TKT CAMPUS Asia program

Tsinghua University

I chose Tsinghua University because I thought I would be able to conduct research and build a network of contacts in China that would be advantageous from a global perspective, as China is enjoying remarkable development and has a close relationship with Japan. When I was a 3rd-year undergraduate student, I visited Tsinghua University as part of the Research and Development for Bioscience and Biotechnology in Overseas Countries course. I saw that Tsinghua students were diligent, motivated to conduct research and proficient in English. I thought the program would allow me to appreciate another culture, but it also enhanced my research capabilities and improved my language skills.

Umetsu in a class at Tsinghua University

Tsinghua University has an enormous campus and everything you need for campus life. Labs, lecture rooms, cafeterias, dormitories, supermarkets and bookshops can be found on campus. I had the impression that students and faculty members were much closer to each other than those at Japanese universities, probably because Tsinghua students spent most of their time on campus. I stayed on campus most of the time too and ate my meals with other students and faculty members.

Tsinghua students were so enthusiastic that sometimes they even interrupted faculty members during class. I was surprised when a student cut off a faculty member and stated his opinion for about three minutes in a class on life-science ethics.

Umetsu in the lab

My research involved analyses of the binding sites of RNA¹-binding proteins. I also created a database of their specifications. RNA-binding proteins have a significant impact on gene expression, the process by which information contained in a gene is used in the synthesis of proteins with various bio-functions. This research is conducted in a broad range of academic fields.

The experimental technique for analyzing protein interactions with RNA is called CLIP (cross-linking immunoprecipitation). In my research at Tsinghua University I identified the binding sites of RNA-binding proteins by means of putting together multiple databases of CLIP research results and making a comprehensive analysis. In addition, I compiled a database of the research results for future research on RNA-binding proteins.

¹ RNA (ribonucleic acid) acts as a messenger carrying instructions from DNA and is made of a ribose sugar, a base and phosphoric acid for controlling the synthesis of proteins.

KAIST

Sometime around November when I was a 2nd-year master's student, my academic supervisor emailed me about an opportunity to study at KAIST on the TKT CAMPUS Asia program. At that time, I was ready to go to KAIST immediately if I could study under Associate Professor John Kim, the world-renowned scholar in my field of expertise. He is a regular speaker at prestigious conferences such as the International Symposium on Computer Architecture (ISCA) and the International Symposium on Microarchitecture (MICRO). I learned that the TKT CAMPUS Asia program also provides a scholarship and applied for the program straight away.

Lecture at KAIST

At KAIST most classes are conducted in English. During the four months of my stay, I took classes in English and conducted research.

At Tokyo Tech one course has one lecture a week, but at KAIST one course has two lectures a week, which gave me the impression that classes at KAIST went into greater depth than those at Tokyo Tech. In addition, classes progressed quickly. Associate Professor Kim's classes were particularly quick, required lots of knowledge and were intense for me. I gained a lot of confidence as I overcame various difficulties. I also attended seminar classes where invited companies or notable public figures come and give presentations on their technologies and research.

Kobayashi with lab members (front left)

Before going to KAIST, I consulted with my academic supervisor at Tokyo Tech and decided to choose a research topic which was different from my master's thesis. The topic I chose was the reliability assurance of routers which link cores in processors. I designed a stable mechanism for the routers and evaluated their reliability.

Before I went abroad I thought I would write my thesis on the advantages or beneficial applications to society of my research if they outnumbered the disadvantages. However at KAIST I saw a different way of pursuing research. Students discussed with their academic supervisors, conducted related research and thoroughly revised their research until the advantages of the research outweighed the disadvantages. My colleagues in the lab told me it took at least one year for students to get permission from their academic supervisors to start writing their theses. I learned that conducting thorough and exhaustive research without compromising can lead to presenting at prestigious conferences.

Summer School

1

Summer Program
Undergraduate and master's students become members of a lab at Tokyo Tech, and participate in the Summer School while undertaking a short-term research project.

2

Joint Educational Program
This is a research only program. Master's and doctoral students conduct research on a topic set by faculty members at Tokyo Tech and at their home universities, KAIST or Tsinghua, to earn a master's or doctoral degree. Tailored educational guidance is provided to each student by a faculty member at their home universities in cooperation with a Tokyo Tech faculty member.

3

Summer and Joint Educational Combined Program
This is a program that combines the Summer Program and the Joint Educational Program. Students undertake a research project and participate in the Summer School. In the fall semester they can take credit-transferable courses.