We're pleased to welcome Professor Janice Tsoh, who has joined Toho University Faculty of Medicine as a Visiting Professor since July 2023.  She is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine in the United States of America. Prof. Janice Tsoh’s tenure with our Departments of Neuropsychiatry, Psychiatry and Implementation Science is supported by an invitational fellowship for research from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), a prestigious award granted to both Prof. Takahiro Nemoto and Prof. Janice Tsoh to support their collaborative research at Toho University. 
 

  As a clinical psychologist providing patient care at UCSF Health with expertise in behavioral medicine and immigrant mental health, and Co-Director of the Asian American Research Center on Health (AsianARCH.org), Prof. Tsoh is dedicated to advancing health equity in underserved populations. Prof. Tsoh has over 140 peer-reviewed publications.  Her research focuses on bridging the gap between laboratory findings and real-world health promotion across a number of areas and populations. Some examples of Prof. Tsoh’s ongoing research projects in America include pioneering digital and telehealth patient education initiatives addressing tobacco use among cancer patients, and leading an implementation trial using text messaging and lay health worker outreach to promote emotional wellness among Asian Americans living in California. She is also one of the principal investigators co-leading the CARE research registry funded by the National Institute on Aging, championing Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities’ representation and engagement in health research.
 

  During her 10-month tenure at Toho University, she will focus on immigrant mental health research, collaborating with Prof. Nemoto and some of our esteemed colleagues such as Dr. Eriko Fukui, Dr. Youji Takubo, and Dr. Takashi Uchino.  They are conducting two exciting projects. The first delves into early treatment discontinuation of mental health services among foreign patients, utilizing medical record data from 3 hospitals including Toho University Medical Center. The second project involves conducting a multilingual survey in English, Japanese, and Chinese, aiming at unraveling foreign residents' physical and mental well-being, satisfaction, and specific needs. The shared goal of these research studies is to advance mental health equity among our growing international resident population in Japan. Findings from these studies will offer new knowledge to guide effective integration of social resources to meet the evolving mental health needs among international residents in Japan and beyond.
 

  Prof. Tsoh and her husband are proud parents of their two sons.  She and her family has embraced the vibrant culture of Japan, indulging in Japanese cuisine and the joy of exploration through travel, hiking, and culinary adventures. Her quest to embrace local culture extends to learning the Japanese language, with phrases like “すごい,”大丈夫です,” "ぐるぐる," “ねばねば" and “お疲れ様でした”  quickly becoming her favorites.
 

  Prof. Tsoh also said, “I'm honored to be here and I’m dedicated to advancing health equity. I very much looking forward to learning, growing, and achieving great things together with everyone whom I have the pleasure to meet and collaborate with at Toho University!”

　精神神経医学講座が厚生労働科学研究事業「MEICISプロジェクト」で行ってきた、地域に根ざしたメンタルヘルス促進サービスの発展に向けた事業において協働していきます。MEICISでは、在留外国人のメンタルヘルスや保健・医療へのアクセスに関する研究を行ってきました。Tsoh教授との協働によって、高度で意義深い分析や検討が可能になります。

　Tsoh教授は健康格差に関する研究者であり、アジア系アメリカ人のメンタルヘルスに関する、地域に根差した研究を続けてきました。Tsoh教授は臨床心理士であり、英語に加え中国語も堪能で、米国に住む中国人やその他のアジア系移民の臨床にも従事してきました。Tsoh教授と精神神経医学講座は、在留外国人のメンタルヘルスを促進するという研究テーマを共有しています。

　日本学術振興会に共同申請を行いJSPS特別研究員（長期）を受賞し、東邦大学で研究活動を行います。多くの業績を有し、UCSF医学部の教授を務め、米国および国際的にも高名なTsoh教授の招へいは、精神神経医学講座のみならず、東邦大学のグローバル化の促進をはじめ、多方面への貢献が期待されます。

(2023年07月05日お知らせより)