ISSN 1349-2969

筑波医療科学
Tsukuba Journal of Medical Science
On-Line Journal
URL http://www.md.tsukuba.ac.jp/public/cnmt/Medtec/journal.htm
TJMS 2023; 19(4): 1-19

SAKURA Undergraduate Medical Science Course
in Tsukuba 2023-Aug

筑波医療科学

Tsukuba Journal of Medical Science

筑波医療科学 第19巻 第4号
Tsukuba Journal of Medical Science
Volume 19, Issue 4（2023, October）【目 次】

SAKURA Undergraduate Medical Science Course in Tsukuba 2023-Aug

・・・・1‐19

筑波医療科学 Tsukuba Journal of Medical Science

筑波医療科学 Tsukuba Journal of Medical Science

2023; 19(4)：1-19

SAKURA Undergraduate Medical Science Course in Tsukuba 2023-Aug
Norihiko Ohbayashi, Aya Fukuda, Keiko Ookawa,
Yukari Okita, Vuong Cat Khanh, Hyojung Jeon, Cosmin Florescu,
Suzuyo Nakane, Mizuho Cohen, Kiong Ho, Kazuya Morikawa, and Koji Hisatake

Undergraduate Medical Science Course in Tsukuba 2023-Aug was held from August 27 to September 2, 2023. We
invited 11 foreign students from some of our partner universities in Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Egypt, andour 10 students from School of Medical Sciences, University of Tsukuba have taken part in this program.
Participants:
University of Indonesia (Medicine):

1 student

University of Indonesia (Pharmacy):

1 student

University of Padjadjaran (Pharmacy):

1 student

University of Science HCMC (Biotechnology):

1 student

University of Medicine and Pharmacy HCMC (Medicine):

1 studentInternational University, VNU HCMC (Biotechnology):

1 studentInternational University, VNU HCMC (Biomedical Engineering):

1 student

National Taiwan University (Plant Pathology and Microbiology):

1 student

National Cheng Kung University (Medicine):

1 student

Cairo University (Biotechnology and Biomolecular Chemistry):

2 students

University of Tsukuba (School of Medical Sciences):

10 students

This program was supported by “Japan-Asia Youth Exchange Program in Science” (SAKURA Exchange Programin Science), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). http://ssp.jst.go.jp/EN/index.html

筑波医療科学 Tsukuba Journal of Medical Science1Schedule
Schedule
27-Aug28-Aug29-Aug30-Aug31-Aug

1-Sep

2-Sep

Arrival (Narita airport )Check-in (Global guest house)

Sun

AM

Orientation-Course guidance, Self-introduction etc.,(10:00~ Innovation
bulding 8F)/ Welcome Lunch

PM

Laboratory WorksAM

Laboratory WorksPM

Laboratory Works/
Lecture for English Presentation (13:00~14:00, Clinical lecture room D)/
Hospital Visit (18:30~)

AM

Laboratory WorksPM

Laboratory WorksAM

Laboratory WorksPM

Laboratory WorksAM

Practice for Presentation (10:00~11:30, Clinical lecture room D)

PMPresentation (13:30~ Clinical lecture room D)/
Farewell Party (17:00~ Innovation building 8F)

AM

Check-out and Science Tours in TokyoPM

Departure (Narita airport)

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

筑波医療科学 Tsukuba Journal of Medical Science2

List of participating laboratories

Participating Laboratories
Laboratory

Supervisor

Laboratory Animal Science
実験動物学研究室

Seiya MIZUNO

Analysis of in vivo homeostasis mechanisms using
gene-modified mice

Laboratory of Experimental Pathology
実験病理学研究室

Mitsuyasu KATO

Molecular Mechanisms of Stem Cell Induction in
Cancer Growth

Regenerative medicine and Stem cell
Biology
再⽣医学幹細胞⽣物学

Osamu OHNEDA

Breast cancer and COVID-19

Laboratory of Gene Regulation
遺伝⼦制御学

Koji HISATAKE/
Aya FUKUDA

In vivo imaging of beige adipocyte induction and gene
expression analysis

Laboratory of Gene Regulation
遺伝⼦制御学

Koji HISATAKE/
Ken NISHIMURA

Neural differentiation with controlled transcription
factor expression

International Institute for Integrative
Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS）
Lazarus/Oishi Laboratory
国際統合睡眠医科学研究機構 (WPIIIIS） ラザルス /⼤⽯研究室

Michael LAZARUS

Understanding the link between sleepiness andmotivation by exploring mesolimbic glia-neuron
interactions

Department of Hematology
⾎液学

Mamiko SAKATA－YANAGIMOTO

Oncoimmunology mediated by immune cells withsomatic mutations

Immunology
免疫制御医学研究室

Kazuko SHIBUYA

Expression analysis of surface antigens on immune
cells by flow cytometry

Endocrinology and Metabolism
内分泌代謝・糖尿病内科

Hitoshi SHIMANO

Lipid Diversity in Organs towards New Concept for
Pathophysiology and Therapy in Global Diseases~ Break the Central Dogma of Molecular Biology ~Molecular Virology
分⼦ウイルス学

Research Topic

Molecular mechanisms of emerging virus infection
Atsushi KAWAGUCHI (influenza viruses and SARS-CoV-2) and innate
immune responses against the viruses.

筑波医療科学 Tsukuba Journal of Medical Science3About the course:This program was designed for qualified undergraduate students majoring in the field ofbiomedical sciences. In this year, 11 undergraduate students from Egypt, Indonesia, Taiwan, andVietnam were selected by their institute to visit the University of Tsukuba, Japan, to obtain researchexperiences and trainings in the medical science laboratories. A student from Tsukuba and a student
from abroad formed a pair to join in one of the laboratories and work together on a research project.
All students gave an oral presentation on their accomplishments on the final day of the program.
During the program, the participants also had a chance to visit the proton beam therapy center atUniversity of Tsukuba hospital, and attended a lecture to learn how to give a good English
presentation.
We thank all of the participants and persons involved in this program for the participation,
cooperation, and supports. We hope that we can see you again in near future.
Photos:筑波医療科学 Tsukuba Journal of Medical Science4

筑波医療科学 Tsukuba 5Journal of Medical Science

筑波医療科学 Tsukuba 6Journal of Medical Science

筑波医療科学 Tsukuba Journal of Medical Science7

Letters from participants:
By NGUYEN HOANG CHAU NHI, International University – VNU HCMC
Purpose:As a second-year student, the Sakura course plays an important role in the first step of my research career. Coming
to the program, I hope to gain precious experience in doing research and have global connections with friends
from many different countries. Moreover, I always seek an opportunity to be a master candidate at Tsukuba
University with a full-fee scholarship.
Experiences:
First, the program gave me a chance to experience interesting diverse cultures. I am grateful for working withJapanese friends who are very helpful and kind. Furthermore, Japanese foods are delicious, healthy, and tasty.
Fortunately, the International Office of Tsukuba provided me with a bicycle, which I used every day to go to
Tsukuba University, which makes me feel like a'real' Japanese student.
Secondly, experiences in doing research are most precious to me.
My research topic related to the effects of interested genes inneuronal differentiation that are potential and meaningful for further
research in stem cell therapy. Interestingly, this lab work was the firsttime done in the research, which means that I had a chance tocontribute a little new data to the wonderful research of the Lab ofGene Regulation.
Achievements:
Through the lectures and instructors of Prof. Ken Nishimura, Prof.
Koji Hisatake, and current master students in the lab, I have had an
overview of the research process and ideas to deal with scientificproblems and create experimental designs. I also did experimentswith cutting-edge techniques in Japan, which are very efficient for
research.

筑波医療科学 Tsukuba Journal of Medical Science8

Working in a professional scientific environment with great experts is the greatest memory and experience for me.
The presentation day was meaningful when all students could present the results of their research. I gained
wonderful knowledge from different fields of study and also learned how to present my achievements appropriately
to other friends. The positive feedback from my supervisors and other friends has been my greatest motivation.
Moreover, the passion for science of my sensei and senpai inspired me a lot to study and research more in theirfield of research.

Feelings:
I want to say many thanks to the organizers for thiswonderful Sakura program. I felt fulfilled with theexperience within 7 days at Tsukuba. I love Japanesepeople and culture and dream to become a part of Tsukuba
University as a master or PhD student. Therefore, I reallywant to come to Tsukuba again to progress my research in
the future.
Once again, thanks for everything and hope to see you soon,
Japan.
P/s: To record memorable memories from this trip, I have created a video of the course at the below link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15-NgDFdkwjWAhGjXew2IXZV9ZPekLro3/view?usp=sharing

筑波医療科学 Tsukuba Journal of Medical Science9By Bintang Heiza Yudistira, University of Indonesia
Reflecting on my participation in the SAKURA2023-Aug program, I find myself overwhelmed with gratitude forthe profound impact it has had on my personal and academic journey. As an Indonesian medical student, thisexperience not only deepened my understanding of oncoimmunology but also introduced me to the world ofinternational collaboration and cross-cultural exchange.
Foremost, I extend my sincere appreciation to the organizers and all those who contributed to the realization of thisprogram. Your unwavering dedication and vision have given rise to a platform that transcends geographicalboundaries, uniting bright minds from diverse backgrounds to share knowledge and foster enduring connections.
Being a part of this remarkable initiative is a privilege I shall forever hold dear.
My involvement in the SAKURA2023-Aug program began with a strong desire to learn more about the intricate
workings of immune cells derived from somatic mutations in relation to colorectal cancer. Alongside this desire,there was a strong desire to learn from eminent mentors like Prof. Mamiko SAKATA-YANAGIMOTO, Dr. Sasaki,
and Dr. Tran Nguyen as well as to work with international peers. These expectations were not only met, but also
exceeded by the program, which created an atmosphere that encouraged learning and intellectual development.
My one-week program in Japan turned out to be a fantastic experience that went above and beyond the limitationsof laboratory work. It was quite enlightening to collaborate directly with my Japanese colleague, Mayuko Ohki.
Our collaboration showed the value of many viewpoints in the field of research. However, what made this program
truly special was the sense of solidarity and togetherness among the other participants, who came from Vietnam,
Egypt, Taiwan, and my counterparts from Indonesia.
A particular highlight was our captivating takoyaki party, where we celebrated our diverse cultures through theshared joy of cuisine. These moments of cultural exchange solidified the bonds among us, nurturing a sense ofunity despite our varied backgrounds. The program's ability to bridge cultural divides and cultivate friendships thattranscend borders is a testament to its exemplary design.
The SAKURA2023-Aug program provided me with enlightening research opportunities, as well as opportunities
for cultural exchange. However, I was also fortunate to have the chance to see proton beam therapy in action. A
very sophisticated type of radiation therapy used to treat cancer is known as proton beam therapy. Proton beam
therapy uses positively charged protons rather than the X-rays used in conventional radiation therapy. Protons can
now be筑波医療科学 Tsukuba Journal of Medical Science10precisely controlled to target tumors with amazing accuracy while minimizing damage to neighboring healthy
tissues, which is a clear advantage. It was not only impressive to see this cutting-edge technology in action, but it
also brought to light the potential for game-changing improvements in cancer treatment.
The highlight of our journey was during the research presentation on the program's concluding day. Witnessing theremarkable research endeavors undertaken by my peers was profoundly enlightening and motivating. Itemphasized the core essence of this program: the cultivation of collaboration and the nurturing of a global
community of researchers. These presentations not only reaﬃrmed my dedication to the field of research but also
served as a catalyst for my enduring pursuit of opportunities to make meaningful contributions.
The impact of the SAKURA2023-Aug program extends far beyond its conclusion. It has left an indelible mark on
my academic and personal voyage. The knowledge and experiences acquired have broadened my horizons andignited a fervor for international research collaboration. As I move forward, I am resolute in my commitment toharness the connections forged and insights gained during this program to contribute meaningfully to the field of
oncoimmunology.
My future vision includes continued collaboration with international colleagues, drawing upon the invaluablelessons gleaned during this program. I aspire to pursue further research opportunities, with Japan holding a special
place in my heart. This program has elucidated that borders are not barriers but gateways to new possibilities, and I
am eagerly poised to embark on this exciting journey.

筑波医療科学 Tsukuba Journal of Medical Science11Eating Sushi with other Students

Farewell Party

Research Presentation
筑波医療科学 Tsukuba Journal of Medical Science12

By Chang Chih-jung, National Taiwan University
Motivation
Although I am not a student at College of Medicine in National Taiwan University (NTU), when I knew that I was
selected to join the program, I was very willing to go and immediately had a discussion with my family, including
my uncle who is a professor at NTU and have been to University of Tsukuba (UT) before. They all encourage me
to join the program, so I made the decision to go to Japan. Organizers of the program were so nice and polite to
inform us how to prepare for the program before we went abroad, showing the willingness and kindness to us. I
already felt the passion before going to Japan, which makes me feel safe and satisfied.
Experiments
In this program, my laboratory host is Professor A. Kawaguchi inTransborder Medical Research Center, and my partner is Hiyori
Miki. The laboratory mainly focuses on Molecular Virology,
which is highly related to my major. In this 3-day experiment,
although there were only 3 days, Miki and me still completed theexperiment and had some results which could share with others
during presentation. The reason why we could successfully
achieve the goal was because Miki’s preparation in advance. In
this program, we study the relationship between protein A of
Bovine enterovirus and host cells’ mitochondria. This study needs
to prepare enough quantity of cells, and Miki have cultured them
before I went to Japan, which increased the efficiency of the experiment. In addition, since I lacked backgroundknowledge and haven’t done the similar experiment before, Miki taught me step by step and described the principleof the experiment to me to let me finish my job and understand what exactly I was doing. As for confocal
microscopy, thanks to Dr. Kawaguchi, who personally performed the process, we could see the results clearly.

筑波医療科学 Tsukuba Journal of Medical Science13

Achievements
After immunostaining and confocal microscopy, we saw that
protein A present inside (or on the surface) of themitochondria and observed that the signals of mitochondria
are weaker inside the protein A expressing cells. We could
finally conclude that protein A might be a protein which caninterrupt the immune response of mitochondria against
viruses. Additionally, with the hard works that Miki and I did
and Mr. Cosmin’s suggestion, we performed very well at the
English presentation, which was the first time for both of us to present in front of so many people using English.
Future plans
I used to be a member of my uncle’s laboratory at NTU. I studied the relationship between the endosymbiont
Buchnera and its host, pea aphid. However, I have made a decision to leave and hope to explore more about myinterest this semester. Frankly speaking, after doing the experiment in University of Tsukuba, I’m really interested
in studying at UT for master or doctorate degree of Medicine field in the future. I think that maybe I can study in
UT in the future or even become a professor who can teach in UT.
Acknowledgements
First of all, I want to thank all the organizers of the program. I must say that this is a program which makes me sadwhen it ends. Thanks for your hard works!
Secondly, Miki is a really kind partner with passion, patience, and generosity. Before going abroad, Miki haveinformed me a lot of information of the program and also, information of UT. As I mentioned, she took me step bystep to complete the experiment. Besides, she even took me to have lunch and dinner almost every day. Last but notleast, she bought me a bag of tea in the mall of Tokyo Skytree. I can’t express all the gratitude for her help during
this program.
Of course, I also have to thank my professor, A. Kawaguchi. Professor Kawaguchi is a kind, humorous, andhandsome mentor with a lot of patience. Although professor was very busy, He gave me and Miki lots ofsuggestions about our experiment and presentation. Consequently, Miki and I had a wonderful performance ofpresentation.
Finally, thanks all the Japanese students who prepared the wonderful party. I felt I was home even though I
was not in Taiwan. Last day at Asakusa, thanks Miki and Masashi’s kindness and generosity to guide me to visit the
temple and Tokyo Skytree and take Yu-yun and me to have お好み焼き

and もんじゃ焼き. Also, thanks all

the students from other countries and Yu-yun from Taiwan, they were all very nice to me and helped me withanything I need.

筑波医療科学 Tsukuba Journal of Medical Science14

In conclusion, this is a challenging, joyful, and unforgettable experience. I hope I can go to UT again to meet
all the people in the future.

筑波医療科学 Tsukuba Journal of Medical Science15

By Maram Adel Abdelghany Hassan, Cairo University
I was motivated to come on this program Japan is such a beautiful city with advance in research and technology,
when my professor nominated me, I felt like it was a dream come true and every step of the preparation was
exciting. I wanted to make the most out of it and to learn the best I could, I attended the SRP online course to get toknow the labs better and requested the lab that I had very much interest to be a part of and participate in which was
the lab of sensei Ohneda in regeneration and stem cells.
My purpose is to specialize in molecular neuroscience and regenerative neuroscience, I want to pursue graduate
degrees master, PhD and then post-doc and hopefully one day get the opportunity to be a group leader or professor
and head of a lab to be able to guide students and do research in an area of my interest and make a contribution to
the scientific field.
At Tsukuba, I experienced a new culture, a new way of behavior that is I believe is different from one country toanother. I had the opportunity to make a lot of Japanese friends and other nationalities participating in yourprogram. Everyone was so kind and helpful; my partner was a great guide throughout the program. I learned someJapanese words, ate a lot of delicious Japanese food and enjoyed the last day trip to Japanese historical places in
Asakusa.

In the lab, I was supervised by Nga a PhD student and Khanh sensei, they taught me everything in detail explaining
the protocol very well, we had a structured lab work schedule that was amazing in time management. I learned newtechniques, and tricks to optimize my lab work. The techniques I learned were RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis,
qPCR, scratch assay, drug resistance assay. From the English presentation lecture and practice, I learned a lot about
how to improve my presentation skills.

筑波医療科学 Tsukuba Journal of Medical Science16

I think my biggest achievement was being a part of this program besides getting to know the Japanese culture andmaking Japanese friends. Also, getting great results from our work in the lab and being able to present it clearly
which lead to my presentation getting a lot of questions which meant the participants was interested and was able
to follow up and I had the ability to answer questions to my knowledge and felt really satisfied with how it ended.
Our project is about the effects of Sars cov2 on breast cancer and we wanted to study the effect of the M protein on
aggressive breast cancer cell in inducing malignant phenotype through released extracellular vesicles tonon-aggressive breast cancer cells, I am honored to have contributed to the work in this week of scientific research.

筑波医療科学 Tsukuba Journal of Medical Science17

By Shuri Mineno, University of Tsukuba
I couldn’t imagine myself being confident and motivated likenow one month ago. Everything I experienced in the Sakurascience program was so interesting that I started thinking
about my future more widely and deeply. There were twodifferences in my mind before and after the program.
The first difference is my mindset toward learning English andscience. I spent a long time with foreign students in a week,
what impressed me most were their strong motivation to learn
science and their high level of English. My partner, Chau Nhi was one of the wonderful students I met. We are thesame age, but she understood almost all methods of lab work. Moreover, she kindly taught me everything about our
research which I’m not sure about. I was also surprised because many foreign students are good at giving
presentations. They didn’t read their scripts but tried to tell their research in their own words. I did my best in thepresentation, but I think that it wasn’t as good as foreign students. Therefore, now I’m very motivated to study
English, especially scientific English, and how to convey my ideas effectively in English. Moreover, I was
impressed by my partner’s enthusiasm for learning science. As she asked many questions to our professor and tried
to make an effort in the lab work, I could see that she had a strong willingness to build her career in science so that
she could improve her country which is now developing. To add, comparing my study environment and hers, I
reaffirmed how fortunate my study situation is. Now I’ve got a passion not to waste my great surroundings in the
University of Tsukuba.

筑波医療科学 Tsukuba Journal of Medical Science
18

The second change was my attitude to consider my future. Afterall, I found that it is one of the biggest fun for me tocommunicate with foreigners in English. While I was talking
with them, I was always excited to know the cultural differences
so talking in English seemed to be like an adventure for me, andthus I got interested in gaining overseas experiences in the future.
I had been interested in studying and traveling abroad before thisprogram, however, my willingness to see other countries, talkwith people who have various backgrounds, and study abroadhas become much stronger. Besides, surprisingly, I also got
curious about lab work. I thought that I was not suitable forresearch because of my stereotype of studying. By struggling
with lab work firsthand in a week, I realized that I could enjoy discovering new things. Thanks to our professor, Mr.
Nishimura, I could do an experiment in which even he hadn’t gotten the results, so we actually experienced themoment a new phenomenon was found. It was one of the most wonderful memories that we could contribute to thedevelopment of science.
I got interested in many things through the Sakura science
program like cultural exchange and lab work. Now there
are too many choices to narrow down them now. However,
one thing I can clearly say is that my motivation for myfuture has become more intense. Before this program, mydream was just to work as a medical technician in a
hospital. However, I’d like to challenge many things rather
than narrow my horizons right now. To participate in thisprogram was the very first step for me. I hope that I canfind a way to combine my wide interests in the future.

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