Guide for International Students studying Biology
in the University of Tsukuba
Organization of Institutes in the University of Tsukuba
This general information to the University of Tsukuba gives an overview of the organization of the University (http://www.tsukuba.ac.jp/english/index.html), and guides for living in Tsukuba (http://www.city.tsukuba.ibaraki.jp/hp/e_hp/).
The College of Biological Sciences is the undergraduate teaching program in biology. It was founded
in 1975. Every year about 80 students enter the four-year undergraduate
program in biological sciences in the college (Seibutsu Gakurui in Japanese).
The lectures in this program are mainly in Japanese, and cover basic and
applied subjects of biology. There are several lectures conducted
in English (including scientific English classes, bioethics, bioethics
and genes, and biological oceanography), which can be formally taken if
appropriate status as a regular or exchange student is obtained.
Short stay students are welcome to attend these lectures through informal
arrangements with the lecturers.
Faculty members have a range of research interests, and for research purposes the University divides its faculty members into Institutes. Most of the faculty of the College of Biological Sciences are members of the Institute of Biological Sciences (http://www.biol.tsukuba.ac.jp/ibs/indexE.html) (Gakkei in Japanese). Most of the faculty members are also associated with a two-year Master's Degree Program (e.g. Environmental Sciences (http://www.envr.tsukuba.ac.jp/), and with a Doctoral Degree Program (e.g. Doctoral Program in Life and Environmental Sciences (http://www.life.tsukuba.ac.jp/)). Entrance to the postgraduate programs is through written examinations and interviews, which are open to applicants in either English or Japanese language. Postgraduate research theses can be written in either English or Japanese.
College of Biological Sciences Curriculum, Courses and Field Stations
The research interests of members cover fields of fundamental biology, and also provide opportunities for laboratory courses. Short stay students could also apply to participate in some intensive courses or field courses through application to the responsible faculty. There is a Gene Experiment Center associated with the College, which conducts advanced research on genetic engineering. The Gene Experiment Center was the first institution licensed to build a glasshouse for field trials of genetically engineered plants at a university in Japan. There are field research courses and education training courses at laboratories in Shimoda (marine research center, http://www.shimoda.tsukuba.ac.jp/Enhome.html) and Sugadaira (alpaine ecological field research, http://www.sugadaira.tsukuba.ac.jp/).
Foreign students can enter the Undergraduate Program in the College of
Biological Sciences
There are a few foreign students in the College of Biological Sciences, either as formal students enrolled for the four-year degree program, or as one-year exchange students from universities with an exchange agreement with the University of Tsukuba. The College of Biological Sciences has a formal cooperation student exchange agreement with the University of Manchester, UK (http://www.man.ac.uk/), which is discussed in detail below. For full-time student status in their junior year at a university of college having an inter-university exchange agreement with the University of Tsukuba, there is a special course for one-year program known as JTP (Junior Year at Tsukuba) Program at the University of Tsukuba (http://www.intersc.tsukuba.ac.jp/01prospective/jtp_overview.htm).
For exchange students staying up to one year,
knowledge of Japanese is not necessary, but students should enroll in a
Japanese language course when in Tsukuba (or even before). Students
in their senior year of undergraduate degree study who come to Tsukuba
will chose a laboratory for senior research by mutual agreement, and can
expect to communicate about the research using English language.
Tsukuba is an international city by Japanese standards, and students with
a friendly and cooperative personality will find many students, faculty,
and other city residents willing to communicate using English language.
The University of Tsukuba has the second highest ratio of foreign students
among national universities in Japan, but most of the foreign students
are postgraduate students. Students who come for research exchange
can expect to be able to communicate in English with members of the laboratory.
Student Exchange Program with the University of Manchester (UK)
There is a formal one-year exchange program for undergraduate students
between the School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester (UK)
and the College of Biological Sciences, University of Tsukuba. University
of Manchester students normally come for one year and participate in the
intensive Japanese language courses at the University of Tsukuba. They
will be associated with a laboratory to do some experiments related to
their interests. Early application is encouraged because at least one of
the students in this program each year they may be awarded a studentship
by Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) (http://www2.jasso.go.jp/index_e.html) that covers their living costs; university fees such as tuition and entrance
fee for students under the student exchange agreement are waived, regardless
of success in the JASSO studentship application.
Exchange students are welcome to attend lectures,
but not required to. The students can attend any lectures in the
University of Tsukuba if they wish, so some students have used the opportunity
to broaden their knowledge of not only biology but of Japan in general.
The contact person in the University of Tsukuba for this exchange program
is Professor Tomoki Chiba (Email: tchiba@biol.tsukuba.ac.jp).
Dormitory
accommodation
Students under this exchange program can also obtain a low cost student
dormitory room, at about 10,000 Japanese Yen per month rental fee.
Students from other departments, and universities,
are welcome to make enquiries to the administration office of the University
of Tsukuba. Often dormitory rooms are available. For students already
enrolled, family apartments are also available at low cost in the University.
Studentships from Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO)
About 50 students a year receive studentships from the JASSO for short-term
studies (from three months to one year) at the University of Tsukuba.
There are over 50 universities in the world with exchange agreements with
the University of Tsukuba (http://www.intersc.tsukuba.ac.jp/).
Entrance
Examination for Foreign Students
Those students who wish to enter the four year undergraduate program should
write to the Dean, College of Biological Sciences, University of Tsukuba,
Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan. Students who enter the four-year
degree program can answer written questions on the entrance exam in Japanese
or English, however, the questions are written only in Japanese, and lectures
are mainly in Japanese. The University of Tsukuba offers intensive
programs in Japanese language, but a fundamental knowledge of Japanese
language is needed to complete the four-year degree program.
Those students who cannot envisage reading or speaking Japanese should
probably consider postgraduate courses where exams can be taken in English,
as discussed above. In all cases prior contact with faculty members
should be made well in advance of application to study.
The annual fees for the university vary by course but are approximately 500,000 Japanese Yen per year, and the costs of living in Tsukuba are discussed in the information for Foreign Scholars at the University (http://www.intersc.tsukuba.ac.jp/).
Are
you already in Tsukuba?
If you are already living in Tsukuba, or even studying biology at any level at the University of Tsukuba, you may like to be on a mailing list for social activities involving foreign students in Biology. The contact person in the
University of Tsukuba for this list is Professor Tomoki Chiba (Email: tchiba@biol.tsukuba.ac.jp). There is also a journal published by the College of Biological
Sciences (Tsukuba Journal of Biology http://www.biol.tsukuba.ac.jp/tjb/).
If you are a foreign student in biology and have
something you would like to discuss, then you are welcome to discuss it
with a member of the foreign student committee at the College of Biological
Sciences: Professors Tomoki Chiba (Japanese, Email: tchiba@biol.tsukuba.ac.jp).
The students of the College of Biological Sciences
have a balanced gender ratio, and most students are between 18-23 years
of age. The faculty does not tolerate harassment of students and
if you have any problems please contact a member of the foreign student
committee, or the Dean of the College of Biological Sciences, to ensure
that any misunderstandings do not escalate. There are faculty members
with fluency in other languages besides English and Japanese in case you
wish to talk in another language.
Lectures in English
In the University of Tsukuba there are numerous lectures conducted in English
in various faculties and programs, but there is no centralized list of
these lectures. Most faculties are willing to have students join
their lectures on an informal or formal basis, so please contact faculty
personally when in Tsukuba. Students will have to find out about
the existence of lectures conducted in languages other than Japanese in
other departments and programs through personal contact once they are in
Tsukuba.
There are also research lectures in English at
the university and at some of the other 300 research institutions in Tsukuba
Science City, and many international conferences in the city every year.
The university libraries contain journals in many languages.
Tsukuba life for foreign students
The University of Tsukuba and International Student Center web sites offer
extensive information about campus procedures and life; this short guide
introduces life in Tsukuba Science City, a town of about 170,000 people
located about 50 km northeast of Tokyo, at the northern side of the Kanto
Plain. The view from Tsukuba is dominated by the 876-m high Mount
Tsukuba just north of the town. On particularly clear days it is
possible to see Mt. Fuji from various places in Tsukuba. The climate
is typically hot and humid in summer; pleasant, though sometimes rainy,
in spring and fall; and cool in winter. Snow usually falls a few
times during winter, but rarely accumulates. Earthquakes do shake
Tsukuba; there have been no large ones here lately.
The town is unusual in its very high density of scientific institutions. Tsukuba has more than 50 national research institutes, many corporate research laboratories, joint industry-government research laboratories, and several universities. This high density of scientific institutions attracts an uncommonly high proportion of foreigners to the town. Much of the town was newly constructed within the past 25 years.
There is a very convenient pedestrian/bicycle
path along the long axis of town with bridges over most road crossings.
There are 2 broad, main north-south roads, Nishi-Odori and Higashi-Odori,
which run parallel to each other most of their way. Tsuchiura Gakuen-Sen
is the largest east-west road and it is also quite wide, 6 lanes in the
center of town. The city of Tsuchiura is a few kilometers east from
the center of Tsukuba. A new express train to Tokyo is under construction
and expected to begin service in 2005. Until then, transportation
options to Tokyo include driving or taking a bus or train. The Joban
highway passes through Tsukuba; tolls are expensive compared to other countries
and traffic going to town is sometimes quite heavy. The bus runs
from Tsukuba Center to Ueno and Tokyo Stations. If traffic is light,
the ride to the city takes only about 70 minutes. The Joban train
line runs through Tsuchiura, Arakawaoki, and Hitachino-Ushiku, all only
a short drive (about 15 minutes) from Tsukuba Center. The train takes
slightly more than an hour to Ueno Station. As Tsukuba is rather
flat, bicycling is a very practical and generally pleasant way to get around
locally.
Tsukuba information
University of Tsukuba
http://www.tsukuba.ac.jp/english/index.html
International Student Center http://www.intersc.tsukuba.ac.jp/
Tsukuba Area International Researcher's Association (TAIRA) http://eve.bk.tsukuba.ac.jp/
Livetalk
http://www.alientimes.org/groups/livetalktsukuba/
Tsukuba City English Home page
http://www.city.tsukuba.ibaraki.jp/hp/e_hp/
Tsukuba Science City info http://www.info-tsukuba.org/english/
Rainbow Club's Tsukuba City Guide http://www.rainbowclub.org/
Hitchhiker's Guide to Tsukuba http://kicoff.kek.jp/
Tsukuba Walking & Mountaineering Club Web Site http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Gorge/6108/
Kanto and Japan information
Narita Airport http://www.narita-airport.jp/en/index.html
Japan National Tourist Organization http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/
National Science Foundation (US), Tokyo office
http://www.nsftokyo.org/
A Practical Guide to Working as a Scientist in Japan by Robert W. Ridge http://mac122.icu.ac.jp/ridge_html_book/jc0.html
Ibaraki Prefecture's English home page http://www.pref.ibaraki.jp/bukyoku/seikan/kokuko/en/
Tokyo info
Guides to food and drink, music and entertainment, transportation and shopping in Tokyo http://www.bento.com/tleisure.html
Planet Tokyo http://www.pandemic.com/tokyo/
Tokyo Weekender http://weekender.co.jp/index.html
Currency conversion http://www.oanda.com/
Members in the College of Biological Sciences,
University of Tsukuba (2006)
Professors
CHIBA, Tomoki (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: System in Cell III
Research: Research on the molecular mechanism of selective protein degradation.
Our laboratory aims to understand the physiological and pathological roles
of the protein degradation mechanism in various aspects of biological processes
such as cycle progression ,signal transduction,apoptosis,etc.
1) Molecular
genetics of ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation.
2) Role of selective
protein degradation in stress and cytokine responses.
3) Knockout mice
analyses of the ubiquitin system.
Keywords: Ubiquitin family, proteasome,
cell cycle, signal transduction
HAMA, Takeo (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Aquatic ecology ; Fundamental Biology, Laboratory I; II; III
; Plant Ecology I ; Introduction to Ecology
Research: Primary productivity, composition of photosynthetic products
and their regulating factors in marine and lake environments. Transformation,
transport and decomposition processes of organic materials through aquatic
food web, especially concerned with biogeochemical properties of particulate
and dissolved organic constituents.
Keywords: aquatic ecosystem, biogeochemical cycle, phytoplankton, particulate
organic matter, dissolved organic matter
HASHIMOTO, Tetsuo (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Microbiology, Laboratory ; Microbiology II ; Biodiversity Informatics
I ; Molecular EvolutionT; Molecular Evolution, Laboratory
Research: 1. Molecular phylogeny of eukaryotic micro organisms.
2. Molecular evolutionary studies on the origin and early divergences of
eukaryotes.
HAYASHI, Jun-ichi (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Introduction to Embryology ; Embryology T
Research: 1. Somatic cell genetical and molecular biological approaches
to understand dynamics of the mitochondrial genetic system and of organelle
biogenesis in living human and rodent cells. 2. Molecular biological approaches
for analyzing the inheritance and expression of mtDNA mutations in mammals.
3. Diagnosis of mitochondrial diseases and diabetes using intercellular
transfer of the patient mtDNA to mtDNA-less human cells. 4. Isolation and
characterization of transgenic mice possessing pathogenic mtDNA mutations
for screening drugs and for understanding the mechanisms of phenotypic
expression of mitochondrial diseases.
INABA, kazuo (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Topics in Biology VI〔Biology of Spermatozoa〕 ; Laboratory and
Field Studies in Marine Biology ; Marine Course in Invertebrate Cell Biology
Research: Research on molecular architecture of spermatozoa. Identification
and molecular assembly of sperm proteins by functional proteomics and genomics.
Signaling pathway for the activation of sperm motility and for sperm-egg
interaction at fertilization. Regulation of the molecular motor dynein.
Genome science in marine invertebrates.
INOUYE, Isao (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Plant Taxonomy I ; Laboratory and Field Studies in Marine
Botany ; Laboratory and Field Studies in Plant Taxonomy ; Introduction
to Taxonomy
Research: Systematics and Phylogeny of phytoflagellates and protists. Systematics
and phylogeny of phytoflagellates which form many distinct lineages in
the eukaryotic world. For obtaining a better framework of photosynthetic
organisms and understanding of their early divergence, microalgae exhibiting
primitive features and non-pigmented flagellates, probably the descendants
of ancestors of photosynthetic lineages, are studied. Major techniques
presently employed are electron microscopy of cellular components, especially
of the flagellar apparatus, and DNA sequencing. Description and classification
of new taxa are also important part of work.
Keywords: ultrastructure, life cycle, molecular phylogeny
KAMADA, Hiroshi (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Introduction to Plant Physiology ; Plant Physiology U
Research: Main subject is to elucidate the mechanisms of morphogenesis
in higher plants, especially embryogenesis and flower formation. On embryogenesis,
we are analysing the molecular mechanisms for induction of embryogenic
competence (totipotency) and for development of somatic and zygotic embryos.
On flower formation, we are characterizing various genes of which the expression
is correlated to induction of flowering and to determine the flower structure.
We are also working on molecular mechanisms of biological clock in higher
plants. Approaches used involve gene cloning, plant transformation and
cell engineering as well as plant tissue culture.
NUMATA, Osamu (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Introduction to Cytology ; Cell Biology T-U
Research: Research on molecular mechanisms of cytokinesis using the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena. One project is to study the mechanism of division plane determination using cell division arrest mutant cdaA1. A second project is to elucidate functions of actin-binding proteins and myosin in contractile ring formation.
Keywords: cytokinesis, cytoskeleton, Tetrahymena, actin, myosin
OGUMA, Yuzuru (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Evolutionary Genetics ; Evolutionary Genetics,Laboratory ; Introduction
to Genetics
Research: Studies on insect speciation, particularly in genetic aspects
of microevolution. Genetic control of courtship behavior based on acoustic,
olfactory and visual signals in Drosophila.
Keywords: evolution, Drosophila, species recognition, courtship behavior
SAKAI, Shingo (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Plant physiology I ; Plant Physiology,Laboratory
Research: Research on physiological functions and the mode of action of plant hormones. One research project involves the regulation of gene expression by plant hormones in sexual modification, cut injury and immortal cell induction. Another research project involves the characterization of putative plant hormone receptors. A new project is the purification and gene cloning of telomerase of higher plants.
SATOH, Shinobu (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Plant Physiology I ; Plant Physiology Laboratory
Research: Research on the molecular functions of apoplast including cell wall in plant development and function with molecular biological techniques. 1. Functions of root and organic substances including proteins in xylem sap in whole plant. 2. Functions of proteins and pectin of cell wall in plant cells.
Keywords: cell wall, pectin, root, xylem sap, gene
SUGITA, Hiroaki (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Animal Systematics I
Research: Research on evolution and phylogeny of Chelicerata (horseshoe crabs, spiders, scorpions, etc). Approaches used involve comparative studies, between horseshoe crabs, of amino acid sequences and antigenicity of hemocyanin subunits, nucleotide sequences of two mitochondrial genes, and developmental capacity of artificial hybrids. Current focus is on molecular evolution of hemocyanin subunits and species evolution of horseshoe crabs and spiders based on amino acid sequence analyses.
TOKUMASU, Seiji (Institute of biological Sciences)
Teaching: Plant Taxonomy II ; Laboratory and Field Studies in Plant Taxonomy
; Introduction to Taxonomy
Research: Research on ecology of fungi, and in particular on the fungal
successions associated with the decay of plant debris. One focus is on
the floristic descriptions of the development of fungal communities on
various substrata, and another is on the effects of climate on the geographic
ranges of saprophytic microfungi involved in successions. Another research
project involves the infra-specific structures of some zygomycetous fungi
related to their geographic ranges.
Keywords: mycology, microfungi, decomposer succession, geographical distribution, micro-evolution, speciation
URUSHIHARA, Hideko (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Introduction to Genetics ; Genome Biology I-II ; Genome Biology,
Laboratory
Research: 1. Analysis of molecular mechanisms of sexual cell interactions
using the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum as a model organism.
2. Genome-wide and computational analysis of genes in Dictyostelium discoideum
with special attentions to genetic networks controlling multicellular development
Keywords: Dictyostelium discoideum, sexual reproduction, multicellular
development, massive cDNA analysis, gene structure
WATANABE, Makoto (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Plant Taxonomy I
WATANABE, Mamoru (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Animal Ecology I ; Introduction to Ecology
Research: Research on ecology, and in particular on the life history strategy of insects. One focus is on the role of sperm competition in butterflies, in which a male produces eupyrene and apyrene spermatozoa. Another research project involves the odonate conservation ecology and habitat management. Approaches used are both field surveys and laboratory experiments. The interactions between plants and insects population are also interested.
YAMAGISHI, Hiroshi (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Animal Physiology I ; Laboratory in Marine Animal Physiology
; Introduction to Animal Physiology
Research: Physiology and development of the cardiovasucular system in invertebrates. Main focus is to explore ontogenic and phylogenic diversity in heartbeat pacemaker mechanisms and in its regulatory systems in crustaceans using morphological, immunohistochemical and electrophysiological methods.
Keywords: invertebrates, cardiac pacemaker, regulation, ontogeny, phylogeny
KOBAYASHI, Michihiko (Institute of Applied Biochemistry)
Teaching: Biology on Molecular and Functional Basis I ; Introduction to
Biochemistry
Research: The research of our lab is focused on fascinating problems in
biotechnology, molecular evolution and metabolic engineering of biosynthetic
pathways. Our work largely involves screening of microorganisms producing
novel enzymes and their application for the production of new biologically
active substances and the elucidation of fundamental principles of catalytic
and regulatory mechanism in the enzyme-catalyzed reactions.
Keywords: Applied microbiology, Biotechnology, Genetic engineering; Enzymology,
Bioconversion, Molecular evolution
MATSUMOTO, Hiroshi (Institute of Applied Biochemistry)
Teaching: Biochemistry II ; Chemical Regulation of Plants ; Applied Biochemistry,
Laboratory III ; Chemical Regulation of Plants
Research: Research on modes of action of plant growth regulators including
herbicides, allelochemicals and phytotoxins, and molecular mechanisms of
resistance to the chemicals in crop and weed species. Current research
also focuses on physiological and biochemical aspects of plant responses
to oxidative environmental stresses due to active oxygen species and gene
expression of anti-oxidative enzymes.
Key words: Plant growth regulators, herbicides, modes of action, environmental
stresses on plants, active oxygen species, anti-oxidative enzymes
TANAKA, Toshiyuki (Institute of Applied Biochemistry)
Teaching: Biochemistry I ; Applied Biochemistry, Laboratory I ; Organic
Chemistry
Research: Analysis of functional structures of proteins and its application
Associate professors
CHIBA, Chikafumi (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Animal Physiology, Laboratory ; Fundamental Biology, Laboratory
I ; II ; III ; Laboratory in Marine Animal Physiology
Research: Studies on the mechanisms of neuronal transdifferentiation reorganization
using the retinal development and and synaptic regeneration systems.
FURUKUBO-TOKUNAGA, Katsuo (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Embryology II ; Molecular Cytology and Embryology,Laboratory
Research:Molecular Genetics of Brain Development: understanding the molecular
and genetic mechanisms of brain development is a central issue in neuroscience.
Using Drosophila melanogaster as a model system, I focus on the molecular
mechanisms of brain patterning and neural network formation that set up
the computational basis for higher order functions such as learning, memory
and perception. Recent molecular studies have revealed that genetic programs
of brain development are conserved between flies and mammals. Studies on
the Drosophila brain will have general impact to the understanding of the
human brain.
Keywords: brain, genes, development, learning and memory, olfaction, evolution
INAGAKI, Yuji (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Molecular Evolution II ; Molecular Evolution, Laboratory ; Biodiversity
Informatics I
ISHIDA, Ken-ichiro(Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Molecular Evolution III
KUWABARA, Tomohiko (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Microbiology I; I ; Microbiology,Laboratory ; Fundamental Biology
, Laboratory I; II; III
Research: Studying microorganisms from hydrothermal vents, hyperthermophilic
and anaerobic prokaryotes, such as Thermococcales. We are also interested
in physiological roles of hemolysin homolog of non-pathogenic microorganisms.
Keywords: hydrothermal vent, hyperthermophile, anaerobic microorganism,
hemolysin, heavy metal-binding protein
MACHIDA, Ryu-ichiro (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Animal Systematics I ; Laboratory and Field Studies in Animal Taxonomy ; Laboratory and Field Studies in Biology ; Introduction to Taxonomy
Research: Research on the phylogeny of Atelocerata, especially on the origin,
evolution and ground plan of Insecta, based on comparative embryological
and morphological approaches. Another field of study concerns the classification
of thysanurans (Archaeognatha and Zygentoma).
Keywords: morphology, systematics, inseta, thysanurans
MARIKO, Shigeru (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Plant Ecology II ; Plant Ecology Laboratory (These classes
are intended to give undergraduate students an introduction to processes
structuring plant communities and methodologies for ecological study.
Topics covered include geographical distribution, adaptation of plants
to their environments, interactions between individuals and species, succession,
ecosystems and their development, and biogeochemical cycling.) ; Introduction
to Ecology
Research: Research program addresses ecophysiology of plants and ecology
of terrestrial ecosystems. Major goals of my research program are
to enhance our mechanistic understanding of how plants are adapted to the
environment, provide information necessary to link individual plant and
population processes to higher scales of community organization, and evaluate
contribution of ecosystems to global matter cycles.
Keywords: aquatic ecology, biogeochemical cycling, ecosystem ecology, physiological ecology, plant ecology
NAKADA, Kazuto (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Embryology , Laboratory ; Fundamental Biology, Laboratory I ;
II ; III ; System in Cell I
Research: Somatic cell genetic and molecular biological approaches to understand
dynamics of the mitochondrial genetic system and of organelle biogenesis
in living human and rodent cells. Molecular biological approaches to analyze
the inheritance and expression of mtDNA mutations in mammals. Diagnosis
of mitochondrial diseases and diabetes using intercellular transfer of
the patient mtDNA to mtDNA-less human cells. Isolation and characterization
of transgenic mice possessing pathogenic mtDNA mutations for understanding
the mechanisms of the mitochondrial diseases and for drug screening.
NAKAMURA, Kouji (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Biology on Molecular and Functional Basis, Laboratory ; Applied
Biochemistry, Laboratory II ; Genome Biology I-III
Research: research on the function and structure of non-coding RNAs. non-coding
RNA (ncRNA) genes produce functional RNA molecules rather than encoding
proteins. Several systematic screens have identified a surprisingly large
number of new ncRNA genes in bot prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Non-coding
RNAs seem to be particularly abundant in roles that require specific nucleic
acid recognition without complex catalysis, such as in directing post-transcriptional
regulation of gene expression or in guiding RNA modifications. Moreover,
these non-coding RNAs are identified as small drug targets.
Keywords: RNomics, non-coding RNA, RNA world, riboregulation, post-transcriptional
gene regulation.
NAKATANI, Kei (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Biophysics I ; Biophysics Laboratory ; Animal Physiology II
Research: My research is concerned with the molecular mechanisms of signal
transduction and its modulation in sensory receptor neurons. The techniques
we use include electrophysiology (e.g. patch-clamp recording), computer
simulation, and immunocytochemistry.
Keywords: neuron, signal transduction, ion channels, sensory receptors,
electrophysiology
SAITO, Yasunori (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Embryology I ; Laboratory in Marine Animal Embryology
Research: Research on the self-nonself recognition mechanisms in colonial
marine invertebrates, sponges, bryozoans and compound ascidians. The focus
is on the relationship between the allorecognition in those animals and
transplantation immunity controlled by the major histocompatibility gene
complex (MHC) in vertebrates. Other research projects are on the mechanisms
of asexual reproduction in botryllid ascidians and on the phylogeny of
botryllid ascidians.
Keywords: colony, allorecognition, asexual reproduction, botryllid ascidian,
phylogeny.
SAKAMOTO, Kazuichi (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: System in Cell I ; System in Cell II ; Molecular Cytology and
Embryology, Laboratory ; Fundamental Biology, Laboratory I ; II ; III
Research: Research on molecular biology of oxidative stress-induced apoptosis,
differentiation and aging of mammalian cells. Currently we focused on the
molecular function of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in related to the following
subjects; (1) forkhead-type transcription factor (FKHR) family-mediated
cell apoptosis and tumor suppression, (2) Septin (cytoskeletal protein)
family-involved cell apoptosis and tumor suppression, (3) osteoclast differentiation
and apoptosis in bone metabolism, (4) prostaglandin-induced cell apoptosis
and receptor function.
Keywords: apoptosis, tumor suppression, oxidative stress, osteoclastogenesis,
prostaglandin
TOQUENAGA, Yukihiko (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Animal Ecology, Laboratory ; Laboratory and Field Studies in
Ecology (Terrestrial) ; Fundamental Biology, Laboratory I ; II ; III ;
Plant Ecology II ; Biometry
Research: Evolutionary ecology, and in particular theoretical studies of populations, communities, and ecosystems in virtual as well as real worlds. Materials are laboratory/natural bean weevil populations, egrets and herons living around Tsukuba City, bumble bees foraging at lowland areas, and computer bugs occupying several gigabytes in my hard disks.
Keywords: evolutionary ecology, population, artificial life, bean weevil, egret, bumble bee
YOSHIMURA, Kenjiro (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Cell Biology I ; Cell Biology, Laboratory ; Fundamental Biology,
Laboratory I ; II ; III
Research: Studies on signal reception and control of motilities in the unicellular organisms
WADA, Hiroshi (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Animal Systematics II ; Animal Systematics, Laboratory II ; Molecular
Evolution III ; Fundamental Biology, Laboratory I ; II ; III
Research: 1. Evo-Devo research of chordates. 2. Comparative embryology
of marine invertebrates, including bivalves and echinoderms.
TANIMOTO, Keiji (Institute of Applied Biochemistry)
Teaching: Biology on Molecular and Functional Basis I ; Applied Biochemistry,
Laboratory I
KAINOH, Youichi (Institute of Agriculture and Forestry)
Teaching: Chemical Regulation of Animals
Research: The chemical ecology of insect pests and parasitoids, especially
the relationships in parasitoid-host (kairomone), parasitoid-host plant
(synomone), and parasitoid-parasitoid (pheromone). I also focus on
the associative learning in a braconid parasitoid, Ascogaster reticulatus
Watanabe, which is one of the important natural enemies in tea fields.
Keywords: chemical ecology, insect parasitoid, associative learning, biological
control, tri-trophic interaction
YAMAOKA, Yuichi (Institute of Agriculture and Forestry)
Teaching: Functional Microbiology ; Fundamental Biology, Laboratory I;
II; III
Research: Research includes taxonomy, ecology and physiology of plant pathogenic
fungi, particularly ophiostomatoid fungi associated with bark beetles infesting
conifers and rust fungi parasitic on field crops and trees.
Keywords: Ophiostoma, Ceratocystis, blue-stain fungi, bark beetle, rust
fungi
Assistant Professors
AOKI, Masakazu (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Laboratory and Field Studies in Marine Ecology ; Extension Course
of Laboratory and Field Studies in Marine Biology ; Laboratory and Field
Studies in Marine Botany ; Laboratory and Field Studies in Marine Biology
Research: The ecology of shallow-water marine benthos. Approaches
used involve field observations and experiments with a local species population.
One focus is on the interactions between macroalgae and the animals
utilizing them. Another research project involves life history and
reproductive behavior, in particular the evolutionary process of sociality
in peracarid crustaceans.
Keywords: marine ecology, benthos, plant-animal interactions, peracarid,
crustaceans, life history, reproductive behavior
IWAI, Hiroaki (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Plant Physiology, Laboratory ; Fundamental Biology, Laboratory
I ; II ; III
Research: Research on the physiology and molecular biology of plant development
and function. Main focus is on cell-to-cell interaction in higher plants.1,
Functions of polysaccharides in the cell wall. 2, Cytoskeleton-plasma membrane-cell
wall continuum in plants. 3, Organogenesis and development of abscission
layer.
KUWAYAMA, Hidekazu (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Fundamental Biology, Laboratory I ; II ; III
MATSUZAKI, Osamu (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Electronmicroscopy, Laboratory ; Fundamental Biology, Laboratory
I ; II ; III
Research: Behavioral Studies on the House Musk Shrew (Suncus murinus).
It is a coitus induced ovulater. This animal builds up the relationship
between conspecifics by touching. The series of mating behaviors of this
ancestral mammal was completed by the continuous touching of both sexes
and by changes in the manner of contact.
Keywords: mating behavior, following, induced ovulater, house musk shrew,
Suncus murinus
MANYWEATHERS, Jennifer (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: English for Specialized Subjects W
Research: Bovine reproduction and health and Science communication using
English as a second language
MIYAMURA, Shin-ichi (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Electronmicroscopy, Laboratory ; Fundamental Biology, Laboratory
I ; II ; III
Research: Research on plant morphology, and in particular on the cell biology
of the reproduction of green plants, especially green algae, liverworts,
ferns and gymnosperms. One focus is on the mechanism of gametogenesis of
siphonous green algae and ferns. Approaches used involve fluorescence microscopy,
electronmicroscopy and biochemical analysis of flagellar apparatus of gamete.
Another research project involves the structure and function of pyrenoids.
Keywords: plant morphology, gametogenesis, pyrenoid structure and function
MORIO, Takahiro (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Research: Research on molecular basis of multicellular organization in
cellular slime mold, Dictyostelium discoideum. The current approach is
based on genomic analyses including gene cataloging by EST analysis and
elucidation of genetic network through expression profiling using microarray
technology.
Keywords: multicellular organization, genetic network, Dictyostelium, genomics
NAKANO, Kentaro (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Cell Biology, Laboratory ; Fundamental Biology, Laboratory I
; II ; III
Research: Actin cytoskeleton and microtubules are one of the fundamental
cellular systems involved in cell division, cell migration, and cell morphogenesis.
My research is focusing on how these cytoskeletons are controlled in cells.
I have mainly studied a functional role of small GTPase-signaling pathway
in those cellular events in yeast genetic system. Recently, I have gotten
launched on analyzing interaction between cytoskeletal dynamics and membrane
traffic in phagocytosis in ciliate, one of Protozoa, Tetrahymena thermophila.
NAKAYAMA, Takeshi (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Plant Systematics Laboratory I ; Plant Systematic Laboratory
II ; Laboratory and Field Studies in Marine Botany ; Laboratory and Field
Studies in Plant Taxonomy ; Fundamental Biology, Laboratory I ; II ; III
Research: The diversity and phylogeny of algae, especially green algae. Ultrastructural and molecular characters are used to clarify the phylogenetic relationship of algae. Studying on the phylogenetic diversity of colorless protists.
Keywords: algae, phylogeny, protists, ultrastructure
OAMI, Kazunori (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Animal Physiology, Laboratory ; Fundamental Biology Laboratory
I ; II ; III ; Animal Physiology I
Research: Chemoreception, regulation of cell motility, membrane electrogenesis
and related subjects. Simple unicellular organisms (mainly Paramecium)
are used in the experiments. Conventional physiological techniques
are employed.
Keywords: Paramecium, chemoreception, cell motility, ion channel, electrophysiology
OHASHI, Kazuharu (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Animal Ecology, Laboratory ; Laboratory and Field Studies in
Ecology 〔Terrestrial〕 ; Fundamental Biology, Laboratory I ; II ; III ;
Plant Ecology I
Research: Understanding how and whether plants have evolved their floral
traits to maximize their reproductive success, mediated through interactions
with foraging behavior of animals such as pollinators (pollen vectors)
and seed predators. Depending on the questions to be addressed, different
approaches have been adopted; field observations or experiments, mathematical
models, computer simulations, and laboratory experiments.
SASAKURA, Yasunori (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Laboratory in Marine Animal Embryology ; Laboratory and Field
Studies in Marine Biology ; Marine Course in Invertebrate Cell Biology
; Extension Course of Laboratory and Field Studies in Marine Biology
Research: Research on the mechanisms of development in the ascidian Ciona
intestinalis. C. intestinalis is a suitable invertebrate chordate for
foward genetics because of its determined genome sequences and short life span.
We have established genetic techniques such as the germline transgenesis and
insertional mutagenesis with a transposon Minos in this ascidian. With these
techniques, the functions of genes during Ciona development will be
revealed.
SAWAMURA, Kyoichi (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Evolutionary Genetics, Laboratory ; Fundamental Biology, Laboratory
I ; II ; III
Research: Genetic analysis of speciation by using interspecific introgression
of Drosophila (D. ananassae/D. pallidosa and D.
melanogaster/D. simulans): (1) premating isolation (sexual isolation
caused by acoustic and chemical signals), (2) postmating isolation (hybrid
sterility and inviability).
SUZUKI, Iwane (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Metabolism and Physiological Chemistry I-II ; Metabolism and
Physiological Chemistry, Laboratory
Research: My research topics are characterization of the mechanisms of
signal perception in the photosynthetic organisms. To achieve these goals,
I produced a mutant library of genes for signal sensors and transducers
in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 and analyzed these phenotypes by means of
molecular biology, biochemistry, and bioinformatics.
YAHATA, Kensuke (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Animal Systematics Laboratory I ; Laboratory and Field
Studies in Marine Zoology ; Laboratory and Field Studies in Animal
Taxonomy ; Laboratory and Field Studies in Biology
Research: Research on animal phylogeny, and in particular on the
origin andevolution of the arthropod subphyla. Approaches used involve
comparative morphological analyses on the structure of the ovaries and
on the modes of oogenesis.
Keywords: animal phylogeny, comparative morphology, Arthropoda, Myriapoda,
ovary, oogenesis
YTOH, Nozomi (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Biophysics, Laboratory ; Fundamental Biology, Laboratory I ;
II ; III ; Biodiversity Informatics I ; III
Research: 1. Nomenclature and bioinformatics. The names given to natural objects are organised hierarchically into groups (species into genera; genera into families; ...). When a species is found in the wrong group it is reassigned, but making databases and other reference
material aware of that change and enabling them to use both the current name or the old name is not, at present, possible. Nomenclatural databases could offer considerable value as meta-data in defining relationships for generalising search criteria. A flexible data structure is necessary to assist taxonomic works, and understanding of taxonomic consideration which is the foundation of our thought (not only in taxonomy but in a general sense). See http://www.nomencurator.org/ for project detail. The first Ebbe Nielsen Prize awardee. 2. Molecular biodiversity in environments. Molecular techniques
in biology such as PCR have enabled us to handle microorganisms in environments
from which they have never been cultured and hence never considered in
taxonomical contexts. Because we do not know these organisms, we
need a methodology to handle microbial biodiversity in environments without
time consuming cloning and sequencing. Biological acitivity assesment
of these microbes in environments using molecular methods is also of interest.
Keywords: GBIF, CBD, biodiversity, bioinformatics, environmental molecular biology
HASHIMOTO, Yoshiteru (Institute of Applied Biochemistry)
Teaching: Applied Biochemistry,Laboratory II
Instructors, Research Associates
MARUO, Fumiaki (Institute of Biological Sciences)
Teaching: Fundamental Biology, Laboratory I ; II ; III
Research: Developmental biology, and in particular on regulatory mechanisms
of stem cell proliferation and differentiation. The main experimental system
is the germline stem cells in Drosophila gametogenesis. The neuronal stem
cells in the Drosophila brain are also studied. Approaches used involve
genetic, immunological and molecular biological techniques.
Keywords: Drosophila, stem cell, cell differentiation, germ cell, brain
The International Student Exchange Committee
in the College of Biological Sciences
University of Tsukuba
July 11, 2006