Figure 1. Participants of the FFUI International Guest Lecture with speaker Prof. Mitsuyasu Kato from the University of Tsukuba.
Depok, July 15, 2026 – The Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Indonesia (FFUI) once again held an International Guest Lecture as part of the faculty's commitment to providing globally-minded learning for its academic community. The activity, which was held online via Zoom Meeting on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, presented Prof. Mitsuyasu Kato, Adjunct Professor of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Indonesia from the University of Tsukuba, Japan, as a resource person with the topic "TGF-β Signaling and Stem Cell Dynamics in Breast Cancer Growth." This international guest lecture was attended by more than 100 participants consisting of lecturers, students, researchers, and participants from various institutions outside the Faculty of Pharmacy, UI.
In the introductory session, Prof. Mitsuyasu Kato was introduced as an Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Indonesia, originally from the University of Tsukuba, Japan. His presence is part of FFUI's strengthening of international collaboration in education, research, and academic capacity development, while also providing an opportunity for students and faculty to gain firsthand perspectives from researchers actively working globally.
Figure 2. Presentation session by Prof. Kato.
In the lecture, Prof. Kato discussed the role of Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGF-β) as a signaling pathway that plays a crucial role in breast cancer development. He explained that TGF-β has complex characteristics, acting as a suppressor of cancer cell growth in the early stages of disease development, but under certain conditions, it can also support cancer progression by increasing the ability of tumor cells to invade and spread.
In addition to discussing the TGF-β mechanism, Prof. Kato also explained the dynamics of cancer stem cells, which play a role in tumor growth, disease recurrence, and resistance to therapy. He believes that understanding the interaction between the TGF-β signaling pathway and cancer stem cell dynamics is key to developing more effective and targeted cancer therapy strategies in the future.
During the presentation, participants gained an overview of the latest research developments in the molecular biology of cancer, including the importance of a multidisciplinary approach integrating pharmacology, pathology, cell biology, and medicine in understanding disease mechanisms and developing innovative therapies. The presentation also emphasized how basic research can lay the foundation for the development of more precision medicine.
Figure 3. Discussion session with participants.
The discussion session was interactive and enthusiastic. Lecturers, students, and participants from various institutions raised various questions regarding the molecular mechanisms of breast cancer, the potential for developing TGF-β pathway-based therapies, and the challenges of translating laboratory research findings into clinical practice. The high level of participation demonstrated the strong interest in the ever-growing development of cancer and biomedical research.
Through this International Guest Lecture, the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Indonesia, reaffirms its commitment to providing an international-standard learning experience for its academic community. The presence of Prof. Mitsuyasu Kato, an Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tsukuba, is expected to further strengthen FFUI's international collaboration network and encourage innovation and research that will contribute to the future development of pharmaceutical, biomedical, and health sciences.