Tatami Room in Japan

IRES: Summer Biology Research Program in Japan

Informational Webinars

Thursday Sept 14th 2023 from 4-5pm ET

Watch September 14 Webinar

Tuesday Oct 3rd 2023 from 8-9pm ET

Join October 3 Webinar

Research

The topic of investigation this year will be Novel Genetic Elements Regulating Behavior of Medaka and Zebrafish

This grant-funded international research program allows students to engage in scientific collaborations at top biology institutes in Japan.

Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF Project #1952513), this summer program (including nine weeks in Japan) will provide students with invaluable research and intercultural experiences while working with an international team of biologists on CRISPR-Cas9 techniques generating transgenic fish to study genetic elements regulating  behavior.

About the Program

The program is open to Montclair State and non-Montclair State students who are advanced undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in state-of-the-art gene editing molecular biology techniques. See Eligibility section for details. The program consists of nine weeks of full-time research in a Japanese laboratory, mentored by faculty member from the Japanese institutions.

After an online orientation during the spring semester, the six students will spend one week in Nagoya for on-site orientation and then eight weeks at one of the following sites:

  1. The National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
  2. The Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules at Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
  3. The National Institute of Basic Biology, Okazaki, Japan

Students at all three sites will work on related projects.

As part of a National Science Foundation funded program, accepted students are provided with:

  • Roundtrip International Airfare
  • All Lodging in Japan
  • A $5,000 stipend

Application

The application period for the Summer 2024 program will be from September 1, 2023 to November 9, 2023. For Summer 2024 the program will run from January to late July (report will be due after return to U.S.) with the program running in Japan from May 13th through July 12th.

Please read the application instructions carefully before applying. The online application can be submitted through the “Apply Now” button on this page, and will require uploading essays, a transcript and two letters of recommendation.

Important Dates

Course Dates
Program will begin in January remotely with bi-weekly pre-program language and culture seminars.
On-site Dates
Monday, May 13, 2024 to Friday, July 12, 2024. Leave US Saturday, May 11 (with arrival on Sunday, May 12) and return Saturday, July 13

Contacts

Mika Munakata profile photo

Mika Munakata

Professor, Mathematics

Phone
973-655-7256
Email
munakatam@montclair.edu