Chiara Folland the 2023 Harry Perkins Aspire Award Recipient shares her experience from The Joint Conference of the JMS-AOMC in Nara, Japan.

Nara is a picturesque city, and I was lucky to arrive early, allowing time to explore its many attractions.

One of the highlights was Nara Park, renowned for its cultural landmarks, including the Todai-ji Temple, which houses the magnificent Nara Great Buddha.

The park is also famous for its 1,200 sacred deer, which are Japan’s version of Rottnest Island’s quokkas—adorable, a little mischievous, and ideal for selfies.

Like many visitors, I bought special wafer biscuits from local vendors to feed the deer. However, I soon learned that this experience is not for the faint-hearted; the deer can swarm, head-butt, and even bite if they sense you have food!

The conference took place at the Nara Prefectural Convention Centre.

I was honoured to have been shortlisted for the Young Investigator Award and presented my research on implementing STRipy for high-throughput screening of STR expansions in a diagnostic setting.

Alongside me, four candidates from Japan, China, and Hong Kong delivered outstanding presentations on various aspects of molecular analysis in muscle diseases.

I had the opportunity to engage in valuable discussions with researchers interested in applying STRipy to their genomic datasets to identify STR expansions.

One of the standout presentations came from Dr. Matthew Watts of the Ministry of Health and University of Sydney, Australia.

He spoke about the insect microsporidian Anncaliia algerae, which causes fatal myositis in immunosuppressed patients.

Dr. Watt’s presentation was unlike others at the conference, as it focused on muscle disease acquired by infectious disease.

He emphasised the vulnerability of Australia’s east coast to Anncaliia algerae infection, particularly in areas reliant on rainwater systems, especially in rural and semi-rural communities.

I found his presentation particularly engaging, as it pointed to public health measures that could prevent further transmission.

Dr. Watts had already been in discussions with local and state governments to address rainwater quality concerns.

A memorable conclusion to the conference was the Networking Dinner.

We enjoyed a traditional Japanese live performance and were even guided through the steps of a customary dance, offering a delightful glimpse into Japanese culture and a wonderful way to end the event.