This research aimed to analyze the DNA sequences of resistance genes, including acetylcholinesterase, and to infer, from patterns of DNA variation, the selective pressures exerted by insecticides in the field as well as the natural selection pressures acting during population growth and under field environmental conditions. This was a topic that I personally found very interesting, and I believe it was well worth investigating. However, as I mentioned earlier, I was unfortunately unable to obtain the fellowship. After my former advisor at the University of Tsukuba retired, I returned to my parents’ house and waited for the results of my application. During that time, I studied German as hard as I could, believing that I had already been accepted. Although I had never been very good at languages, I studied hard because I wanted to be able to at least manage everyday conversation. In the end, however, my application was rejected. I was deeply shocked and could not recover from the disappointment for quite some time. In the end, I was unable to carry out the research plan I had submitted at that time, and that is how I have arrived where I am today. I feel very sorry toward the professor and the researchers in Munich who gave me so much advice and devoted so much time to me. I am also deeply disappointed that I was unable to move my research forward myself, but I believe that this was ultimately due to my own lack of ability.
(translated version of the post on November 14, 2021)
アセチルコリンエステラーゼをはじめとする抵抗性遺伝子の塩基配列を解析していき、それによって明らかにされたDNAの変異のパターンから、野外における殺虫剤による選択圧と、それと同時に集団の増加過程や野外での環境条件の下ではたらいている自然選択圧の影響についての洞察を得ていくことを目的とする研究は、私自身大変興味がある問題でしたし、研究するだけの意義も大いにあっただろうと思います。しかしながら、先ほども触れましたように、残念ながらフェロ―シップを取ることはできませんでした。筑波大学でお世話になっていた指導教官が定年で退官され、私も実家に戻って応募していたフェローシップの結果を待っていた間、もうすでにアクセプトされたつもりで、一生懸命にドイツ語の勉強をしていました。せめて日常の会話ぐらいはと思って、語学が苦手な私にしては一生懸命に勉強していたつもりだったのですが、結局却下されてしまい、しばらくショックで立ち直れませんでした。結局、このとき提出した研究計画を実行することができず今日まで来てしまいました。いろいろとご示唆をいただき、ミュンヘンでお時間を頂戴した先生方には大変申し訳なく思うとともに、私自身研究を進めることができずとても残念ではありますが、これも私の力が足りなかったためなのだろうと思います。
(2021年11月14日のポストを再掲）