2019 SUMMER PROGRAM (EXCERPTS)
Research Projects
Can Exercise Enhance Our Reflexes?
Research Project #1Can Exercise Enhance Our Reflexes?
Neuroscience is a multi-disciplinary branch of science that aims to understand the properties and functions of the nervous system. Neuroscientists often think of the nervous system like a large machine that is composed of smaller neural circuits to perform specific functions and actions. One of the simplest and most understood circuits are those that control involuntary movements, also known as reflexes. Exercise has been shown to change the activity of neural circuits and this project will test this by investigating how exercise affects reflex circuits. The experiment will measure the changes to the electrical activity of reflex circuits and the muscles they control before and after exercise. Please note, these experiments will require you to do light exercise and place measuring electrodes on your legs. You will need to be willing/able to wear shorts on the experimental day to do this project.
Cross Talk of Senses
Research Project #2Cross Talk of Senses
Our five senses detect disparate forms of info yet operate together to depict the world around us. In movies, noisy sound assists explosion video to make it more vivid. Quite often it’s even noisy in outer space where you can’t hear a thing. Flavour of a dish is often composed by taste, smell and sight. Close your nose and/or eyes, it won’t be the same dish anymore. In this project, we will investigate whether other senses, such as vision and olfactory, influence our flavour sensitivity on specific chemicals, capsaicin (from chilli pepper) and menthol (from mint). If they do, how powerful they are. You will learn the principles of experiment design and execution. We will practice them together to effectively acquire objective results of the subjective sense, taste. Then, we will make the results meaningful with analysis. After this training, you will be able to carry out your own scientific projects to fulfil your curiosity.
Trash to Treasure
Research Project #3Trash to Treasure: How to Create Fuel from Used Cooking Oil with Enzymes
Understanding enzymes is an essential part of biology as well as biotechnology. They are the focus of a majority of research in both fields and are used in many industrial processes like producing drugs, cosmetics as well as everyday household consumables. As part of this research project you will step into the shoes of a biotechnologist to try to find an effective way to use enzymes to imitate an industrial approach to make biofuel out of used vegetable oil. As another part you can try out an effective way to make milk enjoyable for all by using immobilized enzymes to remove the sugar that causes lactose intolerance. After this research project you will have a better understanding of the molecular processes that define enzymes and get an idea of one possible direction you could take in your future as a scientist.
Workshops / Science Talks
2019 SPRING PROGRAM (EXCERPTS)
2018 SUMMER PROGRAM (EXCERPTS)
2018 SPRING PROGRAM (EXCERPTS)
2017 SUMMER PROGRAM (EXCERPTS)
2019 Summer Program Professor Profiles
Parvin Begum
Parvin Begum
Ph.D., Researcher, Faculty of Environmental Earth Sciences, Hokkaido University
Workshop: Cell Biology and Soap Preparation
Ryusei Ito
Ryusei Ito
Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University
Workshop: Osmosis, Diffusion, and Membrane Filtration
Guanglei Li
Guanglei Li
Ph.D., Researcher, Faculty of Environmental Earth Sciences, Hokkaido University
Workshop: Synthesis of Fluorescence Dye by Suzuki-Miyaura Cross Coupling Reaction
Tomomi Nemoto
Tomomi Nemoto
Professor, Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University. From Nikon Imaging Center at Hokkaido university
Lecture Title: Cutting edge of microscopy – Seeing is believing Lecture on novel microscopy and experiments on “Smartphone microscopy”
Tokiyoshi Ayabe
Tokiyoshi Ayabe
Professor, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Cell Biological Science, Graduate School of Life Science,Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido University
Lecture Title: Health or Disease – Research in innate immunity distinguishing foe and friend
Motosuke Tsutsumi
Motosuke Tsutsumi
Specially Appointed Assistant Professor. From Nikon Imaging Center, Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University.
2019 Spring Program Professor Profiles
Jeremie Gillet
Jeremie Gillet
2015-Present: Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow, OIST, Japan
2012-2015: Postdoctoral Scholar, OIST, Japan
2011-2012: Postdoctoral Researcher, University College Cork, Ireland
2011: Ph.D. Physics, University of Liege, France
Workshop Title: Introduction to Python Programming.
Yuuki Guzmán
Yuuki Guzmán
OIST Graduate School Admissions
Workshop Title: “OIST-rivia”
Lina Koronfel
Lina Koronfel
OIST Graduate Student
Optical Neuroimaging Unit: https://groups.oist.jp/onu
2015: MSc, Dalhousie University, Canada
2011: BSc, Cairo University, Egypt
Workshop Title: How Does A Microscope Work?
Irina Filonova
Irina Filonova
Ph.D., Postdoctoral Development Specialist at OIST
Workshop Title: Careers in Science
2019 RESEARCH MENTORS
- Dr. Da Guo
- Postdoctoral Scholar at Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University
Ph.D. in Neuroscience from University of Tübingen
https://groups.oist.jp/nrim/da-guo - Ms. Lina Koronfel
- OIST Graduate Student
MSc in Neurobiology and Anatomy/Neuroscience
BS in Biophysics
https://www.linkedin.com/in/koronfelina/ - Dr. Peter Bratby
- OIST Postdoctoral Scholar, Computational Neuroscience Unit
PhD in Computational Neuroscience
MSc in Mathematics
https://groups.oist.jp/cnu/members - Dr. Domna G. Kotsifaki
- Scientific Staff at OIST
https://gr.linkedin.com/in/domna-g-kotsifaki-86ab092a - Mr. Ianto Cannon
- OIST Rotation Students
https://groups.oist.jp/emssu/alumni-previous-members
2015~2018 Professor Profiles
Akihiko Yamagishi
Akihiko Yamagishi
Professor, Department of Applied Life Science, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Science, TOYAKU. Graduated the University of Tokyo in 1975 lecture “When and how life emerged on the Earth” at 2015
Akiko Moriyama
Akiko Moriyama
An independent trainer and consultant specialized in Intercultural Communication, Diversity & Inclusion, and Interpersonal Communication.
lecture “We are all different: What Diversity can bring to us” at 2015
Akinori Nagano
Akinori Nagano
Professor, Faculty of Sport and Health Science Ritsumeikan University.
Lecture “Recent topics in sport biomechanics” at 2017
Akira Fujishima
Akira Fujishima
Tokyo University of Science, President. He is known for discovering the photocatalytic and superhydrophilic properties of titanium dioxide (TiO2) resulting in an array of applications such self-cleaning technologies that have changed the world.
Lecture “How to enjoy science” at 2017
Alexander Tang
Alexander Tang
Lecturer at the School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia
PhD in Neuroscience from University of Western Australia
Lecture: “Neuro Data Analysis ”
Charlotte Evans
Charlotte Evans
Teacher (elementary, high school and university) lecture “How to make team, how to work in team” & “Why do scientists need to think about ethics?” at 2015 to 2017
Chien Wen Chen
Chien Wen Chen
RIKEN Brain Science Institute. 2011.PhD. Department of Medical genetics, Cambridge University, United Kingdom. 1999MS.DepartmentofBiology,Fu-JenCatholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
lecture “Genetics, an invisible secret within you and me” at 2015
Dong Cao
Dong Cao
He gave a lecture ”WORKING WITH C. ELEGANS.”
OIST Graduate Student
Information Processing Biology Unit: https://groups.oist.jp/ipbu/ichiro-maruyama
2014: MSc, Nankai University, China
2011: BSc, Nankai University, China
Gaku Nagashima
Gaku Nagashima
Data Scientist / Yoga Instructor.
Harvard University PhD candidate in Applied Physics 2011-2015- State University of New York at Stony Brook in Physics 2008-2011
lecture ” How have I lived my life? And How am I living now?” at 2015
“Meet young researchers and entrepreneurs” at 2016
Gary Vierheller & Sachiyo Vierheller
Gary Vierheller & Sachiyo Vierheller
Gary Vierheller (MIRAIKAN), Presentation coach / Sachiyo Vierheller (Inspire Ltd.), English Advisor lecture “Learn to Present Science” at 2015 to 2017
Hideki Masuda
Hideki Masuda
Postdoctoral researcher at National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) in Japan.
PhD(Engineering) from University of Tsukuba, Japan. lecture “Power generation and consumption techniques for innovative energies” at 2016
Hiroshi Amitsuka
Hiroshi Amitsuka
Professor, Ph.D., Hokkaido University
Experimentalist (Low-Temperature Physics, Magnetism, Superconductivity)
Lecture: “The Amazing World of Very Low Temperature”
Hisaaki Shinkai
Hisaaki Shinkai
Professor, Osaka Institute of Technology. Visiting Researcher at RIKEN.
General Relativity and Cosmology. PhD (Theoretical Physics) from Waseda University 1995.
lecture “Why we know there are black-holes? Introduction to Einstein’s Relativity” at 2016
Ichido Uchida
Ichido Uchida
Rinzai sect Daihonzan (head temple) Engaku-ji Temple Deputy chief priest
lecture “Learn Zen(禅) world and science” at 2016
Jeremie Gillet
Jeremie Gillet
He gave a lecture ”INTRODUCTION TO PYTHON PROGRAMMING.”
2015-Present: Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow, OIST, Japan
2012-2015: Postdoctoral Scholar, OIST, Japan
2011-2012: Postdoctoral Researcher, University College Cork, Ireland
2011: Ph.D. Physics, University of Liege, France
Justin Charles Foster Sutherland
Justin Charles Foster Sutherland
He gave a lecture “Improving Your Presentation Skills.”
Ken Endo
Ken Endo
Researcher of Sony Computer Science laboratories Inc., and CEO of Xiborg Co., Ltd.
lecture “Relationship with human body and technology: A case of prosthetic leg for sports used in Paralympics” at 2016
Ken Katakura
Ken Katakura
Professor at Laboratory of Parasitology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University. Specialty: Parasitology, Tropical Medicine
Lecture: “Finding parasites from various animals”
Konstantin Khalturin
Konstantin Khalturin
He gave a lecture “Who are Cnidaria and What Can We Learn From Them?”
Marine Genomics Unit: https://groups.oist.jp/mgu
2013-Present: Staff Scientist, OIST, Japan
2011-2013: Senior Lecturer, Zoological Institute of Christian-Albrechts University, Germany
2002: PhD in Biology, Zoological Institute of Christian-Albrechts University, Germany
1999: MSc in Biology, St. Petersburg State University, Russia
Leilee ChojnacKi
Leilee ChojnacKi
She gave a lecture ”QUANTUM PHENOMENA.”
OIST Graduate Student
Micro/Bio/Nano Fluidics Unit (in rotation): https://groups.oist.jp/mbnu/amy-shen
2016: MSc, University of Waterloo, Canada
2015: BSc, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland
Lina Koronfel
Lina Koronfel
She gave a lecture “HOW DOES A MICROSCOPE WORK?”
OIST Graduate Student
Optical Neuroimaging Unit: https://groups.oist.jp/onu
2015: MSc, Dalhousie University, Canada
2011: BSc, Cairo University, Egypt
Manabu Nishio & Ryo Yamada
Manabu Nishio & Ryo Yamada
Nishio is Lead of R&D & Yamada is Co-founder from WOTA(HOTARU) CORP.
lecture “Toilet-to-tap? -water reuse for a water scarce world” at 2017
Margaret Howel
Margaret Howel
She gave a lecture “Improving Your Presentation Skills.”
Masafumi Terada
Masafumi Terada
Assistant Professor, College of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University
Lecture “Reliability and reproducibility of outcome measures: Improving science” at 2017
Masahiro Fujimoto
Masahiro Fujimoto
Assistant Professor, College of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University.
Lecture “Biomechanics of human balance and movement” at 2017
Michele Thompson
Michele Thompson
She gave a lecture “Unconscious Bias – How do your experiences and background impact the way you think?”
Michele Thompson joined OIST as the Senior Manager for Diversity and Welfare in November 2017. Her undergraduate education is in English and Communications and she earned her Master’s in Business Administration in International Management. Her professional background includes corporate management consulting, training, education, university administration and entrepreneurship in the US, China and Japan.
Mohieldin Magdy Mahmoud Youssef
Mohieldin Magdy Mahmoud Youssef
He gave a lecture ”INTRODUCTION TO MICROSCOPY.”
OIST Graduate Student
Cell Signal Unit: https://groups.oist.jp/csu
2014: MSc, Ain-Shams University, Egypt
2010: BSc, Ain-Shams University, Egypt
Naoki Takeishi
Naoki Takeishi
Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University.
lecture “The world of Rheology” at 2015
“Biomedical Engineering – Fluid, Physiology, and Mechanics – &
Meet young researchers and entrepreneurs” at 2016
“Biomedical engineering – where does mechanics fit into the medical world?” at 2017
Norihiko Suzuki
Norihiko Suzuki
Assistant professor, Photo catalysis International Research Center (PIRC), Tokyo University of Science
lecture ÅgChallenges on photocatalytic applications – How to overcome _ at 2017
Pavel Hecjcik
Pavel Hecjcik
Science communicator, National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan). Master Degree in Math and Physics Education. PhD. Degree in Engineering.
lecture “The biography of the Universe” at 2015
Pavel Prosselkov
Pavel Prosselkov
RIKEN Brain Science Institute. 2013, March PhD in Veterinary Medicine.2001-2005 Course works in Neuroscience, Molecular and Structural Biology at the University of Queensland (UQ, Brisbane) and Australian National University (ANU, Canberra).
lecture “Evolution of the Cognitive Traits” at 2015
Qi Zhang
Qi Zhang
Research Scientist in Brain Science Institute, Riken.
Adjunct lecturer at Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University.
Invited lecturer at Juntendo University.
lecture “IPS Who are you?” at 2015
“Human body and human brain” at 2016
Robert Baughman
Robert Baughman
He gave a lecture “KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Welcome and Introduction to OIST.”
Executive Vice President of the Technology Development & Innovation Center, and Vice-CEO, OIST, Japan https://groups.oist.jp/tdic
Ph.D. in Chemistry, Harvard University, USA
MSc in Chemistry, Harvard University, USA
Former Faculty, Neurobiology Department, Harvard Medical School, USA
Former Assoc Director, NIH National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Ryo Nakao
Ryo Nakao
Associate Professor at Laboratory of Parasitology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University. Specialty: Parasitology, Genome Science
Lecture: “Finding parasites from various animals”
Ryo Sakurai
Ryo Sakurai
Co-founder of the GOB Incubation Partners
lecture “Create new value by Design Thinking approach” at 2016
Satoru Iwata
Satoru Iwata
Assistant Professor Seikei University Faculty of Science and Technology Molecular Control Lab. Doctor degree from Tokyo Institute of Technology. lecture “The material science of the light and the color” at 2015
Satoshi Erdos Kato
Satoshi Erdos Kato
Founder of Japan data scientist consortium
Risu-japan director
lecture “Road to Data Scientist, the sexiest job of 21 century” at 2016
Shiro Yamazaki
Shiro Yamazaki
Assistant Professor, Department of Physics, School of Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology
Lecture: “Learning Physics through SF movie Interstellar”
Sohei Wakisaka
Sohei Wakisaka
Project Researcher, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo. Master degree and PhD for visual illusion studies.
lecture “Meet young researchers and entrepreneurs” at 2016
“Cognitive bias” at 2017
Stephen Lee
Stephen Lee
PhD candidate in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University
M.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Columbia University
Lecture: “Acoustic Levitation”
Taiken Yokoyama
Taiken Yokoyama
Director of Eiheiji department of international affairs. Head priest at Zenshoji in Hiroshima, conducting international Zen courses, Child Zen courses and many other programs.
Lecture “Zen & science” at 2017
Takeshi Hakamada
Takeshi Hakamada
The founder and CEO of ispace technologies, Inc, which aims to the world leading lunar exploration company. M.S in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology.
lecture “Meet young researchers and entrepreneurs” at 2016
Takeshi Ricardo Tabuchi Yagui
Takeshi Ricardo Tabuchi Yagui
He gave a lecture ”LEGO MINDSTORMS.”
OIST Graduate Student
Bioinspired Soft Matter Unit: https://groups.oist.jp/bsmu
2014: MSc, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Peru
2012: BSc, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Peru
Tokiyoshi Ayabe
Tokiyoshi Ayabe
Professor, Department of Cell Biological Science, Graduate School of Life Science, Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido University
Lecture: “Let’s experience research to clarify the gut innate immunity!”
Volkhard Mäckel
Volkhard Mäckel
Researcher at the Atomic Physics Laboratory at RIKEN Science Institute. Dissertation at the Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany, Thesis title: Laser spectroscopy on highly charged ions at the Electron Beam Ion Trap.
lecture “Nuclear energy – good or evil?” at 2015
Yoshifumi Komasa
Yoshifumi Komasa
Founder of Sky Sea Academy and Sky Sea International Academy (Republic of Ghana). Special Ed Teacher at NPO Showa Gakuen, specialized in STEAM education. Graduated Keio University, majoring Applied Physics and Physico – Informatics.
lecture “Future of Our Universe” at 2015
“Rocket experiment ～one day field work～” at 2016
“Robotics & Programming basic information & competition, Theory of relativity & quantum mechanics, Experiment competition (Organic Chemistry & Distillation), Rocket experiment” at 2017
Yuuki Guzmán
Yuuki Guzmán
OIST Graduate School Admissions
Lecture: “OIST-rivia”
Yoshino Ryu
Yoshino Ryu
Representative of G&G, specializes in English education.
Won a national speech contest & awarded by the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
lecture “Learn the basics of PowerPoint and let’s make a Doraemon Gadget a reality!” at 2015
“Learn the key basics of PowerPoint and win that investment!” at 2016
Zonghao Liu
Zonghao Liu
He gave a lecture “Next-Generation Solar Cells.”
Energy Materials and Surface Sciences Unit: https://groups.oist.jp/emssu
2017-Present: Postdoctoral Scholar, OIST, Japan
2016-2017: Research Assistant, Peking University, China
2015: Research Intern, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
2016: PhD in Opto-Electronic Information Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China
2011: BS in Applied Chemistry, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China
Program overview
2015
Date： August 3rd – 9th, 2015 (7 days)
Location：Yokosuka Telecom Research Center (YRP)
http://www.yrp.co.jp/
Participation Fee：160,000 yen
Max. Capacity：25pax
Total Participants：25pax(Japanese 12, Overseas 13 Applicants 32)
（Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Singapore）
2016
Date： August 3rd – 9th, 2016 (7 days)
Location：Yokosuka Telecom Research Center (YRP)
http://www.yrp.co.jp/
Participation Fee：150,000 yen
Max. Capacity：50pax
Total Participants：48pax(Japanese：18, Overseas：30, Applicants：101)
（Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Mongolia, China and Taiwan, United Kingdom）
2017
Date: July 30th – August 9th, 2017 (11 days)
Location: Ritsumeikan University Biwako Kusazu Campus・Tokyo Science University, Noda Campus
Participation: Fee 250,000 yen
Max. Capacity: 30 pax
Total Participants: 35 pax (Japanese: 7; Overseas: 28 Applicants: 132)
(Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Bagladesh, Mongolia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Ukraine, United States of America)
2018 Spring
Date: April 2nd – 9th, 2018 (8 days)
Location: OIST (Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University)
Participation: Fee 200,000 yen
Max. Capacity: 15 pax
Total Participants: 13 pax (Japanese: 2; Overseas: 11; Applicants: 114)
(Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Mongolia, Thailand, Indonesia)
2018 Summer
Date: July 30th – August 3rd, 2018 (5days)
Location: Hokkaido University, Global Research Center for Food & Medical Innovation
Participation Fee: 125,000 yen
Ages: grade7-11
Total Participants: 30 (Applicants: 168)
Countries: Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Mongolia, Thailand, Bangladesh, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Zambia
2019 Spring
Date: March 26th – April 1st, 2019 (7 days)
Location: OIST (Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University)
Participation Fee: 230,000 yen
Ages: Grade 7-12
Total Participants: 20 (Applicants: 115)
Countries: the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam
2019 Summer
Date: July 28th – August 3rd, 2019 (7 days)
Location: Hokkaido University, Global Research Center for Food & Medical Innovation
Participation Fee: 230,000 yen
Ages: Grade 8-11
Total Participants: 25 (Applicants: 79)
Countries: China, the Phillippines, Japan, Mongolia, Thailand, Vietnam, Canada, the United States
List of supporters for Seasonal Programs
- 2015
- Lojim Co., Ltd. Leave a Nest Co., Ltd. Yokosuka Telecom Research Park, Inc. Keikyu Corporation. Yokosuka city.
- 2016
- 8bitNews. Keikyu Corporation. Yokosuka Telecom Research Park, Inc. Xiborg. Cisco Systems G.K. GOB Incubation Partners. ispace(HAKUTO Project). RISU Japan inc. ENGAKUJI. Lojim Co., Ltd. kosodate-renove(Kyowabussan Group Holdings.). Japan Assoiciation of Rocketry. Yokosuka City.
- 2017
- NARIKA CORPORATION. WOTA CORP. Lojim Co., Ltd. kosodate-renove(Kyowabussan Group Holdings.). Japan Assoiciation of Rocketry. Ritsumeikan Univ. Tokyo University of Science.
- 2018 Spring
- Success KEY Group, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University
- 2018 Summer
- Leave a nest Co., Ltd., Hokkaido University, Global Research Center for Food & Medical Innovation
- 2019 Spring
- Mistletoe Japan, Inc., Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University
- 2019 Summer
- Mistletoe Japan, Inc., Hokkaido University, Global Research Center for Food & Medical Innovation
“Talent is something the society breeds and using those talents for the society is how to give back”
is the shared understanding who will act as a “Senpai” and support the students.
Each student who pass the assessment period and enroll to Manai will be assigned their own “Senpai.”
“Senpai,” as experienced member of the society, will help lead the students in their activities.
Specific roles of “Senpai” are:
- Building relationship with the student
- Financial support for the student’s learning
- Providing access to their network
“Senpai” will be able to give back to the society through the talented Manai student - expanding their communities and field through the student.
We believe that for the students during their impressionable times being able to receive support and walk through this time together, will be extremely memorable and impactful.
Manai Tokyo Base @ Ichigaya
〒162-0843
Ichigaya Cross-place 8F, 2-7-15, Ichigayatamachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan