By 住岡田莉茄 Rina SUMIOKADA

​

2025年10月19日(日曜日)に今年もCMESの研究室が集まってソフトボール大会が開催され、70名以上の方が参加してくれました！
On Sunday 19 October 2025, the CMES laboratories came together again this year for the annual softball tournament, this time attended by more than 70 people!

天気予報では昼過ぎから雨の予報で開催できるか不安もありましたが、みんなの思いが届いたのか試合終了まで雨は降らず、過ごしやすい気候で試合ができました。
The weather forecast predicted rain from mid-afternoon, so there was some anxiety about whether the event could be held, but everyone's hopes were answered because the sky cleared up, so the game was played in pleasant weather.

今年の結果は…

今年は惜しくも4位という結果にはなりましたが、ホームランが出たり、みんなバットにボールを当てて全速力で走ったりしました！守備でも好プレーがあり、勝つことはできませんでしたがとても良い試合でした。

たくさん応援の声が響き、みんな楽しく最後までプレーできていました⚾

Aaand this year's results...

It was a close fourth place, there were some home runs and everyone did hit the ball on the bat and ran as fast as they could! Although we didn't win, we did play well defensively. Overall, it was a very good game. 

There was a lot of cheering and everyone had fun playing to the end ⚾.

​また来年も力を合わせて楽しみましょう！
Let's join forces and have fun again next year!

​MEcoH continues to advance research on antimicrobials and the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the environment.
This is a pressing global challenge, and tackling it requires collaboration across disciplines and institutions.

​On 17 October, we were honoured to host Professor Ryo Honda from Kanazawa University, one of our key collaborators. During MEcoH’s weekly seminar, he delivered a talk titled “Fate of AMR of Wastewater Origin,” sharing his team’s latest findings and vision for understanding and addressing AMR. As a board member of both the Japan Wastewater Surveillance Association (JWWSA) and the Japan National Council for Promoting Wastewater Surveillance, Professor Honda’s insights were invaluable.

The main event took place on 18 October (Saturday) at the Ehime Medical Association Hall, where the Ehime One Health Research Association hosted a seminar themed “Antimicrobial Resistance.” Four presentations were featured, including one by MEcoH's Kenneth, translated by Professor Kozo, titled “Differences in Co-selection and Localization of Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence Genes among Acinetobacter Isolates from Patients, Pig Waste, and the Environment.” 

MEcoH remains firmly committed to the One Health approach—working to protect human, animal, and environmental health by preventing the loss of effectiveness of antimicrobial drugs and ultimately saving lives.

This is a problem at a global scale. We simply can't do this alone.  

So, let us pave a way and solve this thing together. Whether in the lab or over a meal.

By 佐藤佑紀 Yuki SATO 

​On August 28 and 29, Dr. Kozo Watanabe, Tetsu Kuzukawa (M1), Jomel (D1), and Yuki Sato (B4) participated in the research meeting and river survey of the Habitat Reincarnation Research Institute held in Kyoto.

At the research meeting on the 28th, we discussed research reports, information sharing, and future research policies with Dr. Yasuhiro Takemon (Osaka Metropolitan University), Dr. Sohei Kobayashi (Kyoto University), Dr. Shinji Takahashi (Tohoku University), and Dr. Mikio Kato (Osaka Metropolitan University).

​In the river survey on the 29th, we conducted surveys in the headwaters of the Kibune River in the upper reaches of the Kamo River, the Takano River, and the Kamo River. In the survey, we conducted a comparative survey of benthic animal communities at different points of sediment (gravel bottom and gravel bottom) and measured environmental parameters (water depth, flow velocity, water temperature, etc.).

​Through this research meeting and river survey, we were able to gain a variety of knowledge and experience through exchanges with Dr. Takemon and other professors. We will use what we learned this time to our future research and devote ourselves even more!

Diana Rose Mamawal recently joined MEcoH as a PhD candidate, bringing her research experience in microbial source tracking and antibiotic resistance involving ESBL-producing Escherichia coli. Originally from the Philippines, she holds a Bachelors in Science (BS) Biology from the University of Southeastern Philippines and a Master's in Microbiology from the University of the Philippines Diliman. For her master’s research, Diana focused on identifying sources of microbial eukaryotic contamination in a river system in Metro Manila using metagenomic approach.

Before joining MEcoH, Diana worked as a researcher at the Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines Diliman. There, she was involved in a project using 16S rRNA gene-based metagenomics to trace bacterial contamination in Manila Bay and its surrounding rivers. Currently, she is involved in a project focusing on identifying bacterial indicator species and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) for cross-sectoral comparison. The project aims to assess the spread of ARGs within the Chuyo region of Ehime Prefecture, contributing to a broader understanding of environmental antimicrobial resistance dynamics.