日本熊本大学COE博士后项目

Institution

Kumamoto University (http://www.imeg.kumamoto-u.ac...)

Location

Kumamoto Japan

Date Posted

Oct 1 2007

Description

Open Recruitment of COE Research Associate (post-doctoral fellows)
by Kumamoto University Global COE program
“Cell Fate Regulation Research and Education Unit”

1. About the “Global COE” program
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Japan launched, in the fiscal year 2007, a new initiative called “Global COE (Centers of Excellence) program”. This will provide funding support for establishing education and research centers that perform at the apex of global excellence to elevate the international competitiveness of the Japanese universities. The program will strengthen and enhance the education and research functions of graduate schools, to foster highly creative young researchers who will go on to become world leaders in their respective fields through experiencing and practicing research of the highest world standard.

Kumamoto University proposed a five-year program entitled “Cell Fate Regulation Research and Education Unit” and this has been selected as one of the 13 programs all over Japan in the field of life sciences.

2. Outline of the plan for establishing our Global COE

Our program is aimed to promote research on cell fate regulation, which is a fundamental process governing organogenesis. This program is aimed at the same time, and more importantly, to encourage young scientists in a wide variety of research fields related to cell fate regulation by providing interactive and interdisciplinary research environment in our newly established system, the COE Liaison Laboratory. The COE Liaison Laboratory provides space for experiments, occasion for scientific meetings, chance for obtaining research money, which will help the young scientists to become creative. The planned specific activities include the following:

• COE Liaison Laboratory regular seminars (every Wednesday, from noon to 1 pm)
• COE Liaison Laboratory summer retreat seminars
• COE international symposiums
• Employment of Japanese and non-Japanese young scientists
• Employment of graduate students as COE Junior Research Associates
• Employment of post-doctoral fellows as COE Research Associates
• Employment of senior post-doctoral fellows as COE staff fellows (Specially Appointed Assistant Professors)
• Employment of COE coordinators
• Support for young scientists’ research proposals
• Exchange of young scientists
• Short-term dispatch of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows
• Long-term dispatch of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows
• Short-term acceptance of overseas graduate students and post-doctoral fellows
• Long-term acceptance of overseas graduate students and post-doctoral fellows
• Short-term and long-term acceptance of overseas scientists as COE professors
• Support for young scientists’ publications and presentations
  

3. Open Recruitment of COE Research Associates (post-doctoral fellows)

As part of our program, Kumamoto University Global COE “Cell Fate Regulation Research and Education Unit” employs young researchers as COE Research Associates and will foster their creative and inventive research ideas under the supervision of Global COE Members as Mentors. Young researchers will be selected based not only on their previous academic achievements but also on their research proposals. Details regarding the open recruitment are as follows:

A number of positions
A maximum of 19 researchers

Affiliation
Kumamoto University Global COE “Cell Fate Regulation Research and Education Unit” (not the Mentor’s laboratory). COE Research Associates must not be affiliated to other institutions at the same time. COE Research Associate should work in the COE Liaison Laboratory in the Honjo campus of Kumamoto University, which is under construction. Before completion of the construction (estimated to be March 2008), COE Research Associates should work in the COE Liaison Laboratory in the Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics.

Specialty Areas
Fields of life sciences related to cell fate regulation, including developmental genetics, stem cell biology, tissue development, tissue regeneration, cell transplantation-related bioethics, etc. Details are listed in the item #4 below.

Qualification Requirements—Academic Degree:
Young researchers who have obtained a PhD degree within approximately the past 10 years as of the arrival date (see “Arrival” below for the details) will be employed after the selection process. Young researchers working on Bioethics without a PhD degree have a chance to be employed if judged to be a PhD holder equivalent, according to the standard of JSPS (Japan Society for the Promotion of Science) for “JSPS Research Fellowship-PD”

Arrival
There are two options at young researchers own wish and/or situation: (1) As soon as possible between December 2007 and March 2008; (2) April 2008.

Period of Employment
Those who have been selected will be employed through March 2010. Note that contracts will be for one year each and will be renewed once a year through March 31, 2010. The employment contract is based on Article 14 of the Labor Standards Law. Those who are not Japanese citizens should hold an appropriate visa status for the employment.

Salary

COE Research Associates will receive approximately \4.5 million per year.

Research Allowance, Etc.
i. A maximum of \0.5 million a year in research funds will be allotted for each COE Research Associate based on his/her research proposal. In addition to this funding, COE Research Associates can apply for competitive research funds from organizations both outside and within the university.
ii. Each researcher can use his/her own area for laboratory work and office work.
iii. Mentors will also be available to support COE Research Associates. Mentors are Global COE Program Members who will be assigned to COE Research Associates.

Obligations
COE Research Associates should at least (1) participate in the Global COE activities (see “Outline of the plan for establishing our Global COE” as described above), (2) submit brief weekly reports in the “weekly update” program, (3) should present research progress in the “quarterly interview” program, and (4) should indicate that they are affiliated to and supported by the COE on occasions of publication and presentation, in addition to performing their research.

Mentoring Program
Mentors are assigned to COE Research Associates and give them help and advise over a period of employment on occasions of ordinary discussion, COE activities, weekly updates and quarterly interviews (see above). Before submitting the application documents, each applicant should choose one (no more than one) of the 12 specialty areas listed in the item #4 below, contact one of the 12 COE program members who is in charge of that area and get approval from him/her for his/her being a Mentor after the applicant is employed.

Conditions documented here are subject to change according to rules and regulations.

Application Documents
i. Curriculum vitae including following information. – Full name, date of birth, home address, Tel – Current affiliation, address, position, E-mail, Tel, Fax – Highest academic degree, awarded date, awarding institution – If the applicant is a graduate students, information on academic degree to be awarded (including anticipated date, awarding institution) – Education history – Employment history – Awards

ii. A list of academic achievements, separated into the following categories: – Peer-reviewed published papers in international journals and books. In-press papers can be included. – Non-peer-reviewed published papers in international journals and books. In-press papers can be included. – Non-peer-reviewed published papers in international journals and books, peer-reviewed and non-peer reviewed papers in domestic and non-English journals and books, papers submitted for publication, papers under review, papers in revision, etc. – Presentations in international academic conferences – Presentations in domestic academic conferences – Items warranting special mention, if any

iii. An outline of your research up until now (not to exceed one page of A4 paper; If you think it necessary, one figure can be attached separately and refer it in the text.)

iv. An outline of your research plans for the next two years (not to exceed two pages of A4 paper; If you think it necessary, one or two figures can be attached separately and refer it or them in the text.) including backgrounds, purposes, experimental designs, etc.

v. A list of two references (including the name, position, and contact information of each person)

vi. When to arrive.
Choose one of the two options described in the “Arrival” section above. If option (1) is chosen, indicate desired arrival month (November 2007 – March 2008).

vii. Selected specialty area (indicate the number) and name of the COE Program Member who has approved to be a Mentor.

viii. As a general rule, all application materials should be written in English on A4-size paper.

Application Deadline
Applications must reach the COE office by no later than October 31, Wednesday 2007.

Submission of Documents
Application documents (one original and 12 photocopies) should be sent to the following address:
COE Office, c/o Professor Tetsuya Taga or Mr. Shingo Usuki
Room 502, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics
Kumamoto University
Honjo 2-2-1
Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture, 860-0811, Japan

*Write the words “Application Documents (COE Research Associate) Enclosed” in red ink on the envelope and send the envelope by registered mail (or a courier service) or hand in it to the above office. Application documents will not be returned to you. If a phone number is necessary for a courier service, it is 096-373-6610.

Selection Process
Screening of documents will take place in November 2007. Interviews (for applicable applicants only) will be conducted. Travel expenses will not be covered by the COE.

Inquiries
Any inquiries should be made by e-mail to the COE Office, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University at the e-mail address written below:
imeg%kaiju.medic.kumamoto-u.ac.jp (when sending a message by e-mail, substitute @ for %)
Please be sure to allow enough time before the application deadline for a response to be made to you. Responses can be made during business days only.

4. List of Specialty Areas and COE Program Members

Specialty area, name, specialty area (key words), e-mail addresses (when sending a message by e-mail, substitute @ for %), URL:

Specialty area (1): Neural stem cells, Neuronal/glial development, Fetal hematopoietic stem cells, Cancer stem cells
Tetsuya Taga, Professor, COE Program Member, COE Program Leader taga%kumamoto-u.ac.jp
http://www.imeg.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/en/divisions/Cell_Fate_Modulation/index.html

Specialty area (2): Epigenetics, Nuclear remodeling, Metabolism, Cancer development
Mitsuyoshi Nakao, Professor, COE Program Member mnakao%gpo.kumamoto-u.ac.jp
http://www.imeg.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/en/divisions/Medical_Cell_Biology/index.html

Specialty area (3): Hematopoiesis, Vascular development
Minetaro Ogawa, Professor, COE Program Member ogawamin%kumamoto-u.ac.jp
http://www.imeg.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/en/divisions/Cell_Differentiation/index.html

Specialty area (4): Pancreatic development
Shoen Kume, Professor, COE Program Member skume%kumamoto-u.ac.jp
http://www.imeg.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/en/divisions/Stem_Cell_Biology/index.html

Specialty area (5): Developmental genetics, Mouse mutagenesis, Human disease model
Ken-ichi Yamamura, Professor, COE Program Member yamamura%gpo.kumamoto-u.ac.jp
http://www.imeg.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/en/divisions/Developmental_Genetics/index.html

Specialty area (6): Kidney development, Kidney regeneration, Development of ES/germ cells
Ryuichi Nishinakamura , Professor, COE Program Member ryuichi%gpo.kumamoto-u.ac.jp
http://www.imeg.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/en/divisions/Integrative_Cell_Biology/index.html

Specialty area (7): Developmental biology, Urogenital/reproductive organ formation, Growth factor signaling, Reproduction
Gen Yamada, Professor, COE Program Member gensan%gpo.kumamoto-u.ac.jp
http://card.medic.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/card/english/gijyutu/index.html

Specialty area (8): Molecular and cellular biology
Hirofumi Kai, Professor, COE Program Member hirokai%gpo.kumamoto-u.ac.jp
http://www.medphas.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/en/faculty/departments/58.html

Specialty area (9): Developmental neurobiology
Hideaki Tanaka, Professor, COE Program Member hitanaka%gpo.kumamoto-u.ac.jp
http://www.medphas.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/en/faculty/departments/41.html

Specialty area (10): Clinical genetics
Fumio Endo, Professor, COE Program Member fendo%kumamoto-u.ac.jp
http://www.medphas.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/en/faculty/departments/49.html

Specialty area (11): Retinal development
Hidenobu Tanihara, Professor, COE Program Member tanihara%pearl.ocn.ne.jp
http://www.medphas.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/en/faculty/departments/16.html

Specialty area (12): Bioethics
Atsushi Asai, Professor, COE Program Member aasai%kumamoto-u.ac.jp
http://www.medphas.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/en/faculty/departments/68.html

Contact

Information on our institutions is available at the following URL:

http://www.imeg.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/en/index.html
http://card.medic.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/card/english/index.html
http://www.pharm.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/phagrad/en/
http://www.medphas.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/en/medgrad/index.html
http://www.medphas.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/en/faculty/index.html