Attended by 107 young pre- and postdoctoral researchers from the US, UK, France, Germany and Canada, the JSPS Summer Program, cosponsored by The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai), was held over a 2-month period from 13 June to 23 August.
 Featuring a research internship at a host institution, the program began with a one-week orientation held at the Shonan Village Center in the seaside resort town of Hayama. At it, the fellows received special lectures, gave poster presentations, attended classes in Japanese language learning, engaged in Japanese culture activities, and experienced Japanese living through homestay with a Japanese family. After the orientation, the young researchers went their separate ways to their respective host institutions. Their summer internships afforded them an experience upon which to consider coming back to Japan to do research at future junctures in their careers. On the day before the program ended, the participants reassembled to present reports on their summer research activities.
For more detailed information on the JSPS Summer Program, please
see our website: http://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-summer/
- Carried out by the Overseas Fellowship Division
Research Activities
Ms. Landau with her host Dr. Mochizuki |
The centerpiece of the JSPS Summer Program was the fellows' internship at a host research institution, where they took part in research activities with frontline Japanese researchers in their respective fields. The following are comments offered by two of the fellows on their research experiences.
Ms. Anne Landau
(PhD student, McGill University) at Juntendo University
"Thanks to JSPS, I had the opportunity to work with my host Dr. Hideki Mochizuki, who is doing some of the most exciting and promising research into neuroprotective strategies and gene therapy for Parkinson's disease. His expertise, as well as the various models and techniques used in his laboratory, have been extremely beneficial to my research and my development as a scientist. This has been a very rewarding experience, both scientifically and culturally. I hope to establish a long-term collaboration with this fine Japanese laboratory."
Ms. Burgess with her host Dr. Seki |
Ms. Alison Burgess
(PhD student, University of Toronto) at Juntendo University
"My host, Dr. Tatsunori Seki was the first to describe the persistent expression of polysialic acid on newly generated neurons in the adult brain. While working with him under the JSPS Summer Program, I was able to gain a better understanding of the role this molecule plays in adult neurogenesis. In the lab, I have learned new techniques that will be very important in my future research as a postdoctoral fellow and scientist. Outside the lab, I
have found my cultural experiences in Japan to be invaluable."
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