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Amgen Scholars Programme at University of Tokyo
August 31, 2017
Ann Wee Wen
Never would I have imagined that I would be micropipetting DNA into microcentrifuge tubes amidst a background of chirping cicadas on a fine summer’s day in Tokyo. Ever since my first foray into Studio Ghibli films at a young age, I have been fascinated with Japan and Japanese culture. Thus, it was a no-brainer for me to apply to the UTokyo Amgen Scholars Programme which combined my passion for science with my love of Japan. The Amgen Scholars Programme offers research opportunities at world-class institutions in the U.S., Europe and Japan. As of now (and fortunately for me), the Japan programme is the only one which accepts students from all over the world.
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The Amgen Scholars Programme offers research opportunities at world-class institutions in the U.S., Europe and Japan. As of now (and fortunately for me), the Japan programme is the only one which accepts students from all over the world.
Fig 1: Clock Tower in the Hongo Campus
In the University of Tokyo, I had the privilege of working under Prof. Akimitsu Okamoto in the Okamoto Laboratory located on the Komaba campus. The Okamoto Laboratory is a multidisciplinary laboratory focused on research combining life science with synthetic chemistry. During my time there, I was working on the detection of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, an epigenetic modification with possible implications on gene expression. This was particularly intriguing to me as a chemistry major and a forensic science minor since not only did my project involve chemistry, it involved some aspect of forensic science as it was reported that identical twins could be differentiated through their DNA based on variations in their epigenetic modifications.
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The Okamoto Laboratory is helmed by Prof. Okamoto and is divided into three sub-groups. Research in the Okamoto Laboratory was in general quite similar to that in Singapore, however, there were a few customs that appeared to be unique to Japan. One of these includes the changing of shoes before entering the laboratory. Communal cleaning was another routine that I have not experienced in laboratories in Singapore (possibly because I have not worked full-time in those laboratories). On Friday mornings, the whole laboratory, including the assistant professors, would come together to clean the area, with each person assigned a task based on the sub-group they were in. This shared responsibility over the cleanliness of the laboratory is something that I admire.
Fig 2: The stairs leading up to the torii of Yushima Tenjin, a shrine for education
Fig 3: The yubatake or hot water field in Kusatsu
I had the honour of being mentored by two graduate students, Kenta Kohyama and Yuya Moriyama. It was amazing to be mentored in person by the authors of papers that I had been reading prior to my stint in the Okamoto Laboratory. As I was unfamiliar with most of the techniques required in my project, my mentors were there to impart the skills necessary for me to carry out my experiments. They were also present to give suggestions when I was having difficulty interpreting unusual results. Since the experimental procedure of my research project in the Okamoto Laboratory was relatively simple to execute, my mentors took a hands-off approach. In contrast, mentoring was more involved in the synthetic chemistry laboratory that I am working in for my UROPS, as the reactions required were more sensitive. The type of mentorship or supervision given differs vastly from laboratory to laboratory and from project to project, so this should not be taken as representative of research in Japan and Singapore.
Fig 4:Trying out yumomi
All in all, it had been an interesting experience doing research in the University of Tokyo. As the Amgen Programme welcomes applicants with backgrounds in science and engineering, I also had the privilege of meeting people from different disciplines and being acquainted with their work. I would encourage anyone with the opportunity to do so to apply for overseas research attachments as it was truly an eye-opener to observe how research was conducted in Japan. I have learnt and done so much, and met so many wonderful people during my time there and this is an experience that I will treasure for years to come.