It was about three months after arriving in the United States for my research fellowship at the NIH that I finally settled on my specific research topic.
I conducted research in the field of electrophysiology, analyzing the activity of throat muscles. My objective was to clarify how the activity of the intrinsic laryngeal muscles in healthy individuals changes with age. To record the necessary electromyography (EMG) data, I began by recruiting healthy volunteers.
The NIH had a dedicated volunteer coordination department, and Marcy, a colleague in my lab, served as my liaison. I primarily conducted the EMG examinations on Friday afternoons in the clinic area; however, there was a restriction requiring the presence of an American physician whenever a medical procedure—such as inserting EMG needles into a subject—was performed. Although there was another male otolaryngologist in my lab, Steve was so busy with his own research that asking him for help hesitated. Consequently, my supervisor asked Dr. Giovana R. Thomas, a female otolaryngologist in the adjacent lab, to participate in the study. She graciously agreed. I realize she was conducting her own molecular biology research on cancer cells at the time; I remain deeply grateful that she was willing to assist with my project despite her own busy schedule. She always spoke to me in slow, clear English and offered precise, valuable advice regarding the research. Thanks to her help, I was able to complete the research and write a paper. Although I could not finish it during my two-year fellowship, I continued to refine the manuscript with my supervisor after returning to Japan, eventually getting it published in the journal Laryngoscope.
Dr. Thomas and my supervisor are listed as co-authors on the paper. I also included the names of all the researchers involved in the study at the end of the paper to express my gratitude.
Recently, I had the opportunity to meet a Japanese doctor who had also been there during my fellowship. He had worked in the lab next door, in other words, he had conducted his research in the same lab as Dr. Thomas. He showed me a photo taken with the whole lab group and I just found Dr. Thomas in the picture. After leaving NIH, she became a professor of otolaryngology at the University of Miami. We exchanged seasonal greeting emails for a while after I returned to Japan, but eventually, we lost touch. Curious, I decided to search for her online after all this time. That is when I came across an article titled "Remembering Dr. Giovana R. Thomas."
I felt a sudden sense of foreboding. Upon reading the details, I learned that she had passed away in February 2023 after a three-year battle with cancer. I recently visited university medical department and found otolaryngology journal containing the article. It featured a three-page tribute to her memory. The article highlighted her immense contributions—not only to otolaryngology but to medicine as a whole—through her research on papillomavirus and pharyngeal cancer, her work with da Vinci robotic surgery, and her dedication to training young physicians. Her research tenure at the NIH was also noted. She was an outstanding physician who held herself to rigorous medical standards yet could be kind and had a great sense of humor. I accompanied her to the Naval Hospital near the NIH to take cadaver organs for research. She drove a two-door Honda Accord coupe, and I was surprised to find her driving style quite aggressive. I felt like I caught a glimpse of a different side of her.
She also offered me invaluable advice on electromyography testing, which greatly aided the writing of my research paper. She was someone who approached everything proactively, constantly embraced new challenges, and possessed exceptional judgment and initiative; she was truly one of the otolaryngologists I respected most. I had always hoped that if I ever visited the U.S., I might see her again and express my gratitude; it is a source of deep regret to me now that this will never happen.
To Dr. Giovana R. Thomas:
If you hadn't helped with my research at NIH, I do not think I would have been able to complete my paper. I am deeply grateful to you for contributing to my research—conducted in the lab next to yours—even though you were already busy with your own work. Upon re-reading the tribute article in Laryngoscope, I gained a profound appreciation for the immense effort you invested in becoming a physician and for your truly wonderful character. Your contributions to medicine will undoubtedly live on in the memories of many people. I will never forget what I learned from you during my time abroad. Inspired by your teachings, I will continue to dedicate myself to the practice of medicine so as not to fall behind you.
NT