Hsin-Jui Li
From National Taiwan University
Stayed at Koide Lab. (Mouse Genomics Resource Laboratory), NIG.

Before I came to NIG
As I received the result of NIGINTERN2011, I was so happy to accept such a great offer of admission. My host laboratory was Mouse Genomics Resource Laboratory of Dr. Koide Tsuyoshi's group. Dr. Takahashi Aki, my supervisor, interests in "the relationship between serotonin (5-HT) system and aggressive behavior", which also matches my interest. After reading the brief research plan, I was so exciting to know that I would work on a new and powerful technique, optogenetics, and looking forward to meet the members in Dr. Koide's lab.

Research in NIG
Working in Dr. Koide's Lab
Under the guidance of Aki san, I started to work on the topic of 5-HT system and aggression. I always expressed my questions and ideas freely during discussions, and the conclusion for every time was many thoughts were worth to try! Aki san always gave me the greatest support to put those ideas into practice. It was so great that I set up a technical system, decided topics by reviewing previous researches, thought of the possible reasons for the problems I faced and found the ways to solve them... which were more like doing research then only doing experiments! In this internship experience, not only the research attitude, but also the attitude toward others during cooperation I hold to be the more valuable things than the research methods I learned. The working atmosphere here was always nice and joyous!

My Research Topics
　Previously, Aki san has found that not only aggressive behavior but also 5-HT level in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) increase after injection of baclofen, an agonist for the GABAB receptors, in dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), a midbrain structure mainly composed of 5-HTergic neurons. My topics are decided by reviewing the insufficiencies of this study and results from other researches. In which, I realized how important that “asking a good question” is for doing a research.
　One of my topics is trying to modulate neural activity of DRN by light stimuli and observe aggressive behavior in mice. As I arrived the lab, I was surprised to find out that the system of optogenetics hadn't been set up yet, and one of my missions is to set up these tools! Form production of recombinant lentivectors to setting up optical stimulation, by finding the ways to solve the problems I met, this was a very good chance for me to know this technique by heart.
　On the top of that, I also measured different neurotransmitter levels in DRN before and after the baclofen injection, trying to understand the effect of the drug on this brain area. However, the results didn't match my hypothesis based on the intuitive thought of pharmacological mechanisms, which implied the interactions among DRN and other brain areas. With this idea, since DRN 5-HTergic neurons also project to some important areas of dopamine system, I further used a kind of D1 receptor antagonist together with baclofen, and found that the effect of baclofen on aggression was affected. The story became more interesting!

Life in NIG
　On the second day I arrived Japan, Koide sensei kindly showed me around Mishima by walking and biking with me. People in the lab were so kind and always showed consideration for me. Sometimes, we went to izakaya, a type of drinking establishment in Japan, to have a drink. Many of the lab members, including Koide sensei, like to play soccer, and so do I. Besides lab works, I usually played soccer with the members in the NIG soccer team, Prisoners. Aside from soccer, I also played badminton with many other members in the NIG during weekends. I made a lot of friends here. We joined reading circles, had lunch and dinner in cafeteria, had fun in the NIG summer party, went travel to Tokyo, saw yabusame, a traditional Japanese archery, in Mishima festival, enjoyed fireworks of summer festivals in many cities, climbed Mount Fuji... I also had a two-day trip to Kyoto! All of them are wonderful times and beautiful memories for me. Every day here was a happy day!

After I came back to Taiwan
　The experience was much more wonderful then what I had thought before the trip. 70 days is a short period; I am still reluctant to part with those beautiful memories in NIG.