The Department of Integrated Biosciences investigates the elementary processes and associated mechanisms of life phenomena based on genomic information, and uses the knowledge gained from this research to examine the universality and diversity of life, the cooperativeness and competitiveness of organisms, the origin and evolution of life, and other such themes from the perspective of structure and function. Our Group of Biosciences on Structural Aspects, which takes the structural approach, conducts investigative and applied research on the basic principles behind life phenomena, concentrating on the form and composition of biopolymers the fundamental molecules of life form and the low-molecularweight organic compounds that interact with them. Taking the perspective of function, our Group of Biosciences on Functional Aspects focuses mainly on the action and capabilities of organisms as it seeks to shed light on unknown complex biofunctions by analyzing them from various angles, from the molecular and cellular level to the organ and the individual.
In order to provide a program of research and education that stays in stride with the rapid growth of the biosciences, our faculty is comprised of diversely experienced individuals from preexisting university departments, including Science, Agriculture, Engineering, and Medicine. Guided by the common principle that our research and education should be groundbreaking, transdisciplinary endeavors, we strive to cultivate individuals who will contribute to the resolution of bioscientific challenges, and to create next-generation biosciences that will explore life from the molecule to the individual through a full array of research, from basic to applied. The biosciences are now called upon to blaze a trail for the post-genomic era, and an indispensable part of fulfilling that task is to pool the knowledge and expertise of scientists from a variety of academic backgrounds. The Kashiwa Campus, founded on the concepts of intellectual adventure and transdisciplinarity, is just the right place for meeting this challenge of the times.

.Educational Program Features

As genomic bioscience continues to rapidly evolve in a world that is becoming increasingly a dvanced and complex, society's need for bioscientists and the social mission of bioscientists are both expected to grow and diversify in the years ahead. The Department of Integrated Biosciences is committed to fostering individuals who can contribute to the formation and advancement of new fields in bioscience, meaning scientists who are inspired with the pioneering spirit and possess a creative flair. Such talent is not something that is passively acquired; instead, it can only arise when the student takes an active approach to research. Accordingly, our key philosophy is to provide education that promotes an active attitude, and thus we encourage students to pursue originality in a manner that capitalizes on their individual qualities.
Through an educational proram that emphasizes the basics as much as it does the specialties, we systematically teach the knowledge and solid technical skills necessary to be an exceptional scientist. Specifically, we require students to take Breakthrough Now and Then, a practicum that equips them with the
competencies essential for engaging in science, from drafting research proposals to presenting study results, and to take Ethics in Science and Technology , a course that examines science ethics against the backdrop of science's fastpaced evolution. Also, our Lessons in Writing Scientific Papers in English and Practice in Oral Presentation in English hone the abilities needed to write papers in English and make presentations at conferences outside Japan. In addition to such fundamental courses as these, our department further strives to provide an appealing graduate study program by giving students the opportunity to acquire a transdisciplinary perspective unfettered by the limits of conventional learning. Moreover, the Life Science Common Lecture and the Postgraduate Common Seminar of Life Science that we offer in cooperation with other graduate bioscience programs of the University of Tokyo are designed to strongly spark students' intellectual curiosity. It is through these and other transdisciplinary educational efforts that we develop bioscientists who are not only endowed with extensive knowledge and solid technical skills, but are also driven by a pioneering spirit and a proactive attitude.