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| Teamwork and Tanaka's Talent
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Shimadzu has high expectations for its latest model "AXIMA-QIT",
which has as its function, screening for ionized molecules at far greater
accuracy to enable in-depth analysis of biological macromolecules. Yet,
much of the technology used in the AXIMA-QIT derives from the research results
achieved by the Central Research Laboratory's laser team during the 1980s.
The successful development of a "laser ionization mass spectrometer"
was the result of teamwork. Just as Tanaka stressed at the press conference
on Oct. 9th after receiving the news of the Nobel Prize - the research that
brought about the immense innovation in structure analysis of biological
macromolecules was the combined effort of each member of the quintet laser
team. All agree that Tanaka's wonderful effort in the development of a sample
preparation method was a huge step forward for laser ionization mass spectrometry.
But, without superb technologies in areas such as the mass separator, the
detector, the electronic circuits and data processing, there would have
been no "world first" result.
And what of the relationship between Koichi Tanaka and the laser team? Team
leader Tamio Yoshida puts it this way. "All five of us developed every
piece of original equipment from mass separator and detector through to
measuring circuits. And I believe that our final success was due to the
fact that all the technologies were top class. Nevertheless, the ultimate
breakthrough was only made possible because of Tanaka's talent. Any average
researcher would probably have thrown away a ruined matrix or have labeled
the initial data as noise even if measurements had been conducted. No, I
am sure that Tanaka succeeded because his intuition told him that this sample
mixture was the right one. And to confirm his hunch, he went without sleep
and skipped meals to repeat the experiment over and over again. I, for my
part, can only take my hat off to such enthusiasm and perseverance."
Koichi Tanaka's Nobel Prize is the reward for his and the laser team's great
effort. For Shimadzu, the company that acquired such human resources and
walked hand in hand with such employees, the joy is limitless. Shimadzu
corporate philosophy is "Contributing to Society through Science and
Technology" and it is "mankind" that makes scientific technology.
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