About URICAS
RIKEN which was established in 1917 is a global leader in a wide range of scientific disciplines. As Japan’s largest research organisation for applied sciences, RIKEN provides an excellent quality and high performance research environment for researchers to thrive. The four main groups of RIKEN which are the Strategic Research Centers, Research Infrastructure Centers, the Cluster for Pioneering Research and the Cluster for Science, Technology and Innovation Hub interact as part of an integrated research system to address societal and national demands.
In order to undertake interdisciplinary research, USM-RIKEN Interdisciplinary Collaboration for Advanced Sciences (URICAS), formerly known as USM-RIKEN International Centre for Ageing Science was established as a result of the collaboration between Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and RIKEN, Japan.
About URICAS
In order to undertake interdisciplinary research, USM-RIKEN Interdisciplinary Collaboration for Advanced Sciences (URICAS), formerly known as USM-RIKEN International Centre for Ageing Science was established as a result of the collaboration between Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and RIKEN, Japan.
A memorandum of understanding, or MOU, for a period of five (5) years was signed between USM and RIKEN in 2015 at RIKEN’s Wako Campus to develop the USM-RIKEN International Centre for Ageing Science (URICAS) which focuses on the research of ageing and ageing-associated illness. This memorandum was signed by Prof. Dato’ Dr. Omar Osman, the Vice-Chancellor of USM and Prof. Dr. Ryoji Noyori, the President of RIKEN at that time. This occasion marked the almost two decades of research collaboration relationship between USM and RIKEN.
USM and RIKEN foster joint research projects in a broad range of scientific fields including but not limited to probiotics, chemical biology, biomaterials, neuroscience, advanced lipidomics, bioinformatics, structural biology, genomics and advanced physics. The broad research scope collaboration is characterised as “Interdisciplinary” and “Advanced Sciences”.
In 2020, a continuation of the URICAS programme was signed to further promote and broaden the cooperation in academic research. In this agreement, the research includes a wide variety of scientific disciplines, which are not only limited to ageing. URICAS aims to promote research and development with a focus on interdisciplinary approaches and to contribute to the development of science and technology related to human society as a whole as well as the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals.
In 2020, a continuation of the URICAS programme was signed to further promote and broaden the cooperation in academic research. In this agreement, the research includes a wide variety of scientific disciplines, which are not only limited to ageing. URICAS aims to promote research and development with a focus on interdisciplinary approaches and to contribute to the development of science and technology related to human society as a whole as well as the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals.
About Asian Program Associate (APA) Joint Graduate Program
Joint Graduate School Program (APA) agreement between RIKEN and USM was formally signed in 2001. The main purpose is to identify and foster talented young scientists capable of contributing to future research collaborations between USM and RIKEN. The programme is for PhD students registered at USM. USM students selected under this programme will execute research at RIKEN for up to a maximum period of 3 years. Upon successful completion, students will be conferred a PhD degree by USM and a certificate by RIKEN attesting to their completion of the joint programme. The APA programme and its successor programme, International Program Associate (IPA) signed in 2008, became the stepping-stone for many additional doctoral candidates to enrol at RIKEN institutes.
To date, a total of 28 long-term (stay up to 3 years) IPA students and 23 short-term (stay less than 12 months) students conducted research under the IPA programme since 2011. Additionally, 3 APA students joined RIKEN from 2002 to 2007.
The USM-RIKEN Joint Graduate School Program has far-reaching short-term and long-term national and international impacts. The immediate short-term impact can be seen in the exposure given to USM’s students. The high-level fundamental research carried out at RIKEN as well as the advanced facilities provide them with extensive opportunities to learn and master new knowledge and research skills. In addition, the students are also indirectly exposed to the Japanese language and culture. The programme provides valuable opportunities for students who are interested to learn a new language as well as getting acquainted with the work ethics of the Japanese people.
RIKEN scientists are comprised of both Japanese and non-Japanese world-class scientists. Therefore, RIKEN also provides the students with opportunities to interact with leading international scientists from a variety of nationalities. As a result, the students have many opportunities to form their own research networks, which will be important for their career development in the future.
More information about the International Program Associate (IPA) and the application procedures can be found at the link below: https://www.riken.jp/en/careers/programs/ipa/
About Asian Program Associate (APA) Joint Graduate Program
Joint Graduate School Program (APA) agreement between RIKEN and USM was formally signed in 2001. The main purpose is to identify and foster talented young scientists capable of contributing to future research collaborations between USM and RIKEN. The programme is for PhD students registered at USM. USM students selected under this programme will execute research at RIKEN for up to a maximum period of 3 years. Upon successful completion, students will be conferred a PhD degree by USM and a certificate by RIKEN attesting to their completion of the joint programme. The APA programme and its successor programme, International Program Associate (IPA) signed in 2008, became the stepping-stone for many additional doctoral candidates to enrol at RIKEN institutes.
To date, a total of 28 long-term (stay up to 3 years) IPA students and 23 short-term (stay less than 12 months) students conducted research under the IPA programme since 2011. Additionally, 3 APA students joined RIKEN from 2002 to 2007.
The USM-RIKEN Joint Graduate School Program has far-reaching short-term and long-term national and international impacts. The immediate short-term impact can be seen in the exposure given to USM’s students. The high-level fundamental research carried out at RIKEN as well as the advanced facilities provide them with extensive opportunities to learn and master new knowledge and research skills. In addition, the students are also indirectly exposed to the Japanese language and culture. The programme provides valuable opportunities for students who are interested to learn a new language as well as getting acquainted with the work ethics of the Japanese people.
RIKEN scientists are comprised of both Japanese and non-Japanese world-class scientists. Therefore, RIKEN also provides the students with opportunities to interact with leading international scientists from a variety of nationalities. As a result, the students have many opportunities to form their own research networks, which will be important for their career development in the future.
More information about the International Program Associate (IPA) and the application procedures can be found at the link below: https://www.riken.jp/en/careers/programs/ipa/
Joint Publications
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Lakshmanan, M., Foong, C. P., Abe, H., & Sudesh, K. (2019). Biosynthesis and characterisation of co and ter-polyesters of polyhydroxyalkanoates containing high monomeric fractions of 4-hydroxybutyrate and 5-hydroxyvalerate via a novel PHA synthase. Polymer Degradation and Stability, 163, 122-135.
Li, H., Yahaya, B. H., Ng, W. H., Yusoff, N. M., & Lin, J. (2019). Conditioned medium of human menstrual blood-derived endometrial stem cells protects against MPP+-induced cytotoxicity in vitro. Frontiers in molecular neuroscience, 12, 80.
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Ong, S. Y., Kho, H. P., Riedel, S. L., Kim, S. W., Gan, C. Y., Taylor, T. D., & Sudesh, K. (2018). An integrative study on biologically recovered polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and simultaneous assessment of gut microbiome in yellow mealworm. Journal of biotechnology, 265, 31-39.
Lew, L. C., Choi, S. B., Khoo, B. Y., Sreenivasan, S., Ong, K. L., & Liong, M. T. (2018). Lactobacillus plantarum DR7 reduces cholesterol via phosphorylation of AMPK that down-regulated the mRNA expression of HMG-CoA reductase. Korean journal for food science of animal resources, 38(2), 350.
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Watanabe, I., Astuti, F., Yoon, S. W., Suprayoga, E., Adam, N., Mohd-Tajudin, S. S., Sari, D. P., Angel, J., Umar, M. D., Sulaiman, S., & Mohamed-Ibrahim, M. I. (2017). The RIKEN-RAL muon facility and the application of muons for studies of magnetic properties of nano-materials. In Materials Science Forum (Vol. 901, pp. 37-43). Trans Tech Publications Ltd.
Ong, W. D., Okubo-Kurihara, E., Kurihara, Y., Shimada, S., Makita, Y., Kawashima, M., Honda, K., Kondoh, Y., Watanabe, N., Osada, H., Cutler, S. R., Sudesh, K., & Matsui, M. (2017). Chemical-induced inhibition of blue light-mediated seedling development caused by disruption of upstream signal transduction involving cryptochromes in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant and Cell Physiology, 58(1), 95-105.
