Symposium at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, USA.

Twelve researchers from five Japanese laboratories (Kumamoto University, Kyoto University, Jikei University, RIKEN, and Yamaguchi University) visited USC to present their work, as did researchers from eight USC laboratories. The event was a great success, with over 70 participants in total. There were lively discussions, and exchanges were fostered among researchers, including early-career researchers. Participants also exchanged views on Japan–U.S. cooperation and the education of early-career researchers, raising expectations for future collaboration. This marks the second international retreat (LA Retreat), following the Kumamoto Retreat in July 2025. The next event, the Kyoto Retreat, is scheduled for March 2027 and will be co-hosted with the International Workshop for Developmental Nephrology.

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to Dr. Nils Lindstrom, Dr. Zhongwei Li, Connor Fasuto, Megan Schreiber, and the many others from USC who worked tirelessly to make this symposium possible.