Ph.D. Program in Humanics
University of Tsukuba
WISE Program(Doctoral Program for World-leading Innovative & Smart Education)

Graduate School Guide Book

2023

Unprecedented times call for
Unprecedented individuals.

Graduate School Guide Book
Ph.D. Program in Humanics
University of Tsukuba
WISE Program(Doctoral Program for World-leading Innovative & Smart Education)

School of Integrative and Global Majors (SIGMA)
Laboratory for Advanced Research A 703, SIGMAOffice
University of Tsukuba1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577 JAPANTel : +81-29-853-7076
Mail : humanics@un.tsukuba.ac.jp
2023.32023

The Ph.D. Program in Humanics cultivatesleaders

equippedwithdoctoral-levelknowledge and skills in the fields of bothbiomedical sciences and physical sciences/engineering/informatics, together with thescientific expertise to achieve integration ofthese fields and the capacity to apply them inwider society. The program aims thereby toaddress challenges to human life and healthand enables the sustainable prosperity of all
humankind. We will welcome students who

Unprecedented times call for
Unprecedented individuals.
Our world has changed dramatically in a few short years.

have studied either biomedical sciences orphysical sciences/engineering/informatics,
and who are willing to study the otherdiscipline and fuse them together. People
who have worked as a physician or anengineer are also very welcome.

In these unprecedented times, conventional wisdom andstandard ways of thinking no longer apply. These times callfor individuals who can offer solutions with completely
new values unbound by precedent.
Humanics, an innovative field consisting of biomedical
sciences combined with physical sciences, engineering, andMasashi Yanagisawa
Program Coordinator,
Ph.D. program in Humanics
Director/Professor,
International Institute for Integrative
Sleep Medicine(WPI-IIIS),
University of Tsukuba

informatics, guides students to master both disciplines fortheir own research while continuously breaking down andovercoming existing barriers.
This will lead to ideas like none ever seen along with
science and technology breakthroughs that were thought tobe impossible.
The more unknown the terrain, the greater its potential to
move the world.

Donʼt follow another personʼs path.
Create your own.

1

Ph.D. Program in Humanics outline

3

Special Interview about Humanics

5

Features of Ph.D. Program in Humanics

9

Curriculum of Ph.D. Program in Humanics

11

Student introduction

13

Studentsʼ conversation

15

Admission Information

17

2

What is Ph.D. Program in Humanics?

Ph.D. Program in Humanics

Biomedical sciences × Physical sciences ・ Engineering ・ Informatics ＝Social background and installation of the Ph. D. Program in Humanics
In order to overcome the life and health challenges of the present and future and for humanity to prosper sustainably, we

What is Humanics?

must constantly incorporate knowledge and technology from different fields into those of biomedical sciences of the“Humanics” is an academic field that sheds light on the

moment and keep challenging ourselves to create a new paradigm.

fundamental principles of physiology and pathology of the human

To create a new paradigm by integrating biomedical sciences and different disciplines, it is necessary to develop leadersand generates new science and technology to achieve a healthy

who can talk with each other using the languages of both fields, understand both deeply, and integrate them in order toand comfortable life of human beings in the society.

make it a reality.

In order to nurture the Humanics talents, this program has a

For example, da Vinci, a surgical support robot, was developed from the idea of a surgeon entrepreneur with anunique educational system to cultivate studentsʼ “bidisciplinary

engineering background, and the Wearable Cyborg HAL was inspired and implemented in the real world by an engineer

expertise” in the fields of both biomedical sciences and physicalwho had studied human physiology. Optogenetics, a leading candidate for the Nobel Prize, that manipulates neuronalsciences/engineering/informatics.

activity with light was founded by a psychiatrist who was well versed in optical technologies and genetic engineering.

In addition, the program is designed to have them acquire

However, the educational system to develop such leaders capable of integrating biomedical sciences and different“Capability of Problem Discovery”, “Capability of Breakthrough”,

disciplines, did not exist in our country.

and “Capability of Accomplishment” that are practically necessary

This program is a Ph.D. program that aims to overcome intractable challenges of life and health and to ensure theto establish research topics and to apply research results tosustainable development of humanity, by developing outstanding talents who can create a qualitatively different paradigm

society.

01

Improvement of cognitive
function and mental health
Development of artificial neural network
devices that can be linked to the brain,
and understanding of sensibility,
motivation, and thoughts, etc.

ZERO to ONE -.
The program is adopted by MEXT, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology “ WISE Program(Doctoral Program for World-leading Innovative & Smart Education)”.

Humanics Aims for Fusion Research（CASE01, CASE02）“Humanics” aims to promote integrated research that creates a

The WISE Program（Doctoral Program for World-leading innovative & Smart Education）

qualitatively different paradigm that goes far beyond the common
sense of biomedical sciences and physical sciences/engineering/

CASE

02
molecular robots

informatics.

At its core, what propels the WISE Program is each university leveraging its unique strengths and capabilities. Building upon
their heretofore accomplishments in campus reform, these universities carry out systematic collaborations with otheruniversities, research institutions and corporations in and outside Japan. By establishing integrated masterʼs-doctoral

Future Image of Students

programs, which over a 5-year period endow their students with a melding of top world-class educational and research● Researchers creating a new interdisciplinary fieldprowess, these universities cultivate the kind of outstanding Ph.D. professional who can pilot forward various sectors of● Entrepreneurs who industrialize complementary technologyof human function

human resource development and exchange and of generating new joint research initiatives.
https://www.jsps.go.jp/j-takuetsu-pro/data/WISEbrochure̲en.pdf● Medical doctors with knowledge of cybernics and informatics● Government administrators who can create a novel planof medical administration

Overcoming intractable diseases bymolecular robots

Ph.D. Program in H u manics ou tline

Ph.D. Program in H u manics ou tlinethat goes far beyond the common sense of biomedical sciences and physical sciences/engineering/informatics - that is,society. Concurrently, the program propels the establishment of excellent academic hubs capable of sustainably advancing

3

CASE

Development of molecular robots tointervene in cell functions based on theunderstanding of molecular pathogenesis
and to control infectious diseases
and cancer.

4

Special Interview about Humanics

Ph.D. Program in Humanics

Why “Humanics” research now?

Yanagisawa Professor Motokazu Hori also
Yanagisawa

Yanagisawa The
Yanagisawa

yougroup of young researchers of mathematicaltaught me when I was a medical student.

learned both fields is made commonplace inengineering, and was exposed to fields such

SankaiSankaiI was the only engineering student

Humanics. In the case of Professor Sankai,

as medical informatics and quantitativeenrolled in his class. When I was told toyou may have happened to take medical

analysis. In 1985, when I was a sixth-yearcome to the hospital at 7:30 in the morning,classes, but it is not usually possible for an

medical student, I also wrote an original

there would be a conference taking placeengineering student to get into a surgicalpaper on the subject of cell cycle.

already. Patient slides came out one aftersite and see a clinical “daimyo procession”

SankaiSankaiengineering professors. How did you study

another, and terms I had never heard before

and an operating theater. This is something

What kind of talent does the Ph. D. Program in Humanics seek to develop? Why is Humanics a necessary academic discipline in the
future? Professor Masashi Yanagisawa, the program coordinator of this program and a world leader in sleep research, and Professor
Yoshiyuki Sankai, a leading expert in robotics and Cybernics research in Japan, talked passionately about their own experiences.

improvisedway

Yanagisawa First, Iʼll ask Prof. Sankai: the
Yanagisawa

and done, “people” are at the center of all of

Humanics is to cultivate leaders who canbiology and medicine?

were being tossed around. When that

that

Yanagisawa When did you decide to
Yanagisawa

SankaiSankaifinished, we would go to each patient. This

engineering cannot easily experience. There

make such a robot?

Yanagisawa (laughs). At that time, thereis the so-called “Daimyo Procession”.

is a strong impact if it can be done as a

SankaiSankai

Probably by the time I reached

was a rule at the University of Tsukuba that

Yanagisawa The Professorʼs round!
Yanagisawa

matter of course. You also touched thejunior high school. In fact, I had alreadyrequired us to take lectures from other

SankaiSankailanguage spoken on the spot.

biggest selling point of the Ph.D. Program influently use the “languages” of both biomedical sciences and physical sciences/engineering/informatics.1 That's exactly what Prof.

my outputs.2

That is a good point, Professor

departments. In other words, since I was an

been thinking about wanting to get Ph.D. inright now. What made you focus on

both engineering and medicine.

exoskeleton-assisted robots?

Yanagisawa Thatʼs
Yanagisawa

SankaiSankaiYou got a Ph.D. in Tsukuba?

I enrolled in courses by Professor Hori, asciences, but I think that my interest in

SankaiSankai“people” played an even larger role in

Tsukuba had a large number of faculty

shaping my area of focus. When looking at

members because the medical science andhuman life, there are some that reach anengineering

old age before succumbing to illness, while

established. Because of that, I luckily had

others die too early from illnesses they were

two professors taking care of me. One was aborn with. I wanted to create technology

professor of system control / blood purifica-that improves, expands, and remedies thetion treatment in a new engineering field,

natural functions of humans across thisand the other was a professor of human

spectrum of people, and going one step

machine / control. My research involved

further, I wanted to create robots, cyborgs,

tactileand Cybernics technologies that support

fingertip touching the stomach wall to findthe evolution of medicine, welfare, andtumors using master-slave technology.

what we consider daily life, effectively

Yanagisawa
Yanagisawa

I always liked robots and the

evolving the human race. When all is said

exactly

Humanics.

At that time, the University ofdepartments

feedback

from

a

were

small

newly

robotic

So you got a degree inmedical engineering, but both mentors werestudents

studying

medicalpatients, the professor who found out that I

SankaiSankaiwas an engineering student would always

nobody would explain any of these terms.

asked me a lot of difficult questions. He

The lecture just proceeds with the assump-would ask things like “what is the pore sizetion that everyone is following, so I had toProfessor of Cardiac Surgery, and the Deanof the artificial kidney membrane now?” so,study them on my own. The great thingof Medical School, University of Tsukuba.

I always felt a lot of pressure (laughs). But

about Humanics is that it grants the opportu-

when we were allowed to observe surgicalnity to jump into the frontier of the realengineering student, I had to take classes
outside of engineering, so I chose medicine.3

What surprised me was that

operations, Professor Hori kept me at theworld where you are compelled to keep up.

In order to carry out, for example, medicalengineering collaboration, we need leaders
who can have conversations in the languagesof biomedical sciences and of engineering,
deeply understand both fields, and create a
new paradigm by fusing them together.

front and explained everything to me one by

Yanagisawa
Yanagisawa

one. In a sense, he was doing what Human-high school, I was a typical STEM student

ics mentors would be doing nowadays.

studying only physics and chemistry. I thenYanagisawa Great.
Yanagisawa

enrolled in the school of medicine at the

2. What is Humanics?
（Fig.1）SankaiSankai

It was very nice to experience

University of Tsukuba. When I was the firstthese moments every week in my youth. In

year student, I took the class taught byretrospect, it was wonderful to have a

Professor Kaichiro Yanagisawa (unrelated)culture that accepted different worlds withof genetics, and I realized that modern

different approaches simultaneously. I thinkbiology is very exciting. In the meantime, I

the same could be said for the academic

had the opportunity to meet with physicaldiscipline of Humanics.

science and engineering professors, joined a

1. Educational Subjects in Humanics

A discipline that clarifies the principles ofhomeostasis of life, the physiology andpathology of the "human" as an individual,
and creates new science and technology thatcan realize a healthy and comfortable life as a"human" in society.

Yanagisawa Masashi

Now let's talk about me. In

3. Pre-admission programin Humanics

In collaboration with bachelor's and master's
programs, applicants in the medical sciences(6 years system) who wish to enroll will begiven an opportunity to study physicalsciences, engineering and informatics, andapplicants in the physical sciences/ engineering/ informatics (4 years) will be provided
basic knowledge in medicine, as well aspractical training and exercises.

【Fig.1】Big data analysis of sleep, optogenetics,
Wearable Cyborg HAL, etc. are created by thefusion of biomedical sciences and physicalsciences/engineering/informatics.

Biomedical
Sciences

Physical Sciences/
Engineering/
Informatics

Big data analysis Optogenetics
on sleep

Wearable
Cyborg HAL

Sankai Yoshiyuki

Masashi Yanagisawa

Yoshiyuki Sankai

Program coordinator,
Ph. D. Program in Humanics
Director/Professor,
International Institute for Integrative
Sleep Medicine(WPI-IIIS),
University of Tsukuba

Co-Coordinator,
Ph. D. Program in Humanics
Director,
Executive Research Director,
Professor, Faculty of Engineering,
Information and Systems,
R&D Center for Frontiers of
MIRAI in Policy and Technology,
Center for Cybernics Research,
University of Tsukuba

Research field ： Neuroscience

S pecial I nterv iew abou t H u manics

S pecial I nterv iew abou t H u manics

Sankai is like. You are working on robots

When we made our way to theeven

That's quite early.

Research field ： Cybernics

5

6

Special Interview about Humanics

Ph.D. Program in Humanics

Yanagisawa Masashi

Time is limited, so while we can never besure if we can reach the goals we place
ourselves, Humanics can act as a trigger for

Sankai Yoshiyuki

Becoming a talent who can handle the languages of both medical
sciences and physical sciences/engineering/informatics.
model by myself and performed mathematical simulation of the cell cycle. The experiment was conducted at the Lawrence
Livermore Laboratory in the United States
for three months each in the winter and"we should have a double mentor system."Students were always assigned to two

supervisors to force them to learn medical
biology on the one hand and physicalsciences/engineering/informatics

on

the

basics. Instead, a professor advised me,“why donʼt you try to coordinate withmedicine.” Now that I think about it, Iʼm

cytometry,ing will have direct access to clinicaled my growth beyond my imagination.I

which was state-of-the-art at that time, andmedicine from the first year, just like Prof.

really believe that you, Professor Yanagisa-

simulated with the Cray-1.

Sankai. They are still young and can absorb

wa, also see Humanics as a curriculum that

SankaiSankaia lot if exposed. I think that such an environ-develops

the era wasnʼt it? It must have been pretty

ment will cultivate outstanding talents.

engineering are really compatible.

special to be able to have access to an

Sankai It is nice that we agree that the
Sankai

Yanagisawa
Yanagisawa

environment with Cray-1 in your days.

target is “people.” There are a lot of things

literally uses engineering as a tool, but inforin the natural sciences that exist without thefact, you will not be able to produce sharp

entrance exam in high school, but there waspresence of humans, but “people” cannot be

results in bioinformatics, for example, unless

an award in my high school that commended

the target without the existence of humans.

you have a truly deep understanding. And

me for excellent research in science. I

In that sense, Humanics is a place where this

there are extremely few good bioinformati-

decided to take it with a friend who wasimage of people provides a certain direction-

cians in Japan. If you don't understandstrong in software and we made a personalality while medicine and engineering canmathematical principles, you can't be ancomputer from scratch. Created a simple

march forward as one.

expert, and the language is quite different ininterpreter

Yanagisawa
Yanagisawa

It's just right for the times.

the first place. It is essential to be able toassembler language.

When I entered graduate school, it washandle both worlds of biomedical sciences

SankaiSankaidifficult

and

flow

Cray-1, it was a supercomputer ofI

didn'tprogramming

even

study

languageusing

That's amazing.

forbiologytogeneratedatavery grateful for his advice as this accelerat-

people,physicalFor

andmedicine

example,andmedicinesciences/engineering/infor-

anyway, but in the age of omics, it became

matics.

school, I became so involved in experimen-

relatively easy to get large amounts of

SankaiSankaital biology research that I was far away

biological data. Biology students in Human-

ant that you are able to clearly depict thefrom actually using quantitative methods.

ics are now trying to use mathematics andconcept behind the language in your head,

But Iʼve always had a sense of crisis. This is

informatics as tools. Eventually, I think weand not just have a superficial understand-because, even though we were doing joint

will go one step further from here, whiching

research with the mathematical sciences, wewill lead to biological theory and concepts

understanding of the language should allow

sometimes did not understand each other. I

from the mathematical side.

you to jump to the next stage of thought andSankai What is important and at the core
Sankaidiscussion instantly. Isn't this Humanics aof this interaction is “evolving together”.

program born with that in mind?

thought this was very bad. That's why when I

applied for this program to the MEXT

Yanagisawa
Yanagisawathat allows for constant growth in a person

people is to study what they think is reallyso that they can navigate life in this society.

interesting. If you don't find it genuinely

Yanagisawa Ph.D. Program in Humanics
Yanagisawa

interesting yourself, there's no way you can

has conducted an entrance examination

explain the excitement to others. That's why

twice a year so far, and there were 12

in choosing Humanics, I want you to pursue

applicants for the winter exam in 2019. Inquestions and perspectives that you feel are

the 2020 class, 14 students have passed.

truly really interesting. I want you to do

Enrolled students are outstanding, and there

something that you can boast about, “this is

are many international students. This time,interesting” not just because someone said,

we also did an overseas entrance exam.

“it would be interesting if you did this.” You

Finally, would you like to give a message to

don't have to force others to understand it.

students

It's more important to keep believing in

who

are

planningtotake

Humanics?

What I often say to young

yourself that this is really interesting.

Sankai I have only one message. Whatever
Sankaiyour goal may be, become a pioneer who

5. Career path of
Humanics students

・Researchers creating a newinterdisciplinary field
・Entrepreneurs who industrialize
complementary technology of human
function・Medical doctors with knowledge ofcybernics and informatics

・Government administrators who can makea novel plan of medical administration

enjoys every moment of their journey. You

ofHowever I think itʼs very import-thelanguage.

A【Fig.2】 Example of Humanics research

Biomedical sciences × physical sciences/engineering/informatics enables doctoral research based on joint research that fuses two fields.

Biomedical sciences
Vascular matrix biology
Life Science Center for Survival
Dynamics, Tsukuba Advanced
Research Alliance (TARA)
Professor

Hiromi Yanagisawa

After I entered graduate

Yanagisawa
Yanagisawa

important for Humanics to become a fieldStudents earn a Ph.D. degree through the“double mentor system”, in which faculty
members from both biomedical sciences andphysical sciences/engineering/informatics
initiate a research collaboration to provide
guidance to students. “Reverse mentor
system” means that students impartknowledge from one field to another and act
as a bridge between different research fields.
Students will learn bi-disciplinary expertise
as well as communication skills.

the university to learn medicine from thementallybyareas in your field.5

school, I was actually considering reenteringother.4 For example, students from engineer-

measuredsome people who may go all the way. It is

4. Double mentor system
in Humanics（Fig.2）

Before I got my doctorate in graduate

summer of 1984. The cell cycle was experi-

Yanagisawa
Yanagisawa

7

Graduate School of Excellence, I argued thatin life is limited. I want you to never forget thewonder and excitement of exploring new

high-level

Spine and Spinal Surgery &Regenerative Medicine
Orthopedic Surgery
Faculty of Medicine
Professor

Masashi Yamazaki

Immunology
Faculty of Medicine
Professor

Kazuko Shibuya

Neurophysiology
Faculty of Medicine
Professor

Masayuki Matsumoto

Neuroscience of sleep
International Institute forIntegrative Sleep
Medicine (WPI-IIIS)
Assistant Professor

Sakiko Honjoh

Physical sciences/Engineering/Informatics
Smart polymers
Faculty of Pure andApplied Sciences
Professor

Mitsuhiro Ebara

Humanics research
Investigation of the role ofmacrophages in FBN1 mutant miceand development of therapeuticstrategy for aortic dissection

S pecial I nterv iew abou t H u manics

S pecial I nterv iew abou t H u manics

Yanagisawa I came up with a quantitative
Yanagisawa

may encounter many obstacles, but our time

Cybernics
Faculty of Engineering,
Information and Systems
Director of Center for
Cybernics Research
Professor

Application of Wearable Cyborg HAL
to CNS disease and its gait analysis
for each disease

Kenji Suzuki

Glycan engineering
National Institute of Advanced
Industrial Science andTechnology(AIST)Group Leader

A discovery of the glycan-based
drug candidate for atopic
dermatitis

Hiroaki Tateno

Computational Neuroscience
Faculty of Engineering,
Information and Systems
Associate Professor

Jun Izawa

MRI Medical Physics
Faculty of Engineering,
Information and Systems
Associate Professor

Tomokazu Tsurugizawa

Identify the cerebral neural circuitsthat make decisions, aiming torealize artificial intelligence thatmakes decisions using the samemechanism as the brain

Elucidation of functional networks
in the whole brain during sleep
using the newly developed
functional MRI.

8

Features of Ph.D. Program in Humanics

Ph.D. Program in Humanics

Four features of our ProgramFeaturePre-admission program
Double mentor system
Reverse mentor system
Collaboration withoutstanding research institutions
Feature3

FeatureLearning with friends
from all over the world

Combination of biomedical sciences and physical sciences/engineering/informatics
The program is supported by a variety of research centers and companies from biomedical sciences
and physical sciences/engineering/informatics

We have curriculums in English so that you

can earn Ph.D. degree with English taught

Private companies

classes. Also we have multilingual staff to・CYBERDYNE Inc.

support your student life. You will be able tomeet students from all over the world withdifferent backgrounds, so you can exchange・Toyota Motor Corporation(R&D Center for Strategic Frontiers in
Social Planning)internationality. We have travel grants to・Hitachi, Ltd.

ideas

with

each

other

and

cultivate・Sʼ UIMIN Inc.

support your domestic/

Feature2

background of the program before enrollment
as a pre-admission program in their undergraduate years, which creates a seamlessly integrat-

Material organic chemistry

Nano material engineering, etc.

Qualifying

Examination

Physical Sciences/Engineering/Informatics

Basic medical science
Clinical medicine

Including researchers
in industry

Including researchers
in industry

MentorIn addition to the biomedical sciences, based on uniqueand excellent research topics that fuse the fields ofphysical sciences / engineering / informatics, high-quality
results suitable for the doctor's degree are obtained andin Science, or Ph.D. in Engineering will be given to adoctoral dissertation that has been compiled and meetsthe required criteria in the final examination.

Basic knowledge of treatment

Graduate student

and clinical condition of eachorgan,social medicine,

Matching from about 100 mentors

https://www.phd-humanics.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/mentor/

1~2nd year
Bachelor Graduate※What is the Diploma Policy?

put together for a thesis. Ph.D. in Medical Sciences, Ph.D.

pharmacology,immunology, etc.

ed system for transition to graduate education.

9

MentorAnatomy,physiology,pathology,

epidemiology, bedside, etc.

Ph.D. in Science

Featu res of Ph.D. Program in H u manics

opportunity to have an interdisciplinary

Ph.D. in Medical Sciences

For bi-disciplinary education system

Clinical Medicine
This program offers prospective students an

For outstanding human talents

Ph.D. in Engineering

Double and reverse mentoring

Biological signal processing

Admission

Pre-admission ProgramFeatu res of Ph.D. Program in H u manics

research fields. Students will learn bi-disciplinary expertise as well as communication skills.

analysis

Basic Medicine

Diploma policy※

students impart knowledge from one field to another and act as a bridge between different

Numerical and statistical・University of Bordeaux・National Institute of Advanced Industrial
Science and Technology (AIST)

research collaboration to provide guidance to students. “Reverse mentor system” means that

Computational biology

Biomedical
Sciences・National Taiwan University

・R&D Center for Precision Medicine (PMC)from both biomedical sciences and physical sciences/engineering/informatics initiate a

Artificial intelligence

Physical Sciences/Engineering/Informatics

・Center for Cybernics ResearchStudents earn Ph.D. degree through the “double mentor system”, in which faculty members

Medical Cybernics

Overseas Universities

・University of California, Irvine

Double mentor and reverse mentor systems

Physical Sciences/Engineering/Informatics

Seamless transition to an integrated
education system

Research centers

・International Institute for Integrative Sleep
Medicine (WPI-IIIS)・National Institute for Materials Science(NIMS,WPI-MANA)

international researches.

1Pre-admission program

4

Double mentor and reverse mentor systems
Graduate

10Curriculum of Ph.D. Program in Humanics

Ph.D. Program in Humanics

Extensive curriculum to develop humantalents in the field of Humanics

Becoming an outstanding
Ph.D. talent creating

Ph.D. in Medical Sciences

new industries andPh.D. in Scienceinterdisciplinary fields based

Ph.D. in Engineeringon Humanics research!

In Ph. D. Program in Humanics, students study basic/clinical medicine or physical sciences/engineering/
informatics through lectures and exercises. With e-learning and PBL, students are specialized in・Researchers creating a new interdisciplinary fieldbi-disciplinary research under a double mentor system. In addition, through taking entrepreneurship

・Entrepreneurs who industrialize complementary technologyof human functions

education, internships, overseas lab rotation, etc., we will help students cultivate motivation andnegotiation skills to play an active part in the world.

・Medical doctors with knowledge of cybernics and informatics

Dissertation Defense

Students having graduated from a 6th year
course of a university or one with a master's

5th-year-end in the standard

degree may be eligible to apply for a QE

The capability to integrate two or more

Degree completion requirements

academic achievements.

Bi-disciplinary
Expertise○ Having passed QE

research fields based on doctoral-levelknowledge and skills in biomedical
sciences and one of physicalsciences/engineering/informatics.

○ Obtaining 45 credits or more

○ Research results equivalent to original papers

published in peer-reviewed international journals

Integrated researchof biomedical sciences
and physical sciences/engineering/
informatics
QE by the end of the
2nd year○ International Research Rotation(1 month)○ Internship (1 month)○Appropriate Technology

Evaluated for the ability topropose a research plan in
the area of Humanics

QE ： Qualifying Examination, a test toevaluate the ability of proposing a
research plan in the area of Humanics.
The test period depends on the degree○ Achieving the required score of the portfolio
type achievement evaluation

Quality assurance

Humanics
Competencies

Capability todesign abi-disciplinary
researchby portfolio-basedachievement
evaluation

Cultivating capability

Capability ofunderstanding in
bi-disciplinary
research from amacro-perspective

The capability to understand andexplain the global trends in biomedical
sciences and physicalsciences/engineering/informatics.

The capability to formulate a newparadigm and overcome difficulties byconducting integrated researchthrough bi-disciplinary expertise.

Cu rricu lu m of Ph.D. Program in H u manics

Cu rricu lu m of Ph.D. Program in H u manics

even in the first year if they have sufficientInterdisciplinary learning
through practices andexercises

11

・Government administrators who can make a novel plan of
medical administration etc. ……

to generate the ZERO
to ONE task based on

Capability to
produce outcomesfrom abi-disciplinary
research

interdisciplinary learnings

Integrated Research Humanics is pursing

The capability to execute abi-disciplinary research to implement

the academic and social impacts of theintegrated researches toward society.

In Humanics - that brings together knowledge from various fields to create new science and technology,
research born from your ideas may change the future of society and each of us.
Humanics research exampleof achievement (the second year in thestandard)

Orthopedics

Cybernics

Anatomy/ Quantitativeembryology
analysis

Neuroscience

Non-linear
opticsInfectious
diseaseCryo EMDream
emotions

AI-based EEG
analysis

Sleep
medicine

Multi omics

Psychological
Socialshortest engineering of
distance transportation

Surgery

Augmented
Reality

VisualneuroscienceArt
techniquesMeta
recognition

Brain
imaging12

Students in Humanics

Ph.D. Program in Humanics

Quenching Curiosity
through Scientific WorkMaria Thea Rane
Dela Cruz Clarin
Fields of study

Vascular Matrix Biology / Smart Polymers

Mentors

Beyond Co-Creation

I graduated from the Department of Engineering Systems at the University of Tsukuba and theFaculty of Medicine at Fudan University in Shanghai, China. I was licensed to practice medicine inboth China and Japan. When I entered graduate school, I belonged to a different program. However,I decided to transfer my major right after the establishment of the Humanics Program, as I thoughtthat it was the most suitable for pursuing a medical-engineering collaboration. I am currently aresident at the University of Tsukuba Hospital and a researcher in the Humanics Program. I have been
going to the laboratory of Prof. Suzuki, my deputy mentor, since I was in the Faculty of Engineering,and I have always felt that the lab was a very attractive environment with a high degree ofinternationalism and interdisciplinarity across many countries and fields.
When I returned to Japan from China, Prof. Suzuki introduced me to Dr. Yamazaki of the Departmentof Orthopedics, who is now my main mentor. Here, I am now involved in research on the applicationof the Wearable Cyborg HAL to central nervous system diseases and gait analysis. Although I am
often worried about how to balance my research and my practical training life, I am motivated by my
two wonderful mentors: Dr. Yamazaki, who has a strong attitude of continuing his research while
performing his busy work and operations, and Dr. Suzuki, who embraces academic and cultural
diversity. Since I am interested in the expansion of human perception and bodily functions, I would
like to conduct research that triggers the further evolution of humans and the acquisition of new
physicality in the exploration of technologies for treating diseases.
Additionally, as a member of one of the University of Tsukubaʼs venture companies, I have beenlearning how to the acquisitions from research to benefit society through other professorsʼ
experiences in adapting their research for social implementation. I completed the coursework in
Humanics program, presentations at national and international conferences, and QE examinations in
the year of the National Examination for Medical Practitioners. Now I am concentrating on gettingused to the new environment and mainly focusing on writing papers as a first year resident doctor at
the hospital. Now that Iʼve gotten used to my training
life since April, Iʼm planning to restart lab seminars andresume research life. This is a year of great change inthe wake of the global pandemic. We are being
challenged to be more adaptive, not only to new
ifestyles, but also to broader perspectives on researchand clinical work, which constantly evolve regardlessof the field and specialty. I would like to be a leader inmedical-engineering collaborations, clinical research,
and advocating Tsukuba and the University of Tsukuba
to the world where such human resources gather.

13

Takahiro Noguchi
Fields of study

When I enrolled in the Humanics degree program to pursue a PhD degree, I was working as a
researcher at the University of Tsukuba. During my master's degree, I majored in urban planning. I
remember that when I graduated from the program and started working there, I was often agonizing
over the possibility of connecting measurement data obtained from people to my research. That waswhen I encountered the Humanics degree program. This program allowed me to challenge myself in
a new field and, furthermore, as a fusion of different fields, I could work hard on my research under
two mentor professors. Under Professor Ando, I am studying the effects of human decision making on
self-driving cars using miniature traffic models. By using physical models, we can capture phenomena
unique to real space that cannot be
supplemented by model-based simulations.
In addition, under Dr. Abe, I am developing
and researching a method for estimating
human arousal levels using a non-contact
device. Although the two areas of researchseem to be independent, I often use theknowledge I have gained from one toadvance the other, and I spend my days
encountering new discoveries. In thisprogram, we have professors from different
fields as mentors, which allows us todevelop multidisciplinary and multifaceted
ways of thinking across fields. In addition,
my fellow students have a wide range ofbackgrounds in their fields, which I believe
provides the opportunity to conduct
research activities in a very stimulating
environment.

Mathematical informatics /Human sleep science

Mentors

Dr. Ando Hiroyasu / Dr. Abe Takashi

S tu dent introdu ction

S tu dent introdu ction

Dr. Hiromi Yanagisawa / Dr. Mitsuhiro Ebara

Since I first heard about the Ph.D. Program in Humanics cultivating bi-disciplinary research, I havebeen fascinated with the countless potential opportunities. I graduated with a biological engineering
degree, where I previously worked on the design of biomaterials. As I am interested in doing deeper
biology, particularly in elucidating molecular mechanisms underlying diseases, I decided that thisprogram is the most suitable for me. This led me to my current research theme revolving around thedevelopment of a therapeutic strategy using smart polymers for aortic dissection (AD). In my main
mentorʼs lab at the TARA center, we investigate the pathophysiology of AD, while the synthesisof polymers and the development of
nanoparticles are done at my sub-mentorʼs lab at NIMS. To manage myprogress, I switch back and forth between
two laboratories. My mentors haveprovided me with a nurturing environment
where I can freely pursue my interests
while ensuring that I make progress on mywork through consistent communication.
It has been helpful to plan the experiments
ahead, but it is also important to beadaptive whenever there are unexpectedobstacles along the way and to learn fromeach experience. Moreover, my colleagues
from both laboratories have been very
supportive, which makes me further
appreciate the value of collaboration.
Through this program, I am able toquench my curiosity by doing scientificwork, while aiming to contribute tosociety. Indeed, I always learn something
new, not only in my own research, but
through the access and exposure todifferent research fields, I get to immerse
myself in different perspectives as well.

New Challenges in Different Fields

Asking the Right Questions

Seioh Ezaki
Fields of study

Orthopaedics / AI

Mentors

Dr. Masashi Yamazaki / Dr. Kenji Suzuki

Before entering the Humanics program, I was pursuing a masterʼs degree in biomedical engineering in
my home country, Colombia. In the final year of the program, I was offered to come to the Universityof Tsukuba as an exchange research student through the transpacific program. Thatʼs how I arrived
at the artificial intelligence laboratory and met my current advisor. I was introduced to the Humanics
program by another professor working in the AI lab and, as a person who couldnʼt choose between
pure engineering and pure biomedical sciences (which is why my bachelorʼs and masterʼs degrees arein biomedical engineering), I considered the Humanics program to be the perfect fit for my aspirations
to pursue high-level research in both areas.
My research topic is prosthetics, specifically the development of new passive lower limb prosthesis
and the influence of this designs in amputeesʼ biomechanics, including gait and muscular variables. I
strongly believe that the research and development of medical devices is inevitably (and finally)heading towards bi-disciplinarity, such that significant impact inpatientsʼ outcomes and quality of life
can only be achieved by the acquisition and development of bi-disciplinary knowledge and expertise.
Humanics, as it pertains to my research, is not only about new devices working properly but also
about asking relatively new but powerful questions as to how the device influences the userʼsphysiology, how the patient is also affecting the device, and even how the devices make the users feel.
Simultaneously acquiring knowledge from two different fields can be challenging and time
consuming. Having a strong financial
support from the program really helps tofocus only on the important things, forwhich I am really thankful . Finally,another thing which I believe makes thisprogram unique is the immense diversityof research fields, cultures , andnationalities, which allows for endlesscombinations and the development of
truly
innovative
anddistinctive
multidisciplinary projects.

Sergio Alberto
Galindo Leon
Fields of study

Prosthetics / Orthopedics

Mentors

Dr. Kenji Suzuki / Dr. Masashi Yamazaki

14Students in Humanics

Ph.D. Program in Humanics

Ph.D. Program in Humanics

CROSS TALK
Felix Adolfo Ipanaque Arevalo

Minori Masaki

Nicholas Ryan Schwier

Research Area : Informatics/Computational neuroscience
Mentors : Faculty of Engineering, Information and Systems
Dr. Jun Izawa
Faculty of Medicine Dr. Masayuki MatsumotoResearch Area ： Cognitive Neuroscience/AI
Mentors ： International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine
Dr. Takashi Abe
Center for Computational Sciences Dr. Kazumasa Horie

Research Area : Sleep medicine/Nonlinear optics
Mentors : International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine
Dr. Masashi Yanagisawa
Kyushu University Dr. Hideaki Kano

Research Area : Computer vision and image media/Neuroscience
Mentors : Center for Computational Sciences
Dr. Yoshinari Kameda
Faculty of Medicine Dr. Masayuki Masu

very valuable thing. To be completely honest, I

neuroscience, AI, and psychology. Someone thatthat will give me the skills to make a goodwish there had been such programs when I was

has maybe worked in heterogenous spaces, withproduct in the future.

in graduate school. No such program existed

the willingness to explore new ideas, and who is

Minori: OK thank you. How about Nick?

Felix: How did you find the Humanics programwith my new biology knowledge to create a newneuroscience is so broad. It is challenging for me

then, and I really wanted to immerse myself inalso able to communicate their motivation in a

Nick: Yes, so I guess, my immediate goal is to get(HX)?

way of researching how our minds work.

to present results and write papers.

two different fields. So, I think you may feel very

compelling way.

either at least a postdoc position coming out of

Minori: I was originally interested in sleep

Ryota: My background is in psychology. I

Nick: I have the same exact problem. Iʼm writingstressed at this time, but 10 years later looking

Nick: Okay, thank you. I think this program isthis program or, ideally, just get a position as

research, so I visited the Yanagisawa/Funato

graduated from the School of Psychology at thea paper right now and I have no idea whatback, I hope most of you will feel that HX was a

hard in more ways than just the obvious ones. I

a professor in a university in Europe̶butlaboratory, and I heard about HX from Masashi.

University of Tsukuba. But I felt psychology has

journal to send it in, because itʼs a cognitive

fun and valuable time, becoming an important

think, in order for someone to make it through,anywhere, in any University thatʼll hire me.

Nick: I used to work at the office of international

limited means for studying humans, their brain

behavioral neuroscience experiment and uses

asset to your career.

they need to have some sort of inner fire or inner

Then, eventually, what I want to be is a principal

affairs, and I found HX there.

activity and computational principles. So, I got

Artistic theory, but itʼs also a VR engineering

Nick: I think I would agree with you. I believe

drive that shoves them forward to a path thatinvestigator with my own lab and teaching my

Ryota: I heard about HX from Izawa sensei,

interested in informatics. Fortunately, during myexperiment. So, itʼs always challenging to decide

this program works best when someone has athey want, because no one in this program is

own classes.

when I was in the second year of the masterʼsmasterʼs program, I met Izawa sensei and started

which journal to submit to.

vision and takes what tools or building blocks toever going to tell you what to do. And even if

Minori: How about Ryota?

program and looking for a PhD program. I foundcollaborating with his informatics and engineer-

Minori: Learning about other fields is very

help them pursue that vision.

they do, it isnʼt the point of the program. So, I

Ryota: Okay, my short-term goal is of coursethat HX offers excellent student support, so I

ing laboratory. Because I was also interested indifficult. My fields are medicine and nonlinear

Felix: One of the advantages I found in thisthink that someone really needs to be able togetting a PhD in this program. To achieve that, I

decided to take the HX exam.

neuroscience, I decided to learn much more

optical physics. Last year, I began studying

program is that you have five years to get deep

push themselves forward, even if itʼs just themneed to solidify logic of my idea and myyourabout experimental methods forexamining thequantum mechanics, which is very hard to learn.

into what really interests you. Most of the PhD

supporting themselves.

research. As for the final long-term goal, I havebackground, how you thought your profile

human brain. My research topic and interest are

Because I am from medicine, it is also very

programs out there are three years long. So, five

Minori: I think there are two goals in thisnot yet decided whether to remain in academia

would fit into HX, and how you became interest-

interdisciplinary approaches between informat-

difficult to learn important papers in other fields.

years was a good amount of time for me toprogram: One is a goal you will achieve by theor not, but I at least want to work in science anded in HX?

ics and neuroscience, so HX represents the best

In contrast, I can study optical physics with Dr.

engage in a completely new field.

end of HX; and the second is the goal of your life,

research. In academia, there are a lot of difficul-

Minori: My background is in medicine. While I

way to achieve my goal.

Kano, my mentor. He is a professor of opticalso please answer it, starting from Felix.

ties here, but I want to keep my interest in

was working as a resident, I felt that medical

Nick: Okay. Letʼs talk about advantages andphysics, which makes it very easy to learn, notFelix: I entered the HX program looking for ascience and research topics. So, that is my final

treatment was not based on medical sciencedisadvantages within HX.

just by myself but also as he teaches me. I think

Nick: What type of person is best suited for HX?

new idea that could later become a businessgoal in life.

alone, as CT and MRI were born out of

Ryota: Yeah, one advantage is the financial

learning about optical physics makes me realize

Minori: I think curiosity is very important.

opportunity. The idea of taking control of sleep

Minori: Thank you. For my goal, Iʼm studying

knowledge in physics. I thought we would needsupport program, which allows me to focus on

how well commercial microscopes are made.

Because we must get to know other fields, talk toand improving it was fascinating. I think that, forsleep, which is so important for so many people.

to have even more knowledge of other fields inthe research. I can concentrate on my research

all kinds of people, and study this field, theevery flaw in human nature, there is an industry

Still, the fundamental principles are not well

the future. So, I felt HX was suitable for me.

activities without other worries. So, the environ-people who can have fun learning other fields

to exploit it̶and sleep, like any other humanknown at this time. So, I want to reveal sleep

Nick: I was a photographer for 10 years, I mainly

ment is my biggest advantage. The disadvantage

Nick: Weʼre just discussing the advantages andare the best suited for HX program, I think.

need, has the potential to improve peopleʼs lives

mechanisms as much as possible using theworked on commercials and advertising, but I

is that interdisciplinary research requires a lot of

disadvantages of the program right now.

Nick: Thatʼs good answer, thank you. And Felix?

dramatically. I want to turn my work into a

non-linear optical microscope. I want to study

decided to restart my career in science. I came totime and funding. In my case, I research VR

Yanagisawa: Yes, as a program leader, I knew

Felix: I feel the best fit for this program are

valuable outcome to make a spin-off company.

this in the HX program. In the future, I plan to go

University of Tsukuba to learn biology. Since mysystem engineering and, at the same time, thefrom the beginning that there are lots of difficul-

peoplediverseIn recent years, more people are becoming

further in academia and keep studying sleep or

artistic knowledge wouldnʼt help me in aneuro-mechanisms of the brain. So, I need timeties and hurdles for each student to be an expert

interests̶someone who wants to pick up one

aware of the benefits of good sleep, and I wantsome other medical programs, and I want totraditional biology program, I let that part ofto study both areas. Recently, I struggled toin both fields̶that is, of course, not an easy

specific subject of one field and wants to try toto support this trend. I already have a businesssomeday become a professor.

myself go and focused on my new path. HX hassummarize my research and ideas in a paper,thing. Still, I think that the program forcing you

combine it with a completely different field. In

background, an entrepreneurial background,allowed me to combine my previous art skills

because the subject matter of informatics andto do that, to at least try to do both, is actually

my case, I work at the intersection of cognitive

and now I am gaining a scientific background

Can

you

speak

more

about

(Prof. Yanagisawa joins in the middle here.)(Professor Yanagisawa leaves the room at this point.)

who

have

differentandS tu dentsʼ conv ersation

S tu dentsʼ conv ersation

Learning from different fields opens up new possibilities.

Nick:

15

Ryota Ishikawa

16

Admission Information

Ph.D. Program in Humanics

Admission Information
Ideal candidate
Annual schedule of entrance examination

We will welcome students who have studied either biomedical sciences or physical sciences/engineering/informatics, and who are willing to study the other discipline and fuse them together.

People who have worked as a physician or an engineer are also very welcome.

We have the entrance examination twice a year,
one in late August and the other in late January or early February.
Entrance examination held in August
Enrollment in April

Number of Students to be Admitted and Language○ Number of Students to be Admitted
Approximately 15 (Total number of students enrolled in spring, fall and working individuals)○ Degree
Either a Ph.D. in Medical Sciences, Ph.D. in Science, Ph.D.in Engineering

4

5

6

7

8

Entrance examination held in January
Enrollment in April or October
9

10

11

Application
period1

2

3

Application
periodEntrance
examination

Application
guideline opens

12

Application
guideline opens

Announcement of
examination results○ Language used in Examination
English (responses in Japanese is acceptable)

Entrance
examination

Announcement of
examination results

Information as of FY2022

For the latest information, please see the website.

https://www.phd-humanics.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/admission/

Application steps

Ph.D.Program in Humanics
Mentors list

Various Supports (as of May 2022)

Students of Ph.D. Program in Humanics, judged as excellent in studies/researches, are financially supported
so that they can concentrate on the studies and researches.

STEP

1

Financial
Supports

STEP

2

・Education and Research Support Expenses (planned for 180,000 to 200,000 yen/month)
・Tuition: Full exemption

Support foroverseas studies& research
activities

Student
dormitory

Student dormitory has been established to offer students excellent study environment along with theopportunity to experience autonomous civic life.
For further information regarding room, equipment and monthly rent, please refer to the website below.
http://www.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/students/campus-life/accommodation

After confirming the research field of each faculty mentors, contact two desired mentors
by e-mail and ask for a permission. Choose one mentor from biomedical sciences, and● Application (web entry)
The following submissions are required.
・Applicant information
・Research plan (about 1000 words in English)
・It is necessary to submit a TOEIC official certificate or a scorecard for TOEFL

Amount of the above supports will be decided based on results of entrance examination, outcome ofparticipation in programs and research, results of Qualifying Examination and other factors. In addition,
students who are judged as excellent in academic achievement by the universityʼs regulations are eligible
for tuition fee exemption as described above.
※Supports may be subject to change in the future, depending on the operating of the program.
Program will support for expenses related to overseas studies & research activities, such as joint researchand presentations at international conferences, conducted by students on their own initiative atuniversities and research institutions overseas. Amount of the support is decided based on the Travel Grant
application and the operating expenses of the program (planned for up to 300,000 yen/year for domestic
or 400,000 yen/year if it includes overseas activities).
※Supports may be subject to change in the future, depending on the operating of the program.

tsukuba.ac.jp/en/mentor/

which mentor is your main mentor.

Before passing Qualifying Examination
・Financial supports according to their research contribution based on TA, RA, and Reverse Mentor work
・TA/RA support equivalent to half tuition

After passing Qualifying Examination

https://www.phd-humanics.

also choose another mentor from physical sciences/engineering/informatics. Decide

Equivalent to Master's program

Equivalent to Doctoral program● Contact the two desired mentors

Admission I nformation

Admission I nformation○ Entrance exam information

test takers.
・Desired mentors; one from biomedical sciences, another fromphysical sciences/engineering/informatics.
・Recommendation letter from the dean of your department or your supervisor
・Examination fee
For details, please refer to the application guidelines.

STEP

3

● Admission
Oral examination I concerns (1)knowledge in biomedical sciences, physical sciences,engineering and informatics, (2)ability to adapt two different fields of study, and(3)linguistic proficiency.
Oral examination Ⅱ concerns your research project proposal upon admission and career
plan.
Information as of FY2022

1718