November 12, 1999
Japan Marine Science and Technology Center

Coordinated Postgraduate Course Agreement Signed with Biotechnology Research Course, Postgraduate School, Tokyo Institute of Technology

On November 15 (Monday), Japan Marine Science and Technology Center (JAMSTEC, director general Takuya HIRANO) singed a coordinated postgraduate course agreement with Biotechnology Research Course, Postgraduate School, Tokyo Institute of Technology, to cooperate in education and research in a field of specialization in Bio-Information(1) under the Coordinated Postgraduate Course System.
In this system, JAMSTEC's researchers in the field of microorganisms under the environments in the deep sea will serve as quest professors in the Postgraduate Course to educate and guide graduate students in research. Thus, JAMSTEC will be in a position to cooperate with the Postgraduate School over a wide range of activities. The Postgraduate School also is expected to educate and foster young researchers in a wider range of research fields of microorganisms under the environments in the deep sea.
To date, meanwhile, JAMSTEC has signed a coordinated postgraduate course agreement with Oceanology Research Course (majoring in marine science), Postgraduate School, Tokai University (March 30, 1999) and with Biosphere Science Research Course (majoring in environment circulation system control science), Postgraduate School, Hiroshima University (April 01, 1999). The latest agreement, therefore, is the third one.

(Reference) Outline of Research into Microorganisms under the Environments in the Deep Sea

NOTE 1: The term, specialization in Bio-Information, means the major composed of researchers in both bioscience and biotechnology and aimed at establishing a new paradigm of biotechnology. For the subjects to be studied in this field, Bio-Information deals with those critical biochemical issues which the mankind will inevitably tackle in the 21st century, including cell breeding and differentiation, individuals' superannuation, reproduction, cancer and infectious and geriatric diseases, nervous system, bio-environment correlation and so on. As an approach to dissolve such issues, research is being proceeded with from a bio-intelligent standpoint, with importance attached to the transmission, development, conversion and plasticity of information, which could take a variety of forms, such as genes, signal transmission routes inside and outside a cell, nervous system.

Whom to Contact:
FURUYAMA, Phone: +81-468-67-3824,
Program Administration Section, and
IKEGAWA, +81-468-67-5547,
Popularization/PR Section,
JAMSTEC