Biochemistry

The course covers the central metabolic reaction pathways as well as (hormonal) regulation of these reaction pathways. It illustrates how organisms generate energy for essential energy-consuming processes. The metabolic reaction pathways and the regulation of these are seen in physiological connection.

To study the basic knowledge of molecular biology, biochemistry and structural biology and to understand biological phenomena at the molecular level, students will learn the following contents.

1) Structures and chemical properties of nucleic acids
2) Structures and chemical properties of amino acids and proteins
3) Biochemical methods for analyzing DNA sequence, amino acid sequence, protein structures and functions
4) Mechanisms of enzyme catalysis 

This course aims to provide students with deep insights into the structures and physiological functions of nucleic acids, proteins and other important biomolecules. Also, students will understand molecular mechanisms of several important enzymes. 

This course provides research training for exchange students. Students work on a research project under the guidance of assigned faculty members. Through a full-time commitment, students improve their research skills by participating in the different phases of research, including development of research plans, proposals, data analysis, and presentation of research results. A pass/no pass grade is assigned based a progress report, self-evaluation, midterm report, presentation, and final report.

This course provides individual research training for students in the Junior Year Engineering Program through the experience of belonging to a specific laboratory at Tohoku University. Students are assigned to a laboratory with the consent of the faculty member in charge. They participate in various group activities, including seminars, for the purposes of training in research methods and developing teamwork skills. The specific topic studied depends on the instructor in charge of the laboratory to which each student is assigned. The methods of assessment vary with the student's project and laboratory instructor. Students submit an abstract concerning the results of their individual research each semester and present the results near the end of the program.

This special lab course nurtures international students' creative competency by offering them opportunities for learning in communities of research practice. The student's supervisor arranges the research topic. Students give three oral presentations during the study period. In the presentations, students integrate ideas and analyses on laboratory results into creative and academically coherent work. FrontierLab program coordinators and supervisors attend and evaluate the final oral presentation.

This course examines cutting edge research into some of the hottest topics and most rapidly advancing areas in biology. Focusing on functional genomics and epigenetics in the context on development, cellular differentiation, disease, non-model organisms and gene-environment interactions. Emphasis on molecular mechanisms and state-of-the-art genomic technologies are underpinned by an understanding of the importance of computational biology in delineating genome function.

Topics include 1. Structural and Molecular Biology: The structures of biomacromolecules (DNA, RNA and proteins), structure determination (NMR, X-ray crystallography and CryoEM), post translational modification of proteins, synthetic gene design, recombinant protein expression, mutagenesis, unnatural amino-acids, methods of purification and characterization including electrophoretic methods and mass spectrometry. 2. In Silico Methods: Sequence analysis, databases, structure prediction and molecular dynamics. Some of the material in this section are delivered as a workshop to foster the development of in silico skills. 3. Biophysical Techniques: The application of spectroscopic and analytical techniques to measure the physical properties of biomolecular systems, including kinetics, coupled assays, biothermodynamic methods (SPR, ITC), fluorescence, vibrational spectroscopy and imaging techniques. 4. Enzymes and Biosynthesis: This section focuses on enzymes, systems and their applications, beginning with an overview of the structures and functions of the different classes of enzyme. Case studies are used to illustrate the application of techniques covered in earlier sections to the study of complex biological systems and processes. Topics covered include specialized catalytic centers, analysis of biosynthetic gene clusters, protein engineering, directed evolution and highlights of recent natural product biosynthesis.

This course emphasizes hands-on laboratory experience and teaches students research background, relevant theories, and basic laboratory techniques relevant to their field of study. Students formulate a research plan, implement it by conducting experiment-based research, and convey the results in scholarly presentations. Students submit a written research report at the end of the course.

This course provides research training for students through the experience of belonging to a specific laboratory at the University of Tokyo. Students carry out an original research project under the guidance of assigned faculty members. Through a full-time commitment, students will be able to improve their research skills by applying the basic principles and knowledge from the literature related to the research questions, and by developing the skills to collect, interpret, and critique data in order to resolve a research question or evaluate a design for a research project. At the conclusion of the program, students submit their final work (paper, presentation, report etc.) as instructed by their lab supervisors

In this course students acquire a broad knowledge base and develop analytical and critical thinking skills. Students actively participate in seminars, read assigned texts and research papers, and analyze research data. Students also discuss results obtained in their own experiments with peers and senior laboratory members.