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国際共同研究募集のお知らせ

Call for the international IPSR Joint Usage/Research Center research proposals

Since April 2010, the Okayama University Institute of Plant Science and Resources (IPSR) functions as national “Joint Usage/Research Center” focused on plant genetic resources and stress science, supported by the Japanese government (MEXT). It is equipped with state-of-art instruments and facilities aimed for plant research, namely plant responses and adaptations to environmental stress conditions. IPSR activities are supported by plant genetic resources directly developed and maintained at IPSR. Common research facilities and instrumentation, operated by experienced technical staff, are available to all staff members including their visiting collaborators.

As a new global challenge, IPSR aims to upgrade to a “hub research institute” in the international network of plant stress science. As a starting point in the mission, IPSR initiated a pilot research program that invites foreign scientists to conduct collaborative research between their research groups (or institutes) and IPSR investigators (groups) between Sep-2014 – Feb-2015. Exchange of young scientists including graduate PhD students is particularly welcomed and supported by this program, covering their travel costs and living expenses up to several weeks in Japan (see budget distribution below).

The current call for proposals is open to several new collaborators in the areas of plant physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology that could be efficiently promoted by the use of the state-of-art equipment at IPSR (common IPSR instruments; Advanced Network ), and benefit from the open research environment at IPSR (groups). In addition to infrastructure, we aim to provide knowledge and expertise of IPSR staff in plant stress research, development and maintenance of various plant genetic resources.

The conditions of each proposal include financial support up to maximum JPY 400,000 used for travel expenses while conducting research at IPSR campus in Kurashiki, Japan, and consumables used in these experiments (up to maximum JPY 100,000). On-campus accommodation can be pre-arranged in Kurashiki Guesthouse. Potential applicants are requested to make a direct contact with selected principal investigator(s) at IPSR (group list) and discuss conditions, design and specific requirements for their experiments prior to application. Please note that name and consent of collaborating PI at IPSR is required for each proposal. Application Forms (download here) should be submitted by email before August-13 2014, 5:00 PM JST to kyodo1247ATadm.okayama-u.ac.jp (replace AT with @ prior sending). Official communication language of each proposal is English.

We believe that foreign collaborators are essential for our future development at IPSR. In particular, jointly developed ideas should become the pillars for promotion of plant science, assuring sufficient and sustainable food production worldwide.