prof. Andrzej Wojcik on “Biological Basis and Advances in Radiation Therapy” and “High-precision radiation therapy – Recent efforts” by Dr. Yasushi Mariya.

A photograph after the citizen public lecture at Hachinohe city, Japan. 21 September 2024. Left to Right: Dr. Prabodha Kumar Meher, Prof. Andrzej Wojcik, Dr. Yasushi Mariya, Prof. Satoru Mozen

The Japanese culture of humbleness and respect is something that is extraordinary to remember forever. Below is a copy of the appreciation certificate I received. The appreciation also included a memento from Aomori prefecture (not in picture).

Certificate of appreciation ✨️ 💖

The purpose of science is always to make life of common people better interms of knowledge and scientific tools. I am overwhelmed with the efforts of local press and news agencies taking into this. The event was well covered by local newspapers. Although it was surprising for me to see my picture in a japanese newspaper, this is also an extraordinary memory. The citizen pubic lecture was also widely circulated via the hospital’s website.

A cutout from the Japanese newspaper “To-oh Nippou” highlighting my talk and details about the citizen public lecture.
A Google translated version of the newspaper cutout (Translation has some mistakes!)

It was special and will always be a special one talk in my career. As a researcher, it made me feel good  that I interacted with common citizens of Aomori, young high school students from Japan school.

I must thank Prof. Andrzej Wojcik and Dr. Yasushi  for making this happen. Not to forget all your silent blessings as always. Thank you very much!✨️❤️🙏

Thank you  for reading. Please subscribe to my website to get email notifications on the latest posts. Take care!

Prabodha

Prabodha at the 5th SINFONIA Consortium Meeting at Heraklion, Crete, Greece.

I recently had the opportunity to travel Heraklion, Crete, Greece, for the 5th Consortium meeting of SINFONIA, which took place from June 27-28, 2024.

This gathering was significant for our ongoing research work, as it brought together all the SINFONIA partners to discuss the progress of our collaborative project on radiation risk appraisal. Our research focuses on understanding the detrimental effects of medical exposure during the management of patients with lymphoma,  brain or breast  tumors.

Within the SINFONIA consortium, I am part of Work Package 4 (WP-4) team where our primary research centers on individual sensitivity to radiation. It was a thrilling experience to see the advancements we have made and to engage in productive discussions with my WP-4 colleagues from Poland and Belgium. Meeting in person added a new energy to our collaboration, enhancing our ability to work together effectively. We are now in the process of compiling our results, and I am excited to share our findings with the broader scientific community and the public in the near future.

A photograph with my WP-4 team members: from left to right, Prabodha, Hans-Olof, Magda, Janus, Anne, Andrzej, Halina, Renu, and Lama.

Beyond the rigorous scientific discussions, the trip also offered some delightful experiences. The Mediterranean climate was perfect, the Greek cuisine was absolutely delicious, and the serene Amoudara beach provided a much-needed relaxation. These moments made my visit to Heraklion truly unforgettable. I plan to share some video clips of my trip on my YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@pkmvideojournal?si=Mxk8n_x8lfezn5oS) and photos on my other social media platforms (X, Instagram, Linkedin etc) . I hope you will check them out and enjoy them as much as I did.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. Stay well and keep smiling! 😊♥️✨️

-Prabodha

Prabodha at the RENEB General Assembly Meeting held at University College Dublin, Ireland.

I recently had the privilege of attending the RENEB (Running the European Network of Biological and retrospective Physical dosimetry) general assembly meeting during the European Radiation Protection Week 2023, held at University College Dublin in Dublin, Ireland.

Prabodha Kumar Meher (standing first in the first row from the left) with RENEB members during General Assembly meeting at University College Dublin, Ireland 09-13 October, 2023.

This event gathered scientists and researchers from different countries to discuss radiation biodosimetry, focusing on interlaboratory dose estimation on blinded samples and utilization of different biodosimetry assays. This is essential for ensuring consistent and reliable results, especially during radiation emergencies. Future exercises were also discussed to test and enhance our biodosimetry capabilities.

RENEB provides a fantastic platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing among experts, which is crucial for preparedness in radiation emergencies. Being part of this network has been an enriching experience, offering many learning opportunities and the chance to contribute to the field. I am grateful to be part of this dedicated network on radiation research. 

Thank you very much for reading! ❤️✨️

Keep smiling!😊

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Meeting NASA Astronaut Christopher L. Williams: A Memorable Experience at the International Conference on Radiation Research 2023

At the International Conference on Radiation Research 2023 held in Montréal, Canada, I had the incredible opportunity to attend a talk by NASA astronaut Christopher L. Williams. His journey from a medical physics researcher to an astronaut was truly inspiring. Christopher shared insights into his career progression and his ongoing rigorous preparation with the NASA team for upcoming space missions.

Prabodha Kumar Meher with NASA astronaut Christopher L Williams  Montréal,  Canada August 2023.

Listening to his experiences was really exciting, and his humility during the talk. At the end of his talk. I had the privilege of meeting him personally and congratulating him on his achievements. I also took the chance to ask him about his views on alien life and his potential reaction to encountering extraterrestrial beings. His responses were fascinating and thought-provoking.

Overall, meeting Christopher L. Williams was an enriching experience during my participation in the conference.

Continue reading “Meeting NASA Astronaut Christopher L. Williams: A Memorable Experience at the International Conference on Radiation Research 2023”

Prabodha featured at Stockholm University Newsletters

I received a WhatsApp image message from one of my friends, Trisha of Stockholm University she wrote “Prabodha aap toh chha gaye🤩🤭” I was wondering what has happened! I clicked on download the image…

Till the image is downloading… let me wishper in your ear. “Small small things in your life can bring a smile to your face during a tough time. Even though for temporary time, you should not let it go.”

So, let me describe this event a little elaborately here. It was the morning of Wednesday 09:22 of 21st February 2024. The image was downloaded. I saw my image in the header of the Stockholm University News letter. It brought an unconditional smile on my face. It is a photograph of me while working in the lab at Prof. Andrzej Wojcik group in the department of molecular biosciences. In the photograph there are also my colleagues Pamela, Milagrosa, Sergey, and Mostafa are seen at different camera focal lengths and angles. The link to the newsletter is here and a screenshot is below.

Photograph of Prabodha as seen in the employee newsletter of Stockholm University 21 Feb 2024.

I was so happy that Stockholm University is finding some of my pictures interesting and using them in their newsletter. In fact, this is the second time of this happiness. Stockholm University has already used some other photographs earlier, too, in their public news letter. Click here to read the other newsletter. In this photograph, Mila, me, and Pamela are seen together. A screenshot below from my instagram ( @pkm046 ) story.

I always feel science is fun, and everyone irrespective of their field should have access and understanding of the science. Though, nothing much I contributed directly to yet. But I am glad my photographs are trying hard to get the attention of people to read and update them about the latest happening around Stockholm University.

I am thankful to the Stockholm University media and publication department for selecting my photographs and making use of it for educational and promotional purposes. Thanks to all my colleagues and friends in this journey, too! More importantly, a lot of thanks to you for reading this and keeping in touch with me. Leave a comment below…

Take care! ❤️✨️