6th TMDU International Summer Program (ISP2014)
The 6th TMDU International Summer Program (ISP2014), “Ageing and Metabolism”, was held from Monday, August 25th to Thursday, August 28th, under the supervision of the ISP2014 Chair, Dr. Yoshihiro Ogawa (Dept. of Molecular Endocrinology and Metabolism). In total twenty-five students and young researchers were invited to participate in ISP2014, hailing from seventeen countries in Asia. Thirteen researchers – from Columbia University, University of California, Los Angeles, Tokyo University of Science, Iwate Medical University, and TMDU – presented lectures or symposium talks. ISP2014 attendees enjoyed the interesting talks on the cutting-edge of each research. Also they explore TMDU and learned about the researches done at TMDU by the other events: the TMDU Laboratory Visit; a tour of the TMDU Library; social and cultural events.

On Monday, August 25th, ISP2014 kicked off with the Orientation and Welcome Reception. The academic program began the next day. Lecture Course, Day 1, featured talks by Dr. Mitsuaki Isobe (Dept. of Cardiovascular Medicine), Dr. Masayuki Yoshida (Dept. of Life Sciences and Bioethics, Life Science and Bioethics Research Center), Dr. Yumiko Oishi-Tanaka (Tenure Track Unit Cellular and Molecular Medicine), Dr. Yuichi Izumi (Dept. of Periodontology), and Dr. Junichi Furuya (Prosthodontics and Oral Implantology, Iwate Medical University, Japan). After the lectures, Dr. Ikuko Morio (Director, International Exchange Center) gave the invited participants an overview of TMDU. The participants then embarked upon the Laboratory Visit, where they were able to go to labs that they had expressed a desire in visiting. A total of twenty-one laboratories welcomed the ISP2014 participants. Lastly, sixteen ISP2014 participants, and five TMDU students, presented their research at the ISP2014 Poster Session.

Lecture Course, Day 2, was held the next day, and ISP2014 welcomed lectures from Dr. Shu Takeda (Dept. of Physiology and Cell Biology), Dr. Takayoshi Suganami (Dept. of Organ Network and Metabolism), Dr. Peter Tontonoz (Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, U.S.A.), Dr. Domenico Accili (Medicine, Columbia University, U.S.A.), Dr. Akira Matsumoto (Dept. of Bioelectronics). In the afternoon, the invited participants went on a Library Tour and Optional Tours (Kanda Myojin and an Introduction to Japanese Culture on DVD). At the ISP2014 Social Hour, President Yasuyuki Yoshizawa gave a short speech. Dr. Junji Tagami (Executive Director/Executive Vice President of Education and International Student Exchange) made a toast. And President Yasuyuki Yoshizawa presented the gifts of appreciation to the invited four speakers; Dr. Domenico Accili, Dr. Peter Tontonoz, Dr. Naoko Ohtani, and Dr. Junichi Furuya, and presented the ISP2014 Commemorative Certificates to the invited ISP2014 participants. The ISP2014 Best Poster Awards were presented to three winners by Dr. Yoshihiro Ogawa (ISP2014 Chair). We also enjoyed the performance of Japanese entertainment by .Japanese Traditional Dance Circle and Kyogen Club from Ochanomizu University.

ISP Symposium 2014 “Ageing and Metabolism”, co-sponsored by the 41st Graduate School Seminar, was held on Thursday, August 28th. The Symposium welcomed Dr. Emi Nishimura (Dept. of Stem Cell Biology), Dr. Hitoshi Okazawa (Dept. of Neuropathology), Dr. Peter Tontonoz, Dr. Naoko Ohtani (Dept. of Applied Biological Science, Tokyo University of Science), and Dr. Domenico Accili.

Throughout ISP2014, as the representative researchers from various research fields shared their knowledge and ideas, and as the invited students and young researchers actively participated in the lectures and programs, there was much knowledge exchanged and deepened.