To promote scientific interactions and exchanges worldwide, NIG has been sponsoring collaboration projects and international symposia. We continued an ongoing collaboration program with IISER （Indian Institute of Science Education and Research） Pune , by inviting a graduate student from Ratnaparkhi’s lab for a 2-months collaboration project. PhD student BHAGYASHREE KADUSKAR worked in the Ueda Lab (Invertebrate Genetics Laboratory), under the project title “Enhancer-suppressor screen for MADF-BESS domain protein CG9437”. Let’s start at the start, when I decided to come to japan (or actually stumbled upon the decision to come) I was pretty tensed and a bit scared too. For one, this was my first plane journey ever and second most importantly, my friends. In an (innocent?) attempt to help me, they had made sure I learn about all the horrible situations I can get stuck in because “I don’t know japaneese at all”, “I hadn’t travelled by train much”, “I am a pure vegetarian” and most importantly, “I cannot cook much”, they said. So, though nervous and excited at the same time of this adventure of two and half months, I boarded the plane, armed with maggi, pasta, tea bags, biscuits and Rice…..and of course, the detailed instructions to reach National Institute of Genetics (NIG), Mishima from the Narita Airport. I landed on Japanese soil (oh sorry, the amazing airport), and I realised I was going to have an excellent time of my life. The well-organised direction boards, the exact on-time trains at the exact mentioned platforms and the good natured woman at ticket counter (who ensured I get window seats when she understood this is my first time to the country!) ensured that I reached NIG happy and excited! I was in NIG to do an Enhancer-suppressor screen for MADF-BESS domain protein CG9437 in Prof. Ryu UEDA’s lab. The main aim of this screen was to find genetic interactors that would help to figure out the mechanism in which the protein CG9437 works. MADF-BESS domain proteins as the name suggest contain N-terminal DNA binding MADF domain and a C-terminal protein interaction BESS domain. The model system Drosophila melanogaster contains 16 such proteins. Four of these are characterised as Dip3, Adf1, Coop and Stonewal. The presence of 16 proteins indicates the critical phenomenon of gene duplication and possible divergence. Hence, this family of proteins becomes good model to study such evolution and possible drift with time. Also, these proteins appear to have important roles in transcription which need a look in. The excellent facilities of Prof. UEDA’s lab and his experienced guidance in fly genetics were great asset for someone inexperienced like me. I had merely started working with fly model before coming for this screen, but Prof. UEDA and all his lab members ensured that I had very successful and enjoyable time working with flies, I also learned a lot about setting correct crosses, balancers and handling such large no. of flies. Of course, I got some excellent hits in my experiments which would work as a platform to build my PhD. Work. This screen would also help to understand if these proteins show redundant functions or are example of divergence post duplication. Apart from the educating time I spent in lab, I had many memorable moments in the lab. Some of which include the tea time sessions when my lab mates tried to teach me Japanese and I tried to teach them Hindi!! (one of my lab mates actually wrote the name in hindi on the bike!!) I also went to short trips to Hakone with Prof. UEDA in his Porsche and to an amazing place with Ishizuka sang and Nagashima sang! Then there were times when all my lab mates would want to know more about India, its culture and I was more than happy to share some of my country’s rich culture. But of course, the Japanese culture is rich and historical too. And I realised it when I went to Tokyo with my great friends in NIG, Neha and Pradeep. The first place we visited was Edo-tokyo museum which made me realise how well the people here are organised since a very long time. I started respecting them from that point! I also had lots of fun at Asakusa, Akhiabara, and the TOKYO TOWER!!! I yes, the trip to Numazu beach yesterday!! As I mentioned I am a vegetarian, Prof. UEDA showed me a nice store near NIG called The Potato! Apart from potato, it sells almost everything you need to cook good food for yourself (Oh yes, the guest house is well equipped for cooking!). I also went to some good restaurants around with Rajshri and Neha and Pradeep, so that’s a option when you are too bored to cook! I also got a glimpse of the famous Sakura i.e. cherry blossom in NIG! What a sight it is!! With such excellent hosts, I would love to come and work here again. I have definitely got better at fly work and research methods over-all but that’s just one of the important things I have achieved coming here. Along with all the people I mentioned above, I would like to thank Maruyama sang so helping me a lot over my stay. I would also like to thank Dr. Girish Ratnaparkhi, My guide in India, to give me such a brilliant opportunity so early in my PhD. Lots of thanks to Miyauchi sense for taking efforts to teach me day-today Japanese over such a short span and I really hope I can continue studying such beautiful language in future. In all, I really appreciate the efforts taken by JASSO and NIG for inviting international students and am privileged to get one such opportunity.   P.S.: Please learn to drive ‘jitensha’, the bicycle before coming. It is a great asset! Arigato gozaimasu! More on NIG-IISER Collaboration: >>2012 Ms. Payal Arya >>2010 Mr. SenthilKumar’s article >>2009 Mr. Ranveer’s article