Four UGM students have successfully earned the International Summer Course (ISC) 2018 scholarship from Nagoya University, Japan.
They were selected to participate in a short summer course on marine biology in Nagoya University for five days from July 13-17, 2018.
The students are Basith Kuncoro Adji (Biology 2014), Anggun Cinditya Putri (Biology 2015), Putri Eky Pratiwi (Fisheries 2014), and Surono Dwi Saputra (Master of Biotechnology 2017).
Additionally, the program was also joined by 9 undergraduate and postgraduate students from various countries. Some of them are Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, India, Mongolia, Norway, France, the Philippines, and the United States.
Anggun mentioned in the summer course all participants had the opportunity to explore the intertidal zone of Sugashima Island and collect samples of marine invertebrates. The samples were then used to study basic taxonomy.
“The participants also learned the fertilization process as well as observed the early development of Echinodermata and Ascidian animal groups,” she explained on Tuesday (7/31) at UGM.
Moreover, the students were introduced to and practiced in person the molecular phylogeny analysis, genome editing technique using TALEN, and the latest proteomic analysis in Marine Biology. The courses were delivered by Professor and Director of Sugashima Marine Biological Laboratory, Prof. Hitoshi Sawada, accompanied by other instructors such as Dr. Lauren Stefaniak, Dr. Maki Shirae-Kurabayashi, and Dr. Yukinobu Isowa.
Dean of Biology UGM, Dr, Budi S. Daryono, stated the ISC program is a cooperation between the faculty and Nagoya University that has been running since the last four years. Through this program, the students can improve their skills on Marine Biology research, expand networks and relations at the international level, and learn the culture of various countries.
Besides, Budi also hopes the program can strengthen the relation and cooperation between Biology UGM and Nagoya University, as well as realize research collaboration in the future.