Have you kindly visited the Japanese version of the home page of the 43rd annual meeting of the MBSJ (MBSJ2020; https://www2.aeplan.co.jp/mbsj2020/)? If not, please take a look. What do you imagine the design presents? You might associate it with The Kobe Luminarie, which is a signature winter event of the Kobe region, or a snowy sky through stained glass. The design actually represents Mandalas, which are symbols of fusion and unity, expressing that the universe and people are fundamentally linked. In every MBSJ annual meeting, participants are exposed to torrents of questions, approaches, and data, all of which relate to the rich profusion of basic life sciences. The impression of the meeting might be a “kaleidoscopic view” where individual reflections are eye-grabbing, but potentially confusing to scientists from different fields. However, it has been the unwavering mission of our society to strike creative sparks along the borders of distinct fields and methodologies, making unifying breakthroughs. Realizing such “Mandalas” is a vast undertaking, far beyond the scope of a single meeting; yet I hope that MBSJ2020 will continue pursuing that ultimate goal. In that spirit, we welcome you to bring new and/or revitalized perspectives to the 43rd annual meeting.
