Biochemistry

This course describe the structures of biological macromolecules, particularly proteins, in relation to their functions in catalysis, ligand binding, membrane transport, and ability to form and function as complexes, and to illustrate the types of experimental techniques used to study macromolecular structure and function. It develops personal skills appropriate to a third-year biological science student, including competence in a range of laboratory techniques; the ability to analyze scientific papers; familiarity with the use of libraries and databases; the ability to present the results of experimental work concisely and accurately, both numerically and in writing, and to write about biochemical and molecular biological topics in a clear and well-organized manner.

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 this program.

This course provides an introduction to ocean properties and processes. Topics include processes that exchange energy and water within the Earth system; main sources, sinks, and pathways of material; temperature, salinity, and density structure; temperature-salinity diagram; waves and tide generation; Eulerian and Lagrangian co-ordinate systems; hydrothermal circulation; biogeochemical cycling of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nutrients; biogenic sediments; volume transport and fluxes of material; and instrumentation used in oceanography.

The Individual Research Training Senior (IRT Senior) Course is an advanced course of the Individual Research Training A (IRT A) course in the Tohoku University Junior Year Program in English (JYPE) in the fall semester. Though short-term international exchange students are not degree candidates at Tohoku University, a similar experience is offered by special arrangement. Students are required to submit: an abstract concerning the results of their IRT Senior project, a paper (A4, 20-30 pages) on their research at the end of the exchange term, and an oral presentation on the results of their IRT Senior project near the end of the term.

The course covers in depth the chemistry of three major classes of biologically important molecules; carbohydrates, peptides and proteins, and nucleic acids. In addition, the course provides an introduction to molecular imaging and covers methods for labelling of biomolecules with fluorescent dyes and radionuclides.

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.