International Course in Bioscience and Biotechnology Program Tokyo Institute of Technology

Graduate School of Bioscience & Biotechnology
Dept. of Life Science
Dept. of Biological Sciences
Dept. of Biological Information
Dept. of Bioengineering
Dept. of Biomolecular Engineering

Integrated doctoral program (3 - 5 yrs)

The Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology has launched a new program entitled “International Course in Bioscience and Biotechnology” within our Integrated Doctoral Education Program. The primary aim of the course is to foster student excellence within our various and sophisticated educational programs by exposing students to the advanced science and technology that underpins medical and environmental industries and to other related areas of bioscience and biotechnology. By enhanced exchange between international and Japanese students, we will produce high level researchers and engineers who will flourish as national and global leaders.

Course Program

The program will commence in October of each year, and student education will be conducted in English.

1)  A student must be certified at master's degree level while attending the course, which will be of at least 3 years duration.

2)  A student must acquire more than 25 credits in the special and general subjects listed below. (exclusive of colloquium (IGC Seminar I – X) and internship (IGC Bio-Internship I, II) credits.) *See the tables below.

3)  In these subjects, a student must acquire 2 credits of Directed Collaboration Works. *compulsory

4)  A student must acquire more than 4 credits of IGC Bio-Internship. IGC Bio-Internship: a 3-6 month project at research institutes or corporations in Japan. *compulsory

5)  A student must take all of the required colloquium (IGC Seminar I – X of each department) credits. *compulsory

6)  A student usually files for a master's degree after acquiring 30 credits in general and special subjects together with one IGC Seminar in each semester (usually a total 2 – 4 credits). She/he then submits a research report which must be passed according to the examination rules in each department. Students who are admitted to obtain a master's degree must take the qualifying examination for the doctoral course immediately, and those who pass it will become students of the doctoral course.

7)  To graduate, doctoral students must present satisfactory mid-term progress reports, and then pass doctoral thesis review and a final oral examination.

Classes in this list given in English

“E” or “O” in the remarks column shows that those classes are open in even or odd year, respectively.
The classes without such symbols are open every year.
“C” in the remarks column indicates the class is common to all departments.
*Must take more than 4 credits in other departments.

Internship, Advanced Experiments and Colloquiums (Seminar) of each department (compulsory)

Class Name	Class No	Credit	Lecturer(s)	Semester	Remarks
IGC Bio-Internship I	78091	0-4-0	Kajiwara et al	Autumn
IGC Bio-Internship II	78092	0-4-0	Kajiwara et al	Spring
Directed Collaboration Works	78071	2-0-0	Kajiwara, Mihara	Autumn	MC 1st year
Advanced Experiments I (each dept)		0-0-2	Mentor	Spring	MC 1st year
Advanced Experiments II (each dept)		0-0-2	Mentor	Autumn	MC 1st year
IGC Seminar I (each dept)		1	Mentor	Autumn	MC 1st year
IGC Seminar II (each dept)		1	Mentor	Spring	MC 1st year
IGC Seminar III (each dept)		1	Mentor	Autumn	MC 2nd year
IGC Seminar IV (each dept)		1	Mentor	Spring	MC 2nd year
IGC Seminar V (each dept)		1	Mentor	Autumn	DC 1st year
IGC Seminar VI (each dept)		1	Mentor	Spring	DC 1st year
IGC Seminar VII (each dept)		1	Mentor	Autumn	DC 2nd year
IGC Seminar VIII (each dept)		1	Mentor	Spring	DC 2nd year
IGC Seminar IX (each dept)		1	Mentor	Autumn	DC 3rd year
IGC Seminar X (each dept)		1	Mentor	Spring	DC 3rd year

Taking one of these credits is compulsory. Compulsory

Tokyo Tech Common Lectures

Bioengineering Now (2-0-0)
Autumn semester of even year
Prof. Yasunori TANJI, Assoc Prof. Eiry KOBATAKE and Assoc. Prof. Toshiaki KAMACHI

(Aim)
Most advanced research status of bioengineering is to be learned, where bio-functions derived from biological elements such as viruses/phages, enzymes, microbes, plant/animal cells are applied to the construction of innovative systems for producing materials and/or energy, and contributing environmental technology.

Advanced Bioorganic Chemistry (2-0-0)
Autumn semester of even year
Prof. Yoshio OKAHATA, Prof. Tomoya KITAZUME and Assoc. Prof. Toshiaki MORI

(Aim)
Bioorganic chemistry related to “Bio activity” as well as advanced organic chemistry necessary for the study of Bioscience and biotechnology is expounded.

Advanced Molecular Biology (2-0-0)
Autumn semester of even year
Prof. Hiroshi HANDA, Assoc. Prof. Masaaki WACHI and Assoc. Prof. Shinji MASUDA

This course will feature the molecular biological aspects of a variety of biological phenomena, such as embryogenesis,cell differentiation, signal transduction, transcriptional regulation, cell response, etc. In addition, future aspects of gene technology, genetic diagnosis, and therapy will be presented. This course will be made in English.

Advanced Life Science Frontiers (2-0-0)
Spring semester of even year

Advanced Course of Molecular Developmental Biology (2-0-0)
Autumn semester of even year
Assoc. Prof. Mikiko TANAKA

(Aim)
This course is designed to provide a basic understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate vertebrate development.

(Schedule)

1. Introduction to Developmental Biology
2. Nervous System
3. Neural Crest Cells
4. Heart
5. Paraxial and Intermediate mesoderm
6. Endoderm
7. Limb Development
8. Blood Vessels and Blood Cells
9. Germ Line
10. Regeneration
11. Medical Implications

(How to Grade)
Attendance and presentation

Advanced Cell Biochemistry (2-0-0)
Spring semester of even year
Assoc. Prof. Masayuki KOMADA

(Aim)
Precise transport of proteins to their destinations in the cell is essential for various cellular functions. Membrane traffic is a major protein transport process between organelles made of lipid membranes. This course focuses on the molecular mechanisms as well as physiological and pathological roles of various membrane traffic processes in eukaryotic cells. Equal efforts will be made to address the fundamentals and recent findings on each subject.

(Schedule)

1. Endocytosis
2. Traffic from endosomes to lysosomes
3. Budding of viruses from host cells
4. Traffic between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi
5. Exocytosis
6. Traffic from the Golgi to endosomes
7. Rab family of small GTPases
8. Autophagy
9. Kinesin-mediated vesicle transport
10. Mechanisms of membrane protein localization

(How to Grade)
Tests, report

Advanced Biochemistry (2-0-0)
Autumn semester of odd years
Prof. Toshihiro AKAIKE, Assoc. Prof. Masayuki KOMADA, and Assoc.Prof. Kazunori TACHIBANA

Major areas of contemporary biochemistry will be covered to help understand the chemical basis of life. The themes include (1) biological membranes, chemical communication between cells, and intracellular trafficking; (2) protein motifs, protein folds, and macromolecular assembly; and (3) extracellular matrices and biochemistry of cell community.

(Schedule)
Prof. AKAIKE, Assoc.Prof. TACHIBANA : Biochemistry of Cell Community

1. Cell Surface Chemistry
2. Cell-matrix interactions
3. Cell-Cell Interactions
4. Applications to Cellular Engineering and Regenerative medicine
5. Applications to Drug and gene Delivery

Assoc. Prof. KOMADA : Signaling from growth factor receptors

1. Overview of the growth factor-receptor system
2. Signaling from tyrosine kinase-type receptors
3. Signaling from (1) serine/threonine kinase-type receptors and (2) receptors without kinase activity
4. Downregulation of growth factor receptors

Advanced Biology (2-0-0)
Autumn semester of odd year
Prof. Hiroyuki OHTA, Prof. Yukihisa HAMAGUCHI and Assoc. Prof. Mikiko TANAKA.

This course will be given in English. Major areas of contemporary biology will be covered to help understand the modern biology

Advanced Biophysical Chemistry (2-0-0)
Autumn semester of odd year
Prof. Satoshi MURAKAMI , Assoc. Prof. Nobuhiro HAYASHI and Assoc. Prof. Yuki YAMAGUCHI

This lecture will be given in English, Topics on advanced biophysical chemistry will be stated with the principles of the basic analytical instruments for the biological material.

Advanced Biotechnology Frontiers(2-0-0)
Autumn semester of odd year

Molecular Recognition of Biomolecules (2-0-0)
Autumn semester of odd years
Assoc. Prof. Koji SEIO , Prof. Hideya YUASA

(Aim)
Molecular recognition plays quite important roles in the biological processes such as gene expressions, enzymatic reactions, ligand-receptor interactions and cell-cell interactions. In this lecture, the molecular recognitions involving DNA, RNA, drugs, carbohydrates and peptides are discussed from the view points of organic chemistry and physical chemistry.

(Schedule)

1. Principles of molecular recognition (1)
2. Principles of molecular recognition (2)
3. Thermodynamics of molecular recognition
4. Structure of nucleic acids
5. Molecular recognition of nucleic acids (1)
6. Molecular recognition of nucleic acids (2)
7. Recognition of DNA by small molecules
8. Structure and function of carbohydrates
9. Molecular recognition of carbohydrates and related compounds (1)
10. Molecular recognition of carbohydrates and related compounds (2)
11. Molecular recognition of clinically important drugs (1)
12. Molecular recognition of clinically important drugs (2)
13. Principles of mimics and mimetics
14. Dynamic molecules for future drugs
15. Peptide synthesis (optional)

Advanced Course of Biological Recognition and Signaling II (2-0-0)
Autumn Semester of odd year
Prof. Takehiko ITOH, Assoc. Prof. Junji YAMAUCHI, Assoc. Prof. Hideki NOGUCHI

(Aim)
Students will learn the up-to-date knowledge and the ways to carry out research about biological signal transduction. This object could be attained not only from the lectures given by the instructor but also by actively participating in a series of presentations given by fellow students.

(Schedule)

1. Give basic and general understanding about Biological Signal Transduction. (2 weeks)
   Explain various receptors and molecules involved in different biological signal transduction pathways, and cross-talks among them.
2. Discuss about various oncogenes and tumor suppressors with regard to apoptosis, differentiation and cancer, based on topics published in recent literatures. (2 weeks)
3. Students are expected to make a bit formal presentations about a series of subjects chosen from current literature. Students will learn from this experience how to write and read papers as well as how to give a talk in conferences. (8 weeks)

(How to grade)
Students are expected to attend lectures as often as possible, and actively participate in the discussion about the topics presented by fellow students.

Asymmetric Synthesis (2-0-0)
Autumn semester of odd year
Assoc. Prof. Yuichi KOBAYASHI

(Aim)
Asymmetric reaction is a powerful method to obtain enantiomerically enriched compounds for synthesis of biologically important compounds. Among the efficient asymmetric reactions so far published, several types of reactions listed below will be described. The principle for the creation of stereocenter is discussed.

(Schedule)

1. Fundamental Aspects of Asymmetric Synthesis
2. Preparation of Enantiomerically Enriched Compounds by means of Optical Resolution, Asymmetric Synthesis, Chiral Pool Method, Reactions using Enzymes
3. Diastereoselection and Enantioselection
4. Enolate Formation and Asymmetric Alkylation
5. Asymmetric Aldol Reaction: Part 1
6. Asymmetric Aldol Reaction: Part 2
7. Catalytic Asymmetric Reactions: Part 1: Hydrogenation, Isomerization, Allylic Substitution
8. Catalytic Asymmetric Reactions: Part 2: Cyclopropanation, Diels-Alder Reaction
9. Asymmetric Epoxidation
10. Transformations of Epoxides
11. Asymmetric Dihydroxylation
12. Dissymmetrization of Compounds with Symmetry Elements
13. Chiral Pool Method
14. Asymmetric Synthesis of Biologically Active Compounds
15. Summary

(How to grade)
Attendance and report

Advanced Course of Biological Molecular Function (2-0-0)
Spring semester of odd year
Assoc. Prof. Yasunori AIZAWA

(Course Description)
This course considers the structural and functional aspects of the most fundamental cellular molecules, ribonucleic acids (RNAs). Topics in this course covers mechanisms on expression, processing, intracellular transport, and functional outcome of different classes of protein-coding RNAs as well as noncoding RNAs (ribosomal RNAs, transfer RNAs, small RNAs, and polyadenylated noncoding RNAs). In addition, to deeply understand these RNA-related mechanisms, this course provides additional topics on genome structures and functions. The technique and logic used to address important issues in RNA biology is also emphasized. Lectures cover the broad topic areas and class discussions focus on representative papers in the field.

(Topics)

1. Genome Architecture and Function
2. Definition of Gene and Complexity of Mammalian Genomes
3. RNA Expression and Processing
4. Intracellular RNA Transport
5. Gene Regulation through RNAs
6. Noncoding RNA

(Student requirements)
Intensive reading assigned papers and high quality performance in the class discussion is required from all the students.

Advanced Developmental Genetics (2-0-0)
Spring semester of odd year
Assoc. Prof. Atsushi KAWAKAMI

(Aim)
Cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate animal development, organ formation and related issues will be studied. Through the studies of developmental genetics and related areas, students will develop ability for oral presentation in English about respective researches and/or issues related to developmental genetics. Final goal of this class is to cultivate a faculty for logical thinking and scientific communication.

(Schedule)

1. 1.  Introduction, schedules etc.
2. 2.  Developmental genetics in model animal, particularly in small fish species
3. 3.  Cellular and molecular background of tissue regeneration
4. 4-12.  resentations by students

(How to Grade)
Attendance and presentation

Structure and Function of Biological Supramolecules (2-0-0)
Spring semester of odd year
Prof. Fumio ARISAKA

(Aim)
Among biological supramolecules, focus will be made on the protein supramolecules and the mechanisms and principles that control the molecular assembly and the methods of analyses will be taught. First, hierarchical structure of proteins will be introduced and varieties of interactions involved in the formation of protein supramolecules will be explained. After describing the various structures in the cell, structure of viruses will be introduced and the mechanism of assembly and the structural changes during assembly and infection process will be described through examples of bacteriophages along with the methodology of the analyses.

(Schedule)

1. Overview of supramolecules in the cell –tight complex and association-dissociation system–
2. Hierarchical structure of proteins
3. Protein-protein interactions
4. Repeats and symmetry in protein supramolecules
5. Co-operativity in the structure formation of protein assembly
6. Structure of viruses
7. Principle of quasi-equivalence –Caspar · Klug theory–
8. Methods of analyses on assembly
1. : application of conditional lethal mutants and in vivo and in vitro complementation
9. Methods of strucutre determination
1. : electron microscopy, X-ray crystallography etc.
10. Methods of analysis in protein-protein interactions: anaytical ultracentrifugation, surface plasmon resonance, isothermal titration microcalorimetry, light scattering
11. Paper review (1)
12. Paper review (2)
13. Paper review (3)
14. Summary

(How to Grade)
Attendance to the lectures and reports

Bioscience and Biotechnology Topics 1 (20XX) (1-0-0)
Spring semester
Prof. Hirokazu URABE et al.

Bioscience and Biotechnology Topics 2 (20XX) (1-0-0)
Autumn semester
Prof. Minoru SAKURAI et al.

Evaluation in the International Development, its theory and practice (2-0-0)
Autumn semester
Assoc. Prof Yuriko SATO

By taking this course, students can expect to deepen their understanding of major evaluation theories, their historical background and their application in the field of international development. They can also expect to acquire basic evaluation skills through the use of case studies, performing meta-evaluation and creating evaluation proposals.

Advanced Course of Bioscience Communication (2-0-0)
Autumn semester
Assoc. Prof. Naomi ARIMURA

Presentation Skill for Science and Technology(2-0-0)
Spring semester
Assoc. Prof. Martin Meldrum

The science-Based English teacher teaches the presentation skill concerning the science and technology.
It aims to learn various techniques to explain, discuss and debate own research and development to others, and to foster ability of English presentation.

IGC Bio-Internship I (0-4-0)
Autumn Semester
Assoc. Prof. Susumu KAJIWARA et al.

This class is a practical project at research institutes or corporations in Japan from three to six months.
A student must take this class or IGC Bio-Internship II.

IGC Bio-Internship II (0-4-0)
Spring Semester
Assoc. Prof. Susumu KAJIWARA et al.

This class is a practical project at research institutes or corporations in Japan from three to six months.
A student must take this class or IGC Bio-Internship I.

Directed Collaboration Works (2-0-0)
Autumn Semester
Assoc. Prof. Susumu KAJIWARA, Prof. Hisakazu MIHARA

To foster the creativity and planning about research and development in bioscience and biotechnology fields, and the scientific communication with other students, a student plans to develop a product with the other student (s), mainly Japanese students. A group spends two weeks to one month to finish this work. In the end of the semester, all groups have to perform oral presentations about their works.

List of Regular-course Lectures
(Given in Japanese, but international graduate course students can also attend and earn credits)

Department of Life Science

1) “E” or “O” symbols in the remarks column show that those classes are opened in even or odd years, respectively.
The classes without such symbols are opened every year.

Department of Biological Sciences

1) “E” or “O” symbols in the remarks column show that those classes are opened in even or odd years, respectively.
The classes without such symbols are opened every year.

Department of Biological Information

Class	Class No.	Credit	Lecturer	Semester	Note
Bio-internship I	78030	0-0-2	Sakurai et al.	Spring	C
Bio-internship II	78029	0-0-2	Yuasa et al.	Autumn	C
Bio-internship III	78082	0-0-2	Sato Yuriko	Autumn	C
Bioinformatics (bio)	78032	2-0-0	Nakai et al.	Spring	C
Industrial Sociology	78033	2-0-0	Kurokawa et al.	Spring	C
Brain Science	78034	2-0-0	Matsui et al.	Spring	C
Biotechnical Reading	78035	2-0-0	Shibata	Spring	C
Biotechnical Writing	78051	2-0-0	James Watt	Spring	C
Advanced Molecular Cell Biology I	72001	2-0-0	Kishimoto	Autumn	E
Advanced Molecular Cell Biology II	72002	2-0-0	Tachibana	Spring	O
Medical Engineering of Biorecognition	72003	2-0-0	Handa	Autumn	E
Recent Advances in Molecular Biology	72020	2-0-0	Yamaguchi	Spring	E
Molecular Immunology and Bone Biology	72005	2-0-0	Kudo	Autumn	E
Introduction to genome information science	72018	2-0-0	Kurokawa	Spring	E
Informatic Biotechnology	72010	2-0-0	Kobatake	Spring	O
Molecular Optical Imaging	72019	2-0-0	Tokunaga	Autumn	O
Advanced Cell and Molecular Biology II	72014	2-0-0		Spring	O
Advanced Course of Bioscience Communication	81014	2-0-0	Arimura	Autumn
GCOE Earths Program : Special Lecture 2	18126	1-0-0	Yoshida et al.	Autumn
GCOE Earths Program : Special Lecture 3	18127	1-0-0	Maruyama	Spring
GCOE Earths Program : Special Lecture 5	18128	1-0-0	Ohta et al.	Spring
Project Managing Skills I	25031	2-0-0	Otani	Spring
Project Managing Skills III	25033	2-0-0	Furuta	Autumn
Advanced Course In Biological Information I	72501	1-0-0		Spring	O
Advanced Course In Biological Information II	72502	1-0-0		Spring	E
Advanced Course In Biological Information III	72503	1-0-0		Autumn	O
Advanced Course In Biological Information IV	72504	1-0-0		Autumn	E
Advanced Bioscience	78050	2-0-0	Gu, Tanaka	Spring	Tsinghua University
Advanced Biotechnology	78069	2-0-0	Xing, Wachi	Spring	Tsinghua University
Advanced Bio-molecule Science	78070	2-0-0	Wang, Yamaguchi	Spring	Tsinghua University
Bio Off-Campus Project I	78054	0-4-0	Mentor	Spring
Bio Off-Campus Project II	78055	0-4-0	Mentor	Autumn
Advanced Life Science (Integrated Doctoral Education Program)	78056	2-0-0	Ichinose et al.	Autumn	O
Advanced Biological Sciences (Integrated Doctoral Education Program)	78057	2-0-0	Tanaka	Autumn	E
Advanced Biological Information (Integrated Doctoral Education Program)	78058	2-0-0	Kobatake	Spring	O
Advanced Bioengineering (Integrated Doctoral Education Program)	78059	2-0-0	Wachi	Autumn	O
Advanced Biomolecular Engineering (Integrated Doctoral Education Program)	78060	2-0-0	Akaike	Autumn	E
Training for Bio-business and Bio-industry	78084	4-0-0	Kajiwara et al.	Spring	C
Frontier Course of Nanomedicine (20XX)	78097	2-0-0	Sekine et al.	Autumn	C
Frontier Course of Biological Information (20XX)	78095	2-0-0	Tokunaga et al.	Autumn	C
Frontier Course of Biotechnology (200X)	78096	2-0-0	Okahata et al.	Autumn	C

1) “E” or “O” symbols in the remarks column show that those classes are opened in even or odd years, respectively.
The classes without such symbols are opened every year.

Department of Bioengineering

1) “E” or “O” symbols in the remarks column show that those classes are opened in even or odd years, respectively.
The classes without such symbols are opened every year.

Department of Biomolecular Engineering

1) “E” or “O” symbols in the remarks column show that those classes are opened in even or odd years, respectively.
The classes without such symbols are opened every year.