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UTokyo Amgen Scholars Program 2025 is now accepting applications. Click here to learn more about this opportunity and apply for it.
Opportunity Details
This eight-week program targets students considering careers in biology or related sciences. It provides hands-on biomedical research experience with faculty from the University of Tokyo’s Graduate Schools of Medicine, Engineering, Science, Agricultural and Life Sciences, and the Institute of Industrial Science. By summer’s end, students gain research skills and build international connections, fostering future collaborations.
The Amgen Scholars Program provides hundreds of undergraduates each year with the opportunity to undertake scientific research projects at many of the world's leading institutions. Launched in 2006 in the United States, 2008 in Europe, and 2015 in Japan at the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, the Amgen Scholars has expanded to additional world-class institutions in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia and Asia.
The objective of the program is to provide undergraduate students from different countries (including some from Japan) who are committed to or who are considering a career in biology or related sciences and looking to continue to graduate studies, with eight weeks of biomedical research experience in the basic and translational sciences.
Research opportunities will be provided by faculty members of the Graduate School of Medicine, Graduate School of Engineering, Graduate School of Science, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and the Institute of Industrial Science.
By the end of their summer experience, students are expected to acquire knowledge and skills for conducting research. The students are also expected to extend their international friendship through the collaborative experiences. These experiences will help the students to develop future collaborations in many situations.
In addition to working full time in the laboratory for 8 weeks, the program features:
| Program and Symposium | Date* |
|---|---|
| Check-in at Residence | June 4, 2025 |
| UTokyo Amgen Scholars Program 2025 | June 5, 2025 - August 1, 2025 |
| Travel to Kyoto | August 4, 2025 |
| Amgen Scholars Asia Symposium 2025 at Kyoto University |
August 5 - 7, 2025 |
*Subject to change
*Full participation throughout the specified period is mandatory; however, exceptions can be considered for reasons related to events organized by the affiliated university or faculty based in Japan. If applicable, please specify so in the last paragraph of your Statement of Purpose in your application.
- About 10
Accommodation: Near Hongo Campus, provided by UTokyo.
Please check your research location as some labs are not located in Hongo and commuting by train may be required.
- Stipend: 270,000 JPY
The stipend can be used freely to budget for food and any personal trips during your stay in Japan.
- Travel Cost:
Economy-class airfare to Tokyo, or round-trip train tickets for domestic students, will be provided for program participation.
The most economical route and schedule will be determined through discussions between participants and the program office.
If the schedule is changed due to personal reasons, participants will be required to reimburse the University of Tokyo for the cost of initially arranged airfares.
*All students must arrange their own private health and travel insurance.
Please be aware that neither the Amgen Foundation nor the University of Tokyo can provide health/travel insurance.
*Travel allowances will be provided for those who commute to campuses other than Hongo and Yayoi.
UTokyo Amgen Scholars Program (hereby referred to as the summer program) applicants must be undergraduate students who are:
- Attending colleges or universities across the Asia region* that award a bachelor’s degree (or its equivalent); and
- At the minimum, have completed their first year of undergraduate study at the time the summer program begins, and
- Not graduating before the summer program begins, and will resume undergraduate studies for at least 1 semester or 1 quarter after the summer program ends
UTokyo Amgen Scholars Program applicants must also:
- Have a strong record of academic performance; and
- Have a good working knowledge of English, demonstrated by a minimum TOEFL (iBT) score of 72,
IELTS overall band score of 5.5, Cambridge English FCE, TOEIC score of 1095, TOEIC L&R score of 785,
or TOEIC S&W score of 310, if not a native English speaker or if English is not their first language, and
- Have an interest in pursuing a Ph.D.
*For a list of eligible countries, please check the Eligibility section of the Amgen Scholars Program webpage: https://amgenscholars.com/asia-program/
- To devote full effort to participation in the Amgen Scholars Program. Scholars cannot take any courses or hold a job throughout the duration of the program.
In addition, all participants must be able to attend the program for its entire duration.
- To live in the accommodation provided by UTokyo.
- To participate fully in the day-to-day life of the research group, respect the work of all members of the laboratory, and attend and participate in laboratory
meetings or other gatherings.
However, for students based in Japan, we are open to discussions and considerations based on events or commitments related to their affiliated university or department.
- To attend the orientation on the first day of the program, all required conferences, activities and social events.
- To give a poster/presentation describing his/her summer research project.
- To submit a research paper to the UTokyo Amgen Scholars Program Director at the conclusion of the program.
Clicking on the names of the supervisors will take you to the details of the project topics and requirements.
- Please choose ONE project topic for your application.
- Access to each campus: Hongo/Yayoi, Komaba Tanashi
* Please note that the Komaba II Campus and Tanashi Campus requires an hour commute by train each way.
| Graduate School / Institute | Host Professor | Research Topic | Area of Research |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate School of Medicine | Haruhiko BITO | 1. Molecular and circuit mechanisms of long-term memory 2. Imaging analysis of cortical information processing |
Neuroscience Neurobiology Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology |
| Meng Ling MOI | Development of next-generation vaccines and diagnostics for neglected tropical viral diseases through basic virology and immunology research |
Microbiology Immunology Molecular Medicine |
|
| Yasushi OKADA | Application of advanced optical microscope technologies such as super-resolution live cell imaging or single-molecule imaging |
Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology Neurobiology Biotechnology |
|
| Graduate School of Engineering | Horacio CABRAL | Development of Polymeric Nanocarriers for Targeted Gene Editing Applications | Bioengineering Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology Biotechnology |
| Akimitsu OKAMOTO | How are our bodies created from atoms and molecules? | Chemistry Biochemistry Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering |
|
| Kazuhiro TAKANABE | Sustainable production of hydrogen using renewable energy sources | Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering | |
| Graduate School of Science | Keisuke GODA | Developing innovative tools for molecular imaging and spectroscopy by integrating photonics, nanotechnology, microfluidics, and data science. |
Biochemistry Bioinformatics Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering |
| Yasushi OKADA | Development and application of new optical microscope for super-resolution or single-molecule imaging in living cells or in vitro. |
Biotechnology Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology Neurobiology |
|
| Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences |
Yasuyuki GOTO | Immune responses against parasite infection | Immunology Microbiology Pathology |
| Naoyuki KATAOKA | Analyses of aberrant splicing mechanism found in genetic diseases in human and animals |
Biochemistry Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology Molecular Medicine |
|
| Koji NAGATA | Food Biotechnology and Structural Biology 1. Structural analysis and/or functional evaluation of food components 2. Protein expression, purification and crystallization |
Biochemistry Bioinformatics Biotechnology |
|
| Keitaro TANOI | Mutagenesis of Fluorescent Proteins | Biotechnology Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Microbiology |
|
| Daisuke TSUGAMA | Crop genome editing with new tools | Biology Bioengineering Biotechnology |
|
| Institute of Industrial Science | Tsuyoshi MINAMI | 1. Chemical Sensors based on Organic Thin Film Transistors Functionalized with Molecular Recognition Materials 2. High-throughput Analysis based on Supramolecular Sensor Arrays |
Biochemistry Biotechnology Chemistry |
Apply for UTokyo Amgen Scholars Program