From:University of Copenhagen
Stayed at:Invertebrate Genetics Laboratory / Saito Group
My 6 weeks at NIG were unbelievably wonderful. I had been to Japan 3 times before and speak a fair bit of Japanese, but this was my first time in a Japanese research environment, and it absolutely did not disappoint. Saito-sensei and everybody in the Invertebrate Genetics Laboratory made me feel so welcome from the very first day.
In the lab, I worked on m6A, a post-transcriptional modification of mRNA, and how the knock-out of a relevant methylation protein led to infertility in fruit flies. I had never worked with fruit flies before, but I thoroughly enjoyed the hands-on fly work and the resulting lab work, working with the ovarian tissue and RNA I had extracted and dissected myself. For my project, I also ended up doing some bioinformatics work, something I did not have a lot of experience in, but something that I actually ended up finding really interesting. Saito-sensei and the rest of my lab were always there to help when I had questions or got stuck in an experiment. NIGINTERN reconfirmed my beliefs that a research career is the right career path for me moving forward.
Not only did I get a lot out of NIGINTERN academically, but also socially. It was great fun living with the other interns in the Guesthouse and I enjoyed spending time with them in and around Mishima. A definite highlight of the trip was climbing Mount Fuji together, truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Japan is such an amazing country with amazing food, people and scenery and Mishima is no exception. Getting to combine my passion for molecular biology, my ambition for research and my love for Japan and Japanese language was an exceptional experience that I am deeply thankful for. NIG is an amazing institution with great staff, that were beyond helpful to all of us. I hope to come back sometime in the future. ありがとうございます！
I was assigned to Murayama Sensei’s Lab.: the laboratory of Chromosomal Biochemistry. Murayama Sensei was very kind and guiding. As Biochemistry is my major for my undergraduate degree, being an intern in his lab was so beneficial. My project was on the purification and biochemical characterization of budding yeast cohesin, this helped me in developing new skills and provided a platform for learning. I am very thankful to Maruyama Sensei and other lab. members to help and guide me as it was a new exposure for me.
During my 6 week stay in Japan, besides this internship, I experienced the Japanese culture, dishes, and festivals and I made new friends from all over the world and made beautiful memories. People in Japan, NIG, and other interns were nice and helpful to me. During my stay, I was able to make short trips to places near Mishima and Numazu and get the chance to explore Japan. I visited Japan’s symbol, Mount Fuji. Hiking Mount Fuji was fun. I enjoyed the beautiful view from Fuji-San. I witnessed the celebration of Marine Day in Japan. I spent a joyful day at Numazu beach.
Being a part of NIGINTERN 2022 was a truly amazing experience. Upon arriving in Japan, I was warmly welcomed to NIG and joined the Kitano group in the Ecological Genetics Laboratory. My colleagues in the Kitano lab were always willing to help me with any problems or questions I had, and all of the staff at NIG took good care of us during the program. During the six weeks of the internship, I was able to develop my skills and participate in some fascinating research in the laboratory. I primarily worked on a computational project to investigate the influence of diet and habitat on gene copy number in mammals, but I was also able to design PCR primers for characterizing chromosome inversions in stickleback fishes. I am planning to pursue a PhD in computational biology and genetics, and this internship has provided me with invaluable research experience and learning.
Outside of the lab, meeting the other amazing interns was the highlight of the summer. All of the interns came from different places and backgrounds, and it was incredible to spend time cooking, talking, and laughing together. We were able to travel to so many places in Japan together, from the beach in Numazu to the streets of Tokyo. While going to the fish market or climbing Mt. Fuji, I was also able to develop friendships with graduate students and professors from NIG. I am very grateful for the opportunity to meet all of these amazing people, and for the schedule flexibility which allowed us to make so many memories together.
This internship has been very inspiring as I continue to develop my career in biological research, and I would highly recommend the NIGINTERN program and NIG for those interested in learning at an institution performing cutting-edge biological research. My sincere thanks to the NIGINTERN program coordinators, the Academic Services Division, the NIG employees, and the Kitano lab for making this an incredible summer!
This internship was one of the most amazing experiences ever in every aspect combining both the unique Japanese culture and the best research environment you could ever ask for. Everything was meticulously organized from the moment I got accepted till the end.
Special thanks to NIG Administration team that guided us even before we reached the NIG and during our stay. And to every NIG member who contributed to this internship to give this terrific experience, and to my amazing lab for having me and making this an unforgettable experience.
This trip to Japan gave me the possibility to go sightseeing with friends I made during my stay. The spotless streets of Kyoto and absolutely adorable parks of Tokyo inspired us and made us fall in love with this astonishing country. A special place in my heart has our hike at mount Fuji. Climbing above the clouds and being so high up is an incredibly insightful experience, which made me realise my passion for hiking. These experiences I shared with other interns, each of which was from a different country. It made our communication not only a fun time but also a very interesting cultural exchange. I have a strong feeling, that during this 6-week adventure I gained some deep bonds of friendship with people from all around the world as well as an understanding of how the local peculiarities influence the research field in different countries.
I was assigned to the lab of my preference; Evolutionary Genetics, in which the aim of research is to understand the variation of nucleotide composition among Drosophila species and the mechanisms of genetic evolution. Under the guidance of Akashi Sensei, I was introduced to genetic evolution theories and some statistical tests used for the detection of the driving forces of molecular evolution. I also started learning python with the help of my lab members. At first, it was really challenging because I had no background in programming, however, the continues support I received from my lab has enabled me to conduct evolutionary analysis on the genome of two closely related species of Drosophila for my project. The results were so interesting and I got to talk about it in my presentation.
Besides research, I had the chance to make small trips to Kyoto and Tokyo with amazing people from different parts of the world. We visited Numazu beach, climbed Fuji-san to the summit and enjoyed the Japanese cuisine along our stay. The Japanese classes with Miyauchi Sensei and her unlimited kindness will never be forgotten.
I can’t thank the NIG and Sokendai University enough for this golden opportunity. Also, the great team of NIG and the Academic service division who kept contacting and helping us before and after arriving to the NIG.
I have been accepted in the Sato sensei lab which works on plant genetics scientific projects and I have been participating in several projects on wild Oryza during these last six weeks. I have to say that after this period I am pretty sure I want to continue my profession in this field.
Most definitely visiting again and working professionally with this institute in the future is on my to-do list. I recommend this special and unique internship to anyone interested in learning science and gaining privileged scientific experience in the best conditions, along with relaxation and enjoying the most breathtaking scenery.
