The NUS/TLL/NIBB joint practical workshop on "Genetics, Genomics and Imaging in Medaka & Zebrafish"

The NUS/TLL/NIBB joint practical workshop on "Genetics, Genomics and Imaging in Medaka & Zebrafish" was held in Singapore from July 22nd to the 31st. This course was based on the academic partnership agreement between the National Institute for Basic Biology (NIBB) and Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL), and was a continuation of the 6th NIBB International Practical Course and The 1st NIBB - TLL Joint International Practical Course "Developmental Genetics of Medaka IV" that was held at NIBB last year. In This year, Dr. Sampath from TLL and Dr. Winkler from the National University of Singapore (NUS) joined to the organizers, and the course was mainly held in the Department of Biological Science, NUS as a joint NUS/TLL/NIBB Workshop. Dr. Ueno, Dr. Kamei, and Dr. Naruse participated as organizers from the Japanese  side. 16 participants were selected out of more than 40 applicants from11 countries (the United States, Italy, Germany, France, Norway, Austria, Australia, Canada, India, China, Japan). The course was quite eventful, covering TALEN based genome editing, creating GFP constructs using BAC homologous recombination, inducing gene expression using infrared lasers (IR-LEGO), genetic techniques such as gene expression analysis using microarray and RNA-SEQ methods, embryological techniques such as cryopreservation of sperm, artificial insemination, cell transplantation, and somite transplantation, and the latest imaging techniques such as confocal microscopy, digital scanning light sheet microscopy (DSLM), and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. I would like to thank Drs Winkler and Sampath who put a lot of effort into planning and logistics of the course schedule and efficiently implemented these courses in the limited time available. The 10 days were very productive, with 16 lectures in between the training courses, given by speakers such as Dr. Hiroyuk Takeda (University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Sciences, Department of Biological Science) and Dr. Atsuko Sehara (Kyoto University, Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences). It is wonderful that in spite of the participation fees and that almost no travel expenses were supplied, we had enough applicants from multiple countries that we needed to limit participation. We believe giving the participants such an excellent chance to train in genetic, embryological, and advanced imaging methods with two important model organisms in an international and multi cultural location like Singapore, known as the capital of South East Asia was the reason for high number of applications in this practical course. On the other hand the fact that there was only one applicant from Japan is discouraging for the Japanese side organizers, and is a point to work on going forward. We are very thankful for the thorough and comprehensive leadership given by Drs Bhattacharya, Mathavan, Perez Camps, Tong, Singh, Tavakoli, Wang, Wohland, and Woei of Singapore, as well as Drs Shimada, Kaneko, and Kimura, and Mr. Kawanishi, of Japan. Finally as a representative of the program's organizers, I would like to thank Dr.Buettner, Ms. Koh, Ms. Lee, Ms. Subha, Ms. Sundaramurthi, Ms. Teo Qi-Wen, and Mr. Vyas of Dr. Winkler's lab for their excellent work in preparing the course materials, seminar rooms, breakfasts, and all their other help. I was very impressed with the way the support staff always met us with a smile.

Organizer Representative
Dr. Kiyoshi Naruse

  

Program (PDF 481KB)