I had a memorable summer as an intern at National Institute of Genetics. The rigorous research environment in the lab was well complemented by Mishima’s relaxing atmosphere and the warm company of fellow interns and lab members. During my internship period, I worked on “Chromatin reconstitution from acetylated histone octamers to study replication in vitro” in the Division of Microbial Genetics. Professor Dr Hiroyuki Araki and Assistant Professor Dr Kohji Hizume guided me through out the project, which involved Atomic Force Microscopy, protein purification and many biochemical assays. Troubleshooting experiments with Hizume san and discussing my work with various lab members during weekly meetings helped me develop a new perspective towards biochemistry, experimental controls and research in general. I was encouraged by NIG and Araki lab members to present my work to eminent researchers. I had the opportunity to participate in an international Cell Division symposium and interact with top researchers in the field. The guest house provided by NIG was most comfortable and well equipped for daily activities. NIG arranged for Japanese classes which helped me manage day-to-day communication needs. My limited Japanese knowledge was not a barrier, as seminars, journal club presentations, lab meetings and discussions were in English. Being a vegetarian, I had limited dining options. But cooking was very convenient, and food supplies were easily available. In fact, cooking with fellow intern students turned out to be a fun filled experience. Most weekends were spent visiting exotic places including the temples and parks of Mishima, Kamakura, Hakone, the beach at Atami and Numazu and browsing through the busy streets of Tokyo. The 12 hour hike on Mount Fuji with a bunch of foreign students and fellow interns will forever be an unforgettable experience for me. In all, my internship at NIG was a great learning experience. I got to work with state-of-the-art technology and visit world famous destinations. The work environment at NIG, conversations with the enthusiastic lab members and interactions with world renowned scientists has surely strengthened my interest in pursuing a career in research.  |
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Kousik Sundararajan