An overview of human genetic disorders and how current research is creating new treatments. Topics include: single gene disorders, multifactorial disorders; cancer genetics; identification and analysis of human disease genes. Students will learn from recent research articles as well as from a recent text book on human genetics. After learning about the several subjects, the students will present recent research in class and active discussion will be encouraged.

The classes will be interactive. Recent exciting research discoveries about human genetics and genetic disease will be introduced and discussed. The students will learn about gene structure and function, mutations and diversity, inheritance, detection and treatment.

The following topics will be viewed during a total of 13 classes in the classroom:
1. The Human Genome: Gene Structure and Function
2. Human Genetic Diversity: Polymorphism or mutation?
3. The Chromosomal and Genomic Basis of Disease: Disorders of the Autosomes and Sex Chromosomes
4. Single-Gene Inheritance
5. Complex Inheritance (known and unknown molecular mechanisms) of Common Multifactorial Disorders
6. Genetic Variation in Populations
7. Identifying the Genetic Basis for Human Disease
8. The Molecular, Biochemical, and Cellular Basis of Genetic Disease
9. The Treatment of Genetic Disease
10. Developmental Genetics and Birth Defects
11. Cancer Genetics

One class will be in the laboratory to observe first-hand the power of gene mutations on human disease, in particular cancer.

(Total: 14 classes and 1 feedback)

特になし

Evaluation will be based on active participation and small assignments (~20 %), group presentations (~30%) and quizzes/tests (~50 %). Those who are absent more than four times will not be credited.

Some time will be necessary weekly to prepare for the class. Handouts will be available to help with the preparation. During the assignment weeks extra time will be necessary in order to prepare for the presentation in class.

Questions and discussions during class are highly encouraged.
Questions and discussions will also be addressed, happily, any other time, even outside the official office hours.

Solving current societal issues demands integrating ideas and taking a multifaceted approach. Integrating engineering, biology and medicine, this seminar aims at introducing students to multidisciplinary approaches to understanding and/or solving complex issues in biology, medicine and/or engineering. Discussions will be centered on understanding multidisciplinary approach toward solving the said problem by integrating knowledge and concepts from various disciplines (science, engineering and/or medicine).

To nurture interests in knowledge integration from diverse scientific disciplines.
To learn how to integrate knowledge and concepts toward application to solving complex open-ended questions in biology, medicine and/or engineering.

This seminar will tackle selected topics related to application of engineering principles and knowledge to solving clinical problems, and/or elucidating known and unknown biological phenomena. Besides discussions, students will have opportunities to make some short presentations on topics of interest. Topics might be flexibly changed based on our interests.

1) Recent exciting discoveries in science (3 weeks)
We will begin the discussion series by exploring ground-breaking discoveries in science and discuss their impacts on the society. Through this session, we will learn how to obtain fundamental knowledges from scientific articles.

2) Engineering in biology (3 weeks)
We will explore the convergence of biology with engineering that have enabled the manipulation, analysis and detailed study of living systems including biomechanics, tissue engineering, sequencing technologies, and other biotechnologies. Through this discussion, we aim to create a map that provides an overview of the field of bioengineering.

3) Engineering in medicine (3 weeks)
We will discuss trends in medical engineering and specific application in areas such as drug development, surgical tools, visualization technologies, and other medical technologies. To facilitate this discussion, we will think about some clinical case stories in medical situation.

4) Emerging areas in engineering for biology and medicine (3 weeks)
Rapid advances in science in recent years have led to revolutionary developments in the fields of medicine and biology. One such technology is "in silico" technologies such as AI and computational simulation. Here, we will discuss the emerging trends of "in silico" technologies in biology and medicine, and present some of their potential applications.

5) Student presentations and lecture review (2 weeks)

6) Feedback (1 week)

None in particular. The seminar will be discussion-based.

Attendance and class participation 60%, Discussions and presentations: 40%

Prior reading of scientific papers on topics to be discussed is recommended to enhance understanding.

Office hours will be announced during class hours.

This course will take a case study approach to regional disasters. The course contents will include learning of basic soil mechanics to determine the mechanism of failure of naturally occurring slopes. Such knowledge can be extremely valuable to inform future design. This will be supplemented with analysis of state-of-the-art research on disaster prevention technologies.

The course is intended to be a deep-dive into specific disasters like slope failures under heavy rainfall conditions, breakwater performance under tsunami impact etc. To this end, the course will introduce a few fundamental concepts in soil mechanics, engineering geology, hydraulics of groundwater as well as natural hazards. Along with such technical tools, students will also be introduced to the frameworks of vulnerability, risk assessment and disaster management.

After the successful completion of the course, students will be able (1) To understand fundamental physics concepts related to particular disasters, (2) to understand basic forensic analysis, (3) to analyse specific state of the art disaster mitigation technologies and (4) to perform basic vulnerability and disaster risk assessment.

The class in the first week will provide an overview of the contents of the course. As a general outline, the necessary concepts required to understand the basic mechanism of a particular disaster will be highlighted. Following this, students will work individually or in teams to analyze relevant case histories/experimental studies/research papers assigned to them. Students are expected to clearly (a) identify the problem (b) explain the failure mechanism or any other relevant result using the concepts taught and (c) provide critical comments wherever possible.

An indicative schedule for the course is as follows
(1) Introduction and highlights of case histories/experimental studies/research papers [1 week]
(2) Fundamental concepts related to regional disaster - 1 [3-4 weeks]
(3) Development of a numerical tool in MS-Excel for assessment of stability of naturally occurring slopes [2-3 weeks]
(4) Fundamental concepts related to regional disaster - 2 [2-3 weeks]
(5) Analysis of case history/experimental studies/research papers - 2 [2-3 weeks]
(6) Understanding vulnerability: political, physical, social, economic and environmental factors [1 week]
(7) Disaster risk identification and assessment [1 week]
(8) Final presentation [1 week]
(9) Feedback [1 week]

Total: 14 classes and 1 feedback session

Beneficial but not mandatory: basic mathematics and physics (high school level). Students must be willing to work with basic mathematics.

- Class participation (25%, students are expected to actively participate in discussion)
- Assignment report (30%)
- Oral presentation (45%)

Students are expected to be independent in finding online resources to attain relevant issues of discussion during seminar to enhance student interaction and understanding during classes.

After class, student consultation will be arranged with prior notice.

Computer simulations play an important role in the process of scientific discovery, complementing theory and experiments. In this seminar course, the students will learn how to code computer simulations in Python to investigate problems of great biological interest. For example, we will study how populations of prey and predators change over time in a given ecological system, understand how bacteria search for food around their environment, and predict the spread of epidemics. The course is structured as a series of tutorials (as Jupyter notebooks) where students implement a model for a given biological system and run simulations to learn more about it. In the final project, students will investigate a problem of choice, and present their results for the final evaluation.

To be able to program computer simulations using the Python programming language.
To understand how models are routinely used to in biology.
To learn about the process of scientific discovery: how to ask your own questions and design your own "computer experiments" to give an answer.

Schedule (may be subject to change, some topics are covered in multiple classes):
- Introduction to the course
- Programming in Python
- Chemical kinetics
- Predator-prey population dynamics
- Epidemiology
- Final project
(Total:14 classes and 1 feedback)

Course open to all students. In order to practice with coding, each student should work on a laptop during classes.

Class attendance and active participation (50%), final project and oral presentation (50%)

If conditions permit it, in one or more occasions students will be divided into small groups to work together on a project.

Please feel free to come to my office at any time, or to send an email to brandani@biophys.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Addictive disorders like drug and alcohol dependence, internet addiction, and gambling disorders are a widespread problem affecting millions of people in Japan and across all cultures. Nearly everyone knows someone affected by addiction, from "kitchen drinkers" and methamphetamine use disorders, to video game and shopping addiction. This course is designed to help students understand why people become addicted, problems associated with addiction, and how people can recover from addiction. This course will provide students with an understanding of how addictions develop and how they are maintained. Students will gain knowledge in the biological, psychological, and social factors of addiction. Then, they will learn about distinct types of addictive disorders. Further, students will gain knowledge in the methods of identification and behavioral concepts in addiction recovery. At the end of the course, students will understand how addictions are conceptualized and the processes involved with behavior change.

To gain basic knowledge of problems associated with addiction
To learn about the biological, psychological, and social factors of addiction
To understand the ethics considered in addiction
To understand the psychological concepts of addiction recovery

1. Addiction Background and Prevalence
2. Neurobiology of Addiction
3. Psychology of Addiction
4. Social Influences of Addiction
5. Substance Use Disorders (Alcohol and Drugs)
6. Behavioral Addictions (Technology and Gambling)
7. Assessment and Diagnosis
8. Laws and Ethics
9. Punishment and Rehabilitation
10. Clinical Access and Referral
11. Cognitive Behavioral Concepts
12. Motivational Interviewing, Support Groups, and Relapse Prevention
13. Presentations I
14. Presentations II
- Feedback

特になし

40% - Group Presentation
30% - Short Personal Reflection Paper
15% - Quizzes
15% - Class Participation

Students are expected to complete assigned readings and assignments before class.

Students may contact the instructor if they have questions and they may schedule an in-person appointment by email.

This seminar introduces various fascinating aspects of chaos. While “chaos” often has the connotation of something complicated and uncontrollable, we will see that chaotic behavior can emerge from seemingly simple situations. We will discover that chaos can be, in its own way, very ordered. Perhaps even more surprisingly, chaos can actually be a source of stability. Along the way, we will familiarize ourselves with some of the necessary mathematical tools to describe chaotic behavior. Finally, we will discuss where chaos occurs in physics and everyday phenomena. Throughout the seminar, we will perform several simple experiments on a computer and learn to recognize chaotic behavior.

-　Understanding the connection between non-linearity and chaos.
-　Becoming familiar with the basic mathematical theory of chaos.
-　Recognizing chaotic phenomena in daily life and physics.
-　Being able to write simple computer programs to visualize chaotic behavior.

Week 1-2: Dynamical systems and phase-space description.
Week 3-6: Using the Julia programming language to visualize dynamical systems.
Week 7-9: Bifurcations: the route to chaos.
Week 10: The Lyapunov exponent: chaotic or not?
Week 11-12: Self-similarity and Feigenbaum constants: order in chaos.
Week 13-14: Chaos in physics.
Week 16：Feedback

Basic programming skills and knowledge about basic physics (mechanics) are helpful but not required. Students should be familiar with high-school level mathematics (algebra and calculus).

The students will be graded based on their participation in class (30%) as well as worksheets and programming assignments (70%). Students will need at least 60% in total to pass.

Students will occasionally have to complete assignments or simple programming exercises.

Office hour: Wed. 15:00-16:00

Welcome to the fascinating world of "Physiological Neuroscience"! Have you ever wondered how our incredible brain enables us to think, see, hear, and move? This seminar will unravel the mysteries of our body's ultimate control center.
In our initial sessions, we'll learn about the basic structure of the brain and get to know the building blocks, called neurons. We'll zoom in on these neurons, paying special attention to their membrane proteins like ion channels and receptors. These proteins play an important role in creating electrical signals by establishing ion gradients.
After understanding these essential mechanisms, we'll explore how these signals travel, facilitating communication between neurons. As the course progresses, we'll delve into the brain's development and learn how neurons establish the right connections, like wiring a complex network.
In our final sessions, we'll explore the functions of different brain structures and specialized neurons, allowing us to understand how we perceive the world around us - from seeing and hearing to sensing pain. Throughout each seminar, you'll not only gain insights into the brain's fundamental properties and functions but also explore disruptions caused by various diseases, medications, substances, or toxins. This knowledge will equip you with valuable tools to comprehend related issues on a deeper level.

Get ready for an engaging journey into the wonders of the brain!

By the end of this seminar, you'll uncover the fascinating world of neurons and how they communicate. We'll dive into exciting medical and biological aspects of neuroscience, giving you a well-rounded perspective. Plus, you'll gain the skills to engage in stimulating discussions about the latest advancements in the field, regardless of your academic background. This seminar offers an eye-opening journey into the wonders of the brain!

1. Introduction to Neuroscience
2. What is a Neuron?
3. The Important Role of Ion Channels
4. How Can a Neuron Sense an External Signal? Receptors
5. A Matter of Concentration: Ion Gradients and the Membrane Potential
6. Time for Action: The Action Potential
7. Worksharing Within the Neuron: Neuronal Polarity and Subcellular Specialization
8. Neuron Conversations: How Brain Cells Communicate
9. How is the Message Delivered from One Neuron to the Other? Neurotransmitter
10. The Development of the Brain: Neurogenesis
11. How to Connect the Wires? Axon Guidance and Neuronal Regeneration
12. Through the Eye to the Brain: Understanding Vision
13. Can You Hear Me? The Auditory System
14. "Ouch!" How We Sense Pain
15. Feedback


Changes in order and/or content might occur.

The course is open to all students, but a basic understanding of biology is recommended.

Attendance and active participation: 20%
Midterm assignment: 40%
Presentation: 40%

To make the most of each seminar, it's essential to be prepared. This involves reviewing the previous session, working through any questions, and independently studying the upcoming subject. Expect to spend around 60-90 minutes getting ready.

For a deeper understanding of neuroscience, it's advised to attend the "Disorders of the Nervous System" seminar. This will provide additional insights into the field.
If you have further questions, feel free to write me an email.

In this seminar we will develop critical thinking skills by considering central issues in moral philosophy. Along the way we will learn fundamental philosophical skills, including: how to identify and evaluative arguments; how to present a thesis clearly; and how to defend a view against possible objections.

Students will be encouraged actively to participate in discussions concerning topics including the nature of the self, moral dilemmas and the possibility of free will. Lessons will be primarily conducted through group work and presentations by students, supported by handouts and short lectures by the lecturer. The lectures will summarize the content to date and place the essays under consideration in their historical and conceptual context.

- To introduce students to a range of classic issues in moral philosophy.
- To foster students' abilities to participate in philosophical debate and to improve their confidence in articulating their ideas.
- To develop students' communication and presentation skills.
- To develop students' abilities to reason critically, to interpret philosophical texts and to construct and critique arguments.

Week 1 Introduction
What is philosophy? Different definitions of the subject considered.

Weeks 2 - 3 Philosophical Methodology
Introduction of foundational concepts such as argument, proof, refutation, reasoning.
Thought experiments introduced and critiqued.

Weeks 4 - 5 Luck, Misfortune and Moral Emotions
Discussion of cases where an individual's character is deeply shaped by chance events, and related issues.
What is an emotion and how do the emotions relate to perception and reason?

Weeks 6 - 7 Wishing Never to Have Been Born
Is it coherent to wish never to have been born?
Puzzles of death, non-existence and the meaning of life.

Weeks 8 - 9 Duties to Future Generations
The concepts of rights and duties and their relation to freedom.
Do we have duties to future generations, and if so on what grounds?

Weeks 10 - 11 Free Will and Determinism
Is it possible to be responsible for something which one was powerless to stop? If not then how can responsibility be a coherent concept in a deterministic universe?

Weeks 12 - 13 Life in a Perfectly Just World
What is a (political and moral) utopia? Would it be desirable to live in such a world, or is the existence of wrong necessary for goodness to its distinctive value?

Week 14 Recap of themes covered in the course
Discussion of connections between the themes broached, and the relation between metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics.
Recapitulation of the philosophical methodologies introduced in the start of the course.

Week 15 Feedback class

Students will be expected to read one text in English in preparation for each class, to be provided by the instructor. The text will be 1-2 pages long.

Students will be evaluated by two quizzes (each worth 50%) one in the middle of the semester and one at the end of the year.

Students will be expected to read approximately 1-2 pages of philosophy in English every week.

For any inquiries, students can contact me by email, and we can arrange in-person or Zoom office hours on request.

This course is designed to provide knowledge on food production and the challenges of food production under changing climate. The students will learn about the concept of climate change and its effect on food production, the basics of plant breeding techniques, plant and environment interaction, sustainable food production, the role of plant breeding in climate change mitigation and resilience, the concept of integrated plant breeding, and how different knowledge can be integrated with plant breeding to provide solutions to the food security problems.

Understand what is plant breeding and what is climate change
Understand the basics of plant environment interaction
Gain knowledge of the concept of sustainable food production
Understand the importance of an integrated research approach
Think out how to provide integrated solutions to sustainable food production

The following topics will be covered during the 14 weeks of the semester. Week 15 is an exam session, and a feedback class is given in week 16.

1. Definition of plant breeding and basic plant biology
2. Plant breeding and basic crop improvement techniques
3. Breeding in self-pollinated crops
4. Breeding in cross-pollinated crops
5. Modern techniques of plant breeding
6. Field designs and crop evaluation
7. Climate change and sustainable food production
8. Plant-environmental interaction
9. Plant-microbe interaction
10. Drought stress
11. Heat stress
12. Salinity stress
13. Sustainable agriculture techniques/approaches
14. General discussion and seminars

特になし

Grading: Class attendance and active participation (20%), assignments and quizzes (30%), and final exam or coursework (50%).

Students should read or listen to the required pre-class materials and submit any required assignment before the class, and come to class ready to participate in class activities.

No fixed office hours. Students are requested to make appointments directly or by email.

This seminar-style course will give students a chance to learn about some important models in applied probability. The focus will be on Markov chains, which are central to the understanding of random processes, and have applications in simulation, economics, optimal control, genetics, queues and many other areas. As well as introducing mathematical techniques, it will be a goal to show how these can be applied to understand certain random phenomena, such as the long-time behaviour of random walks, survival/extinction of branching processes, convergence of algorithms, and reinforcement.

- To understand basic models of applied probability, particularly Markov chains
- To apply mathematical techniques to understand random phenomena in applications
- To gain experience in reading and presenting mathematics in English

In the first lecture, the lecturer will introduce the topic, and basic aims of the course. For most subsequent weeks, the classes will consist of two parts:
- a part where students present their attempts to solve problems set by the lecturer in the previous class;
- a part where the lecturer introduces some new topics upon which the following week's student problems will be based.

The following indicates possible topics, though this may vary depending on the students’ proficiency level and background.

(1) Introduction to applied probability and Markov chains [1 week]
Review of basic probability, definition of a Markov chain, outline of course
(2) Basic properties of discrete-time Markov chains [7 weeks]
Class structure, hitting times/probabilities, computations using probability generating functions
(3) Long-time behavior of discrete-time Markov chains [3 weeks]
recurrence/transience, invariant distributions, convergence to equilibrium, time reversal, ergodic theorem
(4) Applications [3 weeks]
Random walks, branching processes, urn models, queuing models

Total: 14 classes and 1 week for feedback

特になし

Students will be expected to participate in class, both by presenting material prepared in advance, and by discussing problems. Their performance in these aspects will contribute 70% of the final mark. There will also be a final exam, in which students will be asked to apply the techniques covered in the course, which will also contribute 30% of the final mark.

As noted in the course schedule, from the second week, students will be asked to prepare and present problem solutions. (Their efforts on such assignments form part of the assessment.) Details will depend on the number of students enrolled on the course, and will be discussed in the first class. Typically the lecturer would expect students to spend 1-2 hours per week on study outside the class.

1. Presentation

Sadly, 95% of presentations are really not interesting.

Really?

No, it is actually 99%

In fact, when we attend a presentation, we often see members of the audience sleeping. This is a problem.

Most people give presentations at conferences or business meetings.

Unfortunately, most presentations are:
* long
* boring
* bad slides
* no meaning

What we actually is:
* short
* simple
* easy to understand
* entertaining

In this class, students will learn what is important to give a great presentation. They will see that presentations can be .


2. Debate

Most Japanese students do not like debate. However, this can be fun, too, if you just it!
In the class, we will first find a topic, which the class is interested in.

Before the debate, students will research about the topic and choose their arguments.

Then, students will choose the Pro- or Contra- side (about 3 students each).

Next is the actual debate. Now, students in the pro- and contra-groups will deliver their speeches (about 2-3 minutes per speaker). The audience group will actively join the floor discussion.

At the end of the debate we will discuss, whether the pro- or the contra-group delivered the more convincing speeches.

Students will develop their ability to present and discuss scientific topics in English.

They will gain confidence in speaking about complex matters in a foreign language, improve their logical structuring of presentations, and enhance their ability to handle questions and answers effectively.

1. Course Introduction [Weeks 1-2]

2. Presentation Preparation [Weeks 3-5]

3. Presentation Design [Weeks 6-8]

4. Presentation Delivery [Week 9]

5. Final Presentation by the Students (evaluation) [Week 10]

6. Debating [Week 11-14]

Total:14 classes and 1 feedback

特になし

Active participation is absolutely required in this seminar. In the debating part, students are expected to talk about scientific matters in English. In the presentation section, not only the presenter, but all students are expected to ask questions or share their opinion about the subject in English.

Attendance and Active participation [60%]
Assignments (presentation and debate) [40%]

* Research on assigned presentation topics.
* Preparation of presentations.
* Research about debate topics.

Office hour: any time (please send an email before coming to the office) or online (zoom etc.)

This class will introduce to students one of the most abundant forms of life on earth: the Nematodes or roundworms. The most famous of these is the useful model organism called Caenorhabditis elegans. The goal of the class is to provide both a survey of how scientists use these organisms to conduct research, demonstrate the worm's great importance to biology, and provide hands-on experience with simple worm manipulation.

Students will also learn directly about some of the current biological questions that are being addressed with this versatile model organism. We will also find wild nematodes around Kyoto, make scientific observations on them and use DNA sequencing to identify their species. Whether we find a new species, or identify new isolates of known ones, this class will introduce you to a new realm of life.


線虫学入門 - 生物学を学びながら新種の線虫を見つけよう!

線虫は動物の中で最も個体数の多い生物種です。線虫は土壌や植物から簡単に見つけることができ、分子生物学における重要なモデル生物の一つでもあります。2002年には、線虫を用いた細胞死の研究に対して、2006年には、線虫におけるRNA干渉の発見に対して、それぞれノーベル賞が贈られています。線虫が持つ遺伝子のうち、６０−７０％は私たち人間にも共通しているため、ヒトにも共通する様々な生体のメカニズムを理解することを目指して、飼育や遺伝子組み換えが容易な線虫が、実験材料として分子生物学では用いられます。　

この授業では、各自、サンプルを持参して、そこから線虫を取り、それぞれの線虫のゲノムDNAの一部を増幅し、そのシーケンスを読むことによって、線虫種を同定します。

新種の線虫を発見する可能性もあり！新種の線虫の探索に加えて、分子生物学の研究において一般的に使われている野生株と変異株を用いた遺伝学実験、高解像度顕微鏡を用いた染色体構造の観察も行います。

-To understand the biology and diversity of nematodes
-To understand the uses of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans in modern biological research
-To understand the anatomy and life cycle of C. elegans
-To learn how to create new strains containing desired mutations by designing crosses between animals
-To acquire the knowledge and experience needed to begin genetic research with C. elegans

About half the classes will occur in the classroom, and half in my laboratory, as indicated below; some changes to the following might occur depending on circumstances.

Class# Topic
1 Classroom: Intro to class, wild worm collection kits distributed
2 Classroom: Life cycle/development; assessment of wild worm collection
3 Lab: Wild worm observation I : brightfield microscopy
4 Lab: Wild worm observation II : PCR on cleaned species
5 Classroom: Wild worm observation III : BLAST, Species IDs, some informatics (MSA); then RNAi theory for next lab class
6 Lab: RNAi on C. elegans
7 Lab: RNAi on C. elegans
8 Lab: Wild worm observation IV : Chromosome counting/fluorescence microscopy; crossing mutant strains
9 Classroomv : Meiosis
10 Lab: microinjection of gonads (CRISPR-Cas editing)
11 Classroom: Sex Determination/Sex Chromosomes
12 Lab: Live imaging of C. elegans
13 Classroom: Nematode Parasitism
14 Classroom: Aging, End of the class, Survey for this class

15 Classroom: short presentations
16 Lab: feedback on class

This is an introductory course. There are no requirements, but a basic familiarity with biology and genetics will be beneficial.

Evaluations will be based on participation, short quizzes, and a final presentation, with contributions of 40%, 40%, and 20%, respectively, to the final grade.

Students will have to understand technical vocabulary in English. This may require studying outside of class hours.

Office hours will be 1 hour once per week, schedule to be announced on the first day of class.

This class involves some genetic experiments on nematodes.
遺伝子実験：対象(ヒト以外の動物、植物、生物等)

Scientific literacy and critical analysis are essential skills for a career in science, and a valuable life skill even for those who choose a career path outside science. In this class, we will begin by studying an influential paper together. This will introduce students to a basic approach to reading primary scientific literature that will help you to reach your own conclusions about the data. Next, each student will search for and pick a paper, and in class, together, we will try to understand everything about it: concepts, methods, analysis, interpretation and significance. This will be an opportunity to learn some science, as well as to see how experiments are designed and how statistical analyses are applied. Students hopefully will use their chosen papers as a springboard to explore subjects that are of particular interest to them. The class structure will depend on how many students enroll.
This course is recommended for students who are planning on pursuing graduate studies in life sciences in the future.

Students will acquire the ability to read scientific papers on their own, becoming familiar with the technical writing and structure used in scientific journals.
Students will be shown how to track down additional information and search online databases for related or cited works.
Students will learn about some of the laboratory techniques and statistical analyses commonly used in biomedical research papers.
Most importantly, students will learn about the scientific principles of empiricism and skepticism, to perform their own critical analyses of scientific papers.

Students will learn some background about scientific discourse and publication in scientific journals. We will then read and analyse a landmark paper together in class. During each subsequent class, we will also spend a little time on each student's chosen paper. Students will learn by a combination of traditional class lecture and active learning methods such as small group work discussion, in-class quizzes, and one-on-one discussions with the instructor during this course.

1. Introductory Lecture
2. Getting Started: Types of Scientific Communication, What is Scientific Discourse? How Peer Review Works. Short student survey.
3. Introduction of a landmark or recent paper to read together in class. Introduction to using PubMed as a resource to search for papers.
4. The Anatomy of a Scientific Paper. Short quiz.
5. The What? Why? How? of a Paper (in-class discussion and small group work)
6. Analysis of Methods, Figures and Results (small group work) Students should begin searching for a paper to analyse for their written assignment. I will discuss one-on-one about papers suitable for each student.
7. Analysis of the Discussion (small group work). Advice on Predatory Publishers and Paper Mills.
8. What is Critical Analysis? (in-class discussion)
9. Advice on writing your report. (in-class discussion, one-on-one work)
10. Basic Statistics. A discussion of Plagiarism. (in-class discussion)
11. Discussion of Writing Style, and some Advice. (in-class discussion, one-on-one work)
12. Class topics tailored to student needs (one-on-one work)
13. Class topics tailored to student needs (one-on-one work)
14. Class topics tailored to student needs (one-on-one work)
15. Exam day. Student written assignment due.
16. Feedback Class

This schedule is flexible, and will depend on how many students enroll in the course. The schedule also will depend on the types of papers that we are analysing.
The class is open to all 1st and 2nd year students, although the papers studied will be from the field of biology.

This course will study scientific papers from the field of biology. Humanities or social sciences students are required to have studied biology subjects at high school.
Although it is not required, an intermediate level of English ability is highly recommended, for reading comprehension and in-class quizzes.

Grading will be based on attendance and active class participation (70%), and a written homework assignment (30%), which will be a review of a scientific paper chosen by the student. The written assignment will be graded on the basis of student comprehension and critical analysis.

Out of class reading may take 2-3 hours per week, mostly looking up technical terms, learning about the background for the papers that are discussed during class, or searching online databases for papers to analyse.

In principle, anytime. Please contact the instructor by e-mail if you have any questions. For consultations about course-related matters outside class hours, please make an appointment directly or by e-mail.

Science is not restricted to the academic world - it flows-over into the mass media (both factual and fictional). Logic is vital to the presentation of academic research findings and also to analyzing the communication of science in the media.

The aim of this course is for students to understand basic concepts of logic, and to learn and practice critical thinking with respect to science and its broader reporting in the mass media.

Students will participate in extracting themes, understanding bias in documents, videos and in their own work. They will practice how to critically analyze documents and to develop their own writing skills, particularly in the area of justification of arguments and the logical structuring and linking of content.

This course is suitable for all students who are interested in philosophy, logic and critical thinking. Although examples may be selected from science and engineering topics, students without a science background are welcome.

The goal of the course is for students to be able to present logical written arguments and to be able to critically assess the validity and structure of literature in the natural sciences and engineering. This will be based on a variety of scientific literature in the academic realm as well as in the media.

The course will broadly cover logic and critical thinking, including the following themes:

1. Introduction
2. Logical fallacies
3. Proof, argument and opinion
4. Definitions
5. Causality and causal arguments
6. Making the most of information
7. Belief and knowledge
8. Reasoning and emotion
9. Academic writing
10. Comprehension and meaning analysis
11. Case studies: science in the media / specialized topics

The course overall consists of 14 classes and one feedback session.

Each of the above topics covers 1-2 weeks, with one class per week. The exact topics may vary, depending on students' ability and topics of societal and scientific interest at the time.

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In-class exercises and short assignments (50%)
Final report (50%)

Out of class preparation may be required.

Consultation is available by prior arrangement.

Students will be equipped with a basic understanding of what "smart materials" are and how these materials are present both in current research and the world around them. Students are encouraged in this course to be more creative in their own future studies and potential research in any of the sciences. The course will focus on basic stimuli-sensitive materials in the beginning and then on smart material systems in the second half of the class.

Students will be provided with a broad overview and introduction to “smart materials” as present in current research and current applications. The research topics will consider various “smart materials” including stimuli-responsive materials, drug delivery systems, self-healing materials, shape memory materials and various biomimetic systems. Students will be asked to engage in the course material more fully by preparing a semester project as well as completing occasional tasks outside of class throughout the semester.

1.Introduction to Smart Materials
2.Thermoresponsive Materials
3.Light Responsive Materials
4.Magnetic Materials
5.Piezoelectric Materials
6.Ion, pH and Electroresponsive Materials
7.Research and Presentations Methods
8.Self-Healing Materials
9.Shape Memory Materials
10.Drug Delivery Systems
11-12.Biomimetic Materials (2 Seminars)
13-14.Smart Surfaces (2 Seminars)
Final Presentations (instead of a final exam; depending on the number of students and the needs of the course this will take place over the exam and/or the feedback session)
15.Feedback

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Class attendance and participation (45%), homework (10%) and a semester presentation (45%).

Students will be asked to prepare a short oral presentation for the end of the semester. Additionally, to encourage students to engage with the course material throughout the semester, short assignments will occasionally be given.

Office hours by request.

Globally, disaster risks are increasing. There was a time when disasters were considered acts of God that humans could not control. Now we realize that disasters are social and cultural processes. All disasters are man-made. The course will provide a social and cultural perspective on disasters. Along with understanding the conceptual dimension of the social dimension of disaster, the course will explore what can be done to reduce disaster risk, what strategies are effective, and what strategies are not and why so. To understand the dynamics of disaster risk, we will review past and current disaster risk reduction plans and policies, as well as explore the strategies, plans, and tools that can be used to implement disaster risk reduction strategies.

The course has the following objectives -
Understanding disaster risks from a social and cultural perspective
The purpose of this study is to understand the factors that contribute to the willingness of the community to prepare for disasters.

Exploring disaster risk reduction plans and strategies.

Identify implementation challenges and effective methods of disaster risk reduction plans and policies.

Week 1 : Disaster Risk : hazards, exposure, and vulnerability
Week 2 : Social vulnerability: concept, indicators and quantification
Week 3 : Disaster management cycle: response, relief, recovery, reconstruction and preparedness.
Week 4 : Disaster risk perception: nature, factors and role in disaster risk management
Week 5 : Disaster preparedness: why do some people want to prepare for disasters, while others do not?
Week 6 : Society and disaster risks
Week 7 : Disaster and Culture
Week 8 : Mental models of disaster preparedness
Week 9 : Case studies on disaster preparedness from Africa and Europe: what works and what not ?
Week 10 : Case studies on disaster preparedness projects in Asia
Week 11 : Disaster recovery and the community's views
Week 12 : Disaster risk governance and local community's participation in the decision-making process
Week 13 : Reconstruction and rehabilitation strategies: Case Studies
Week 14 : Implementation strategies of disaster risk reduction : Review
Week 15 : Final Presentation
Week 16 : Feedback class

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Two group Presentations. Each will carry 40 Marks. (40 × 2 = 80)
Two group discussions . Each group discussion will carry 10 marks (10 × 2 = 20 ).

The instructor will provide you with notes, handouts, and papers. Students should read papers, watch documentary videos and review plans and policies on the internet as preparation.

It is a classical question from centuries ago whether a quintic (or of higher degree) polynomial equation is solvable in terms of its coefficients, with only use of the usual operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) and application of radicals (square roots, cube roots, etc). Modern/abstract algebra was born to answer this question, the answer to which turns out to be negative in general. On the other hand, abstract algebra has gone far beyond this and is rightly regarded as one of the central features of modern mathematics nowadays, which is in particular fundamental for the study of arithmetic problems.

We will learn the basic concepts and theorems in group theory, ring theory, field theory, and Galois theory. As an application, we shall also be able to determine which polynomial equations are solvable in radicals.

We intend to cover a big chunk of modern algebra in a condensed and interesting way, to make it accessible to most undergraduate students. Both concepts and examples will be emphasized. Below are the plan and contents of the course. The lectures, as well as the order of the lectures, may be modified, depending on students' background and understanding of the course materials.
-Set Theory [1 week]:
Notion of sets, mappings, mathematical induction, Zorn's lemma.
-Group theory [4 weeks]:
Definition and examples of groups, homomorphisms, abelian groups, symmetric groups, Sylow's theorem.
-Ring theory [3 weeks]:
Definition and examples, ideals, quotient rings, Euclidean domains, PIDs, UFDs, polynomial rings.
-Field theory [3 weeks]:
Definition and examples, field extensions, polynomials, finite fields.
-Galois theory [2 weeks]:
Galois extensions, roots of unity, solvability.
-Some applications to arithmetic [1 week]
-Feedback [1 week]

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The evaluation consists of the following weighted parts:
-Performance in class (20%).
-Presentation (60%): Each student reviews a mathematical topic assigned by the instructor. Such a topic is typically a section from the textbook below.
-Report (20%): Your report covers the details of your presentation. Each student needs to email the report to the instructor no later than Friday of Week 15.

Along with preparation and review, students are encouraged to form study groups.

Our Universe is far beyond what our eyes can perceive. Hidden in the tranquil ocean of stars, nebulae and galaxies pictured by optical telescopes and cameras around the world everyday, extreme energetic phenomena that can only be observed through ‘invisible lights' (e.g., radio waves, X-rays, gamma-rays) or even messengers other than electromagnetic waves (e.g., cosmic-rays, neutrinos) are happening frequently here and there in the Cosmos. This seminar will bring students into this exciting world of the Invisible Universe. Students can carry out introductory research projects or study from a book in a subject of his/her interest under the guidance of the instructor.

Some projects pursued by past members:
1) Evolution of stars
2) Gamma-ray astronomy using a NASA satellite (Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope)
3) Cosmic ray physics
4) Learn about astrophysics of blackholes, supernovae, and other fascinating celestial objects.

The way a student will proceed with her/his project varies depending on the subject. For example, the following methods were used by students in the past successfully:
1) Numerical simulations using open-source codes
2) Writing Python scripts for simple calculations and data visualization
3) Data analysis using mission-specific applications
4) Simulation for observations by future X-ray instruments

Pre-requisite knowledge is not needed for this seminar. The students will be tutored according to their pre-knowledge levels on an individual basis.

1) To obtain basic knowledge and feel the excitement of forefront astronomy and astrophysics through a subject of a student's interest.

2) To briefly experience the everyday life of an astrophysicist nowadays through the process of guided independent research, report writing and an oral presentation.

In this seminar, besides a few introductory lectures on topics surrounding multi-wavelength astronomy, the students will perform independent research on intriguing astrophysical objects of their choices and/or study on a topics of their interests by reading books and articles under the guidance of the instructor.

Research projects can be carried out in a group of 2 (or 3 at most) students if preferred.

This seminar will be delivered in a casual format and conducted mainly in English (with occasional Japanese only when necessary). Students are encouraged to ask questions and discuss on topics with their peers and instructor spontaneously at each meeting.

Students will present their studies and findings through a written report and a short oral presentations at the end of the semester.

Total：14 classes, 1 Feedback session

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Final grades will be assessed according to:
1) In-class participation (40%)
2) A written report (30%)
3) An oral presentation (30%)

Independent research and/or book reading. Guidance will be given in each seminar meeting.

No fixed office hour will be scheduled. Students can make appointment with the instructor in-person if necessary, or simply contact by Emails.

This seminar aims for students to understand the physics/working principle behind semiconductor devices such as solar cells, laser diodes, sensors, transistors, etc. Fabrication processes of some semiconductor devices (such as laser diodes and solar cells) will also be discussed. Some electronic circuits will be designed and built to familiarize students with semiconductor devices.

・ Understand the physics/working principle behind semiconductors.
・ Understand the fabrication processes of semiconductor devices.
・ Learn the latest semiconductor technologies.

1. Overview of the course (1 week)
2. Introduction to semiconductor physics: basics to understand the working principles of semiconductor devices (3 weeks)
3. Learn about the working principles of solar cells, laser diodes, sensors, and transistors (4 weeks)
4. Discuss the fabrication processes of some semiconductor devices (2 weeks)
5. Design and build electronic circuits (2 weeks)
6. Learn the latest semiconductor technologies (2 weeks)
7. Feedback (1 week)

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Evaluation will be based on participation (30%), discussion (30%), and short presentations (40%).

Students are required to do their short presentations.

Office hours: Anytime by email, and appointments should be made via email or during the seminars.

This seminar is designed as an introduction to cross-cultural communication with a focus on cultural awareness. The objective of this seminar is to provide students with knowledge and tools to reflect on and approach multi-cultural communication in a culturally-competent way:appropriately and effectively.

With an emphasis on approaching and understanding other cultures and communication without bias, it will cover basic concepts and principles necessary for the promoting and improving of cultural self-awareness and inter-group, cross-cultural communication.
With the basic question of what culture is as a starting point, we will explore the mechanisms of culture and inter-group relationships and their implications in our perceptions of ourselves and others along the following themes: cultural awareness, cultural identity, ethnocentrism and cultural relativism, stereotype and prejudice, cultural competence.

The objectives of this seminar are for students to:
- gain an understanding of the key notions related to culture, cultural awareness, the mechanisms of communication
- acquire awareness and understanding of cultural processes (including our own preconceptions), and the impact of culture on communication
- gain confidence formulating ideas and opinions, and engaging in discussions on specific topics.

This is a seminar-type class. Sessions will include a short lecture and rely on discussion and group work based on the week's topic and readings.

1- Orientation and overview
2- Deconstructing culture
3- Linking culture and communication
4- How communication works
5- Group work
6- Social and cultural identities
7- Bias, stereotype, prejudices
8- Models of culture
9- Group work
10- Language and verbal communication
11- Nonverbal communication
12- Towards cultural competence (P.1)
13- Towards cultural competence (P.2)
14- Final project

Total: 14 classes and 1 feedback

Note: The detailed definitive schedule will be handed out during the first class.

There are no specific requirements for taking this seminar.
However, students must be willing to prepare for each session by completing the weekly readings and assigned tasks, and to participate actively in class.

Evaluation will be based on:
- class attendance (30%)
- active participation (30%),including group works and discussions
- weekly assignments (20%)
- final project and presentation (20%)

Active participation means actively engaging with the class content, participating during discussions and group work, and contributing to the class by sharing opinions, experiences and reflections.

Students absent 4 times or more will fail this class.
Tardiness (by 15 minutes or more) will be treated as absence.
Systematic tardiness and/or unexplained early departures will greatly reduce your attendance and participation grade.

Students are expected to prepare for each class by reviewing their notes and completing the weekly readings and assigned tasks.

- This is a seminar-type class, and as such will rely heavily on in-class discussion and student participation. It will be conducted in English. All readings and material will also be in English.

- As stated in the evaluation section, students are expected to engage actively during class.The level of engagement will greatly influence the final grade.

- Office hour is after class or by appointment.

This class is conducted in a remote format where the instructor delivers classes from outside the classroom. So students are required to bring their own devices.