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1. Appropriately for the 21st century, or the "Century of Biology," this program will augment the curriculum of the Major Chair in Functional Genomics in the United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences (UGAS) at Iwate University. The students of UGAS as well as those in the Graduate School of Engineering at Iwate University will receive instruction in a wide range of subjects, including transduction pathways of genomic information in organisms, functional genomics (especially the protein-genome interaction), and the structure-function relationship, from the perspective of biotechnology, bioinformatics and biology in "heat and cold." With these approaches, they will have interdisciplinary background sufficient to lead the future world of agriculture and life sciences.
     
2. A new major with a focus on the study of the interaction between heat and biological systems will be established in cooperation between the UGAS and the Graduate School of Engineering of Iwate University. Graduate students are expected to acquire fundamental knowledge in all of the different research fields of our core members. This will allow them to understand the theme of this research program from a broad range of perspectives, not limited to the perspective of their own major, and to develop the ability to think differently.
     
3. Eminent researchers from both inside and outside Japan will be invited to give presentations on their field of expertise to graduate students in order to keep them informed of the latest breakthroughs in this field.
     
4. Some of the regular classes at the graduate schools will be presented in English. This is aimed to give Japanese students opportunities to enhance their English ability, while facilitating international students (including those in master courses) with a minimal knowledge of the Japanese language to meet the requirement for degree acquirement .
     
5. Graduate students are expected to publish scientific papers and give presentations in English. This will enable the students to gain international recognition, which will in turn enhance their future employment prospects. Taking English classes and workshops will be required for the graduate program to improve their skills in English. Students will be given financial assistance when giving presentations in international conferences.

1. The Major Chair in Functional Genomics at UGAS will organize seminars in "thermo-biosystem" research for faculties, researchers and students on a regular basis. Using the Space Collaborate System (SCS), research information and results will be sent to everyone at UGAS member universities, which are located in cold regions of Japan. This will allow us to disseminate and share knowledge with as many people as possible in a most efficient way.
   
2. Prominent researchers from both inside and outside Japan will be invited to take part in annual symposiums to provide the latest research information to the graduate students, young researchers, and faculties in both UGAS and the Graduate School of Engineering. In addition, we will make international collaboration with these researchers to establish a global network for research development.

1. Graduate students who are selected as "research assistants" will receive an allowance to pursue their graduate studies. This in turn should aid the graduate schools to increase enrollment numbers, while ensuring the ground to provide young researchers with opportunities to conduct research in an efficient working environment.
     
2. Researchers notable in Japan or other countries will join us as contracted Associate Professors. These professors will be provided with postdoctoral fellows, technicians and a research allowance to efficiently conduct research in the creation of a model, based on the theory of heat response in organisms using methods of bioinformatics and system biology. The engagement of associate professors is expected to create the willingness and sense of competition among the graduate students to become internationally recognized researchers in their field of research.
   
3. We will have postdoctoral fellows and technicians specifically working for this research program. Research grants will be prepared as research allowance for the postdoctoral fellows who are intended to contribute to the program through their own area of expertise.
   
4. We will encourage graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to visit laboratories in other countries and to attend international conferences (e.g., the Gordon Research Conferences and the Keystone Symposia). In such opportunities, they can acquire up-to-date information that will greatly contribute to the achievement of this research program.
     
5. We will organize symposia, where international delegates specializing in the fields related to our research program can actively exchange information about their research. The information we obtain at the symposia will be presented on our website to share the knowledge with as many people as possible.

1. The findings obtained in this research program are used for the benefit of the general public, as well. For example, a series of open seminars will be held in cooperation with Iwate University's Centre for Regional Collaboration in Research and Education (CRCRE) in order to introduce our findings to the general public. Invited researchers and the members of the program will make presentations in these seminars with English/Japanese interpretation when necessary.
   
2. We will introduce some of the world's most innovative research projects to the students of the schools designated as "Super Science High Schools (SSHs)" in the Tohoku Region. In addition, foreign scientists will be invited to give lectures to these and other high school students.
   
3. In order to stimulate and encourage young students to have an interest in science, we will provide lectures at elementary and junior high schools.

1. We will gather and send information in our research fields via Internet in both Japanese and English. This will allow us to share our experimental findings most efficiently with other groups conducting research in this and similar fields. We would also like to be the center ("hub") of a research network, which will disseminate findings throughout the global research community.
     
2. The information we expect to include in and share via our database is that of genomics, proteome, heat response systems in individual cells or organisms, and findings obtained with the "virtual organisms."
     
3. We aim to ultimately establish a network, called the "International Thermo-Biosystem Research Network" (ITBRN). This will be comprised of researchers throughout the world who are studying the adaptation mechanism of living organisms to thermal conditions by using various approaches. The ITBRN will aim to promote research development and information exchange among the global members.