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National Institutes of Natural Sciences

National Institute for Basic Biology

International Cooperation

EMBL - Collaboration

Grad student’s participation in EMBL PhD Symposium2013 and visit to EMBL’s Laboratories

Venue EMBL Heidelberg, EMBL Monterotondo
Date Nov. 19-26, 2013

The purpose of my stay in Germany was to visit laboratories and participate in the EMBL PhD Symposium. I enjoyed the visits and participating in the Symposium at EMBL in Heidelberg, which is known for being a scenic city with the river running through. After Heidelberg I made the most of this opportunity, which allowed me to spend extra time visiting the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Cologne, a city famous for its chocolate and historic cathedral. I benefited a lot from this visit in spite of the poor weather. Following is my report on the visit, including some ideas which came to me during the trip.

At both laboratories I discussed with the group leader, and then had other discussions with each lab member. I previously had the impression that scientific research conducted by researchers abroad was always practical, because I did not have the opportunity of seeing its process but had only ever seen publications of the completed research. However I realized from the face-to-face discussions about their ongoing work that there is no easy way of getting things done, but through trial and error just as we do. As for discussion on my research, it was not essentially different from discussing with researchers at my institute. I had a renewed sense of the importance of daily discussions. Through the discussion with them I found that we had much in common concerning how we conduct research. Whereas I also strongly felt more than ever that it was hard to share ideas with researchers of different languages. I feel I often did not make myself understood well during discussions, and also in daily interaction. I realized that my English is not yet good enough.

To wrap up, after I had close communications with researchers from abroad, and made a presentation in English, it shed light on the direction of what I need to do with my future research, and this visit motivated me highly. I deeply appreciate the members of EMBL as well as NIBB supporting my visit.

 

19-20, November   Dr. Marcus Heisler Group (Heidelberg)

21-23, November   Ph.D. Symposium

Division of Symbiotic Systems, NIBB

Takema Sasaki (SOKENDAI)

 

 

During this visit, in addition to participating in the EMBL PhD student symposium, I went to a laboratory of EMBL as a new activity of the education program of NIBB. After attending the symposium in Heidelberg, I moved on Monterotondo in Italy to visit Dr. Dónal O'Carroll’s lab.

Heidelberg is a beautiful city with the River Neckar going through. I spent my spare time strolling along the Philosophers' Walk, it is said that Heisenberg and Goethe used to be indulged in philosophy while taking walks along the same path. The slope along the river was steeper than I expected, so I lost my breath due to my lack of exercise. I could not afford the oxygen to indulge in philosophy well. I wondered if geniuses have tremendous stamina to go along with their high level of intelligence.

As for the symposium in Heidelberg this year, entitled “Competition in Biology”, it was divided into sessions over three days, which focused on competition occurring in molecules, cells, and organisms (species). I presented a poster during the session “Molecular Competition”. To be honest however, my research is not necessarily focused on “Competition”. Taking a look at the abstracts of others, I found a lot of researches focusing on a different theme from mine. Surprisingly, however, I had a lot of audience for my poster. Unexpected questions based on the different aspects of our work sprung up. It was a good opportunity to review my research in a new light. I joined in events like the “drinking-until-late-at-night at a pub downtown” and a dance party. In Heidelberg, there were many pubs, especially in the student district. I found a lot of the students of Heidelberg University there. By drinking and talking at the pubs the local students come by, I felt I had become one of them.

After I enjoyed the fruitful symposium, I moved on to Monterotondo in Italy to visit Dr. Dónal O'Carroll’s lab. They had investigated small RNA functions on the germline and hematopoietic stem cells. There I received about one-hour lectures on the lab’s research by a post-doc and a student during the two-day visit. I gave an oral presentation as an EMBL seminar. I spent two days thoroughly learning  the lab’s projects and their stance on their research from Dr. O'Carroll. It seemed to me that with the analysis of the single cell level Dr. O'Carroll tends to see fine things very well. It was very striking for me that he said “in order to conduct transgenic analysis and mutant analysis, I would try to make more than 20 constructions this year”. The scale of the EMBL Monterotondo facility, with no more than 10 laboratory groups, was smaller as a research institution than that of NIBB, while its facilities supporting imaging analysis and transgenic analysis were well situated. To my surprise, there was a facility providing total support from designing, to construction, to analysis of transgenic and mutant organisms. I thought it was a compactly, well-organized research institute even at a small scale.

Through the interaction with overseas students on this visit, what I thought about most was my future career. Many students already had plans about their career after postdoctoral work, and had ideas of changing/modifying the theme of their research. Dr. O'Carroll also placed an importance on changing/modifying the theme and then broadening your perspective to continue research. I have been studying the sex of germline stem cells in fishand I intend to continue pursuing it, and meanwhile I now have the idea that temporarily diving into other areas will be one more choice.

Finally, I would like to thank to Prof. Yoshida and Prof. Ueno as well as the staff of the Office of International Cooperation for supporting me for the visit.

 

21-23, November   Ph.D. Symposium

25-26, November   Dr. Dónal O'Carroll Group (Monterotondo)

Laboratory of Molecular Genetics for Reproduction, NIBB

Toshiya Nishimura (SOKENDAI)

 

 

As a researcher it’s important to present your work to both broad and domain specific audience. While explaining your work to audience of broad scientific background you get new perspective toward your work. On the other hand, presenting to domain specific audience fills the gap towards the understanding of your work. I am happy that I got the opportunity to present my work to both kind of audience.

In Heidelberg Germany, the Ph.D symposium gave me an opportunity to interact with students of various scientific disciplines. I had good time knowing and understanding others work and explaining my own. It gave me an idea that while explaining to a broad audience I should focus on telling them my work as a story rather than presenting the in depth analysis. 

In Monterotondo, Italy I visited to Dr. Cornelius Gross. I had an opportunity to make presentation of my work. That was my first scientific presentation to domain specific audience. It gave me an opportunity to skim out the most important result and organize it in a presentable form. The comments and questions asked filled up many gaps which I had towards the understanding of my work.  Besides I got many constructive suggestions from Dr. Gross to further improve my work.

Overall I had good time knowing and understanding science thanks to NIBB for providing me this wonderful opportunity.

 

21-23, November   Ph.D. Symposium

25-26, November   Dr. Cornelius Gross Group (Monterotondo)

Division of Brain Biology, NIBB

Rammohan Shukla (SOKENDAI)