Dr. Hideomi Watanabe is Professor of the Department of Rehabilitation, Gunma University Graduate School of Health Sciences. He obtained his M.D. degree (1979) and his PhD (1988) from Gunma University in cellular oncology. He was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Michigan Cancer Foundation, presently Karmanos Cancer Institute, in Detroit and engaged in the basic research in cancer metastasis. In 1990 he joined the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Gunma University Faculty of Medicine. He has purified a metastasis-related motility factor, determined its molecular structure, and contributed significantly to apply the molecular information for patients with cancer in clinical settings. He was also engaged in the medical practice for patients with musculoskeletal tumors as an orthopedic surgeon. The performance of these researches and challenges has been published in over 130 English journals as well as over 100 Japanese journals.

In 2005 Hideomi Watanabe joined the School of Health Sciences (now, Graduate School of Health Sciences). He has been served as Dean of the school since 2009, and engaged mainly in educational development. Gunma University has systemically implemented unique interprofessional education (IPE) program since 1999. Several Japanese universities have developed and implemented their own IPE programs, approved as Good Practices by the Japanese Government. The Japan Interprofessional Working and Education Network (JIPWEN) was established in 2008 comprising these ten universities, presently 11 universities. Hideomi Watanabe is the coordinator of JIPWEN and promotes collaborative activities with WHO. The Japan Association for Interprofessional Education (JAIPE) provides an annual meeting to discuss openly about IPE with the association members in the fields of various health and welfare professions. Hideomi Watanabe is the chairman of the International Committee of JAIPE, and promotes the global communication. With strong support from JIPWEN and JAIPE, an internationally leading conference for IPE and collaborative practice (CP), the 6th All Together Better Health (ATBH VI), of which co-chair was Hideomi Watanabe, has been held in Kobe, Japan last year.