The Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, is calling for applications for Bio-SPMs collaborative research.
1. Outline of Call for Research Proposals
1-1. Aims
The research teams at Kanazawa University have engaged in the pioneering development of original Bio-SPM technologies, including Atomic resolution/3D-AFM (FM-AFM), High-speed AFM, Scanning Ion Conductance Microscope (SICM), and AFM for Cell Measurement, and applied them to the life sciences. Here, we call for applications for collaborative research projects that are carried out by the applicants using our Bio-SPMs, with the cooperation of the NanoLSI faculty members.
*Please refer to here for the overview of each Bio-SPM technology.
1-2. Type of Collaborative Research
1) Collaborative Research by visits to WPI-NanoLSI
Applicants adopted visit WPI-NanoLSI and carry out a research project, with the cooperation of the WPI-NanoLSI faculty members.
2) Collaborative Research by sending samples
Applicants adopted do not visit WPI-NanoLSI. Samples are sent to WPI-NanoLSI and researchers in charge at WPI-NanoLSI conduct experiments. Please note that this option is limited to cases where visiting WPI-NanoLSI is difficult due to COVID-19-related issues. In addition, the applicant is supposed to obtain permission from the researcher in charge before application.
1-3. Application Eligibility
Researchers or engineers from national and overseas public or private universities.
Note:
Students such as graduate students and undergraduate students are not eligible as an applicant but can be included in the research project team.
- “NanoLSI Associates” are accepted to apply even if they belong to companies.
1-4. Research Period
For applicants adopted in 1st or 2nd call, from the date of approval to March 31, 2025.
Note:
You are supposed to inform a research period within one month after the notification of approval. We may not be able to meet your request for the timing of collaboration due to circumstances.
1-5. Decisions
After the review by the Expert Committee of WPI-NanoLSI, Kanazawa University, the director of WPI-NanoLSI will decide which applications will be approved. The decision will be informed to the applicants.
1-6. How to Apply
Fill out Application Form 1 and submit it with the following documents by the deadline.
Form 1 “2024 Academic Year Bio-SPMs Collaborative Research, Application and Collaborative Researcher Approval Form” PDF Word
Arbitrary format “Curriculum vitae for the principal investigator (applicant) only”
Submission deadlines
1st in 2024: May 29, 2024 (Wednesday), 17:00 JST
2nd in 2024: Sep 18, 2024 (Wednesday), 17:00 JST
* 3rd call will NOT be available in FY 2024.
Note:
For urgent cases, applications will be accepted regardless of the deadline. However, this procedure is only available after coordination with the researchers in WPI-NanoLSI.
If an urgent application is adopted, the implementation may be in the following fiscal year.
Submission Destination
Nano Life Science Institute, Kanazawa University,
Kakuma-Machi, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan.
E-mail: nanolsi_openf01*ml.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
Please replace the asterisks (*) with @.
1-7. Inquiries Regarding Research Contents
Send an inquiry to the e-mail address below. The inquiry should include the type of Bio-SPMs you wish to use (either Atomic resolution/3D-AFM (FM-AFM), High-speed AFM, Scanning Ion Conductance Microscope (SICM), and AFM for Cell Measurement). The reply will come from the person in charge of the specific Bio-SPM technology.
E-mail: nanolsi_openf01*ml.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
Please replace the asterisks (*) with @.
2. Post-Acceptance Procedures
2-1. Research Report
An approved researcher has an obligation to report the research results when the research period is over. Using Forms 2 and 3, prepare and submit the research report. The deadline is May 9, 2025. The summary of research results (Form 3) will be publicly posted on the NanoLSI Bio-SPMs Collaborative Research website in the 2025 academic year.
| Form 2: | “2024 Academic Year Bio-SPMs Collaborative Research, Research Report” | in preparation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form 3: | “2024 Academic Year Bio-SPMs Collaborative Research, Research Report Summary” | in preparation |
2-2. When the Research Papers are Published
In order to measure the effectiveness of this Bio-SPMs collaborative research activity, we would like to collect the data of research papers published through collaborative research carried out at WPI-NanoLSI. Therefore, we sincerely hope that the approved researchers will kindly inform us when the research papers are published. In addition, for three years after the research period is over, we would like to ask all the approved researchers every June via e-mail if the research papers through collaborative research were newly published.
3. Others
- Research applications that match our policy described in “1. Aims” will be preferentially approved. It is preferable that applicants have already conducted sample preparations and preliminary experiments, for example, biochemical experiments, tests of observation conditions, and microscopic analysis by optical microscope, electron microscope, SPM, etc. However, applications without any preliminary results will also be approved depending on the contents.
- If your samples or methods are quite new to Bio-SPM measurements, we will select your proposal as a “Preliminary Investigation”. In Preliminary Investigation, experts of Bio-SPM will perform some experiments to search for the measurement conditions. When the measurement conditions for your proposal are fixed, you can start full research.
- When a submitted application is approved, the principal investigator (PI) responsible for the collaborative research and the collaborative partner researcher should be a collaborative researcher of WPI-NanoLSI, Kanazawa University. All members who participate in the approved research project can stay at Kakuma Guest House (http://guesthouse.w3.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/index.html). If no room is available at Kakuma Guest House, stay at hotels downtown.
- If it is necessary to support the travel expenses including transportation and accommodation for staying at Kanazawa University, mention it in the appropriate part of Form 1. Travel expenses will be supported by up to 200K JPY for domestic applicants and 350K JPY for overseas applicants based on the travel expense regulations of Kanazawa University after the review by the Expert Committee of WPI-NanoLSI. (However, if the airfare is very expensive, WPI-NanoLSI may support up to one person’s round-trip travel expenses plus one week’s accommodation expenses, exceeding the maximum limit.) In the case of collaborative research by sending samples, WPI-NanoLSI will bear the shipping costs for the samples without travel fees.
- For the outstanding proposals related to cancer research, travel expenses will be supported up to 200K JPY for domestic applicants and 350K JPY for overseas applicants by the Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University based on the travel expense regulations of Kanazawa University. Adopted should mention as follows when the results are published, “This work was partly supported by Extramural Collaborative Research Grant of Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University.”
- Graduate and undergraduate students can also participate in a collaborative research team. In such cases, approval from their supervisor is absolutely necessary. The approval form is available in Form 1. Travel expenses can be covered for only graduate students, but not for undergraduate students.
- If the supervisor of the student collaborative researchers changes, a new approval from the new supervisor would be necessary. In such cases, contact the person in charge of the Bio-SPMs Collaborative Research (E-mail: nanolsi_openf01*ml.kanazawa-u.ac.jp, Please replace the asterisks (*) with @.).
Supplementary Information
- Regarding the Birth date, Age, and Gender fields in the Application
These fields are necessary for making statistics for the evaluation report by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, in which the ages and genders of collaborative researchers must be presented. The information provided will not influence any decisions. In addition, the personal information provided will be handled with the utmost caution. - Regarding Filling out the Application
Add more spaces freely if not enough space is available in the application form. The number of pages can be increased.
Application Materials
| Form 1: | “2024 Academic Year Bio-SPMs Collaborative Research, Application and Collaborative Researcher Approval Form” | Word | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form 2: | “2024 Academic Year Bio-SPMs Collaborative Research, Research Report” | in preparation | |
| Form 3: | “2024 Academic Year Bio-SPMs Collaborative Research, Research Report Summary” | in preparation |
An approved researcher has an obligation to report the research results when the research period is over. The deadline is May 9, 2025.
For the Previous Reports, click here.
Updated on 12 March 2024.