My name is Naoki Nakashima, and I was appointed as a professor in the Department of Medical Informatics on December 1, 2023. 

　After graduating from Kyushu University School of Medicine in 1987, I worked in the inpatient wards　for clinical training, and in the Diabetic Research Laboratory of the Third Department of Internal Medicine at Kyushu University to study genetic diabetes and intracellular insulin signaling. I also stayed at the University of California in San Diego from 1996 to 1999 as a post-doctoral fellow. After returning to Japan, I was shocked by the announcement of the Ministry of Health and Welfare about the low rate of patients with diabetes visiting clinics (<50%). I moved to the Division of Medical Informatics (which was reorganized to the Medical Information Center [MIC] later) of Kyushu University Hospital to study population management using information technology. Since 2014, I have been appointed as a director/professor of MIC. The Department of Medical Informatics, Graduate School of Medicine, was restored in 2023 by the stream of data/digital society after its stagnation since 2008, so I moved to become a professor there.

　At Kyushu University School of Medicine, we are responsible for the broad field of medical informatics from statistics to digital health. We aim to develop a human resource that promotes digital transformation in the healthcare field. Thus, we need interdisciplinary/international viewpoints and knowledge, and we appreciate your support and collaboration.