On 12 March 2004, Nihon University School of Medicine hosted a forum, entitled "Second Microbiology and Immunology - Genomes, Diseases and Therapies," with Indian scientists visiting Japan under the Japan-India Joint Programme.

"Modern Biology and Biotechnology" is one of six priority fields jointly supported under this joint program by JSPS and the Department for Science and Technology of India (DST). JSPS and DST are working together to encourage scientist exchanges between the two countries based on decisions made by the Japan-India Science Council.

Prof. Akira Ishihama (Research Leader, Nippon Institute for Biological Science), the Japanese coordinator in the field of "Modern Biology and Biotechnology," organised a joint research project with his counterpart in India, Prof. D. Balasubramanianm (Director of Research, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute). During the visits of Prof. Balasubramanianm and four other Indian researchers to Japan, they visited Nihon University to take part in this special forum on "genomes, diseases and therapies," hosted by Prof. Kazafumi Shimizu, Department of Immunology and Microbiology. At the forum, Prof. Balasubramanianm gave an impressive presentation on molecular genetic causes of eye diseases.