From Taiwan
- Name
LIU Pin Wu - Country/ Region of Citizenship
Taiwan
- Graduated from
National Taiwan University
- Department
Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience (Doctoral)
Privately-financed student (Monbukagakusho Honors Scholarship for Privately Financed International Students Recipient)
Why did you choose Waseda University?
After I decided going abroad to pursue PhD degree, finding the laboratory that I want to join is my first priority. To accomplish it, at first, I collected the information of several labs that I am interested in and their located university from website. Then, I directly visited the labs, and look around in the university and its surrounding. After considering about the research topic, interaction with professor and lab members, the techniques and equipment in the lab, the university environment and the resources I can get from university, I decided to join Ohshima lab and Waseda University.
How did you get information for our program?
When I discussed about the enroll procedure with my supervisor, he informed me about this program. Besides, there is a senior student in our lab also come from Taiwan. He told me more details, such as the advantages and the requests, about this program.
Did you have any concerns before coming to Japan?
I think my major concern is my Japanese (笑. Many students or workers who have stayed in Japan, all mentioned that if you want to stay in Japan, you must have good Japanese. Another concern is about tuition and living fee. Before coming to Japan, rather than trying to get sponsor from Taiwan, I directly applied several Japanese scholarships. Fortunately, I got some of them, so now I’m still here and can have this interview.
Have you had any difficulties when you started a new life here?
If I really need to answer this question, I would say no. Even there are many processes need to be done, such as applying bank account, renting house and so on, my supervisor, lab members and school gave me a lot of help for starting my new life. I really appreciated it.
How is your life in Japan and Waseda?
Until now everything is good for me. Since I like Japanese food, goods, traffic and weather, I really enjoy the daily life in Japan. I also have a good time in school, spending time in lab and going to Karuizawa for seminar camp. However, I also feel stressful to live in Japan as a foreigner. But it motivated me to improve my social skill and language.
What do you do in your free time?
I like to go somewhere to enjoy the four seasons in Japan. For example, going to hot spring or attending summer festival and firework. And I try to read comic books or watching anime and movie in Japanese. Sometimes, I also have a short trip with my friends or lab membranes. But, actually, the best place I like to spend time is in game center.
How are the relationships with your supervisor and lab members?
I cannot say anything about it: I think we are super good! My supervisor and lab members all are very kind to me. They will to teach me or answer my question not only for experiments but also for Japanese and Japanese culture. Sometimes, they are also interested in things happen in Taiwan or between Japan and Taiwan, we have so much fun with chatting about these.
Outline of the research
My research is focusing on the neural mechanisms underlying memory formation. Calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is a protein which has been indicated to be involved in the process of learning and memory in numerous ways, including engaging in long-term potentiation (LTP) induction. Recently, CaMKII has been demonstrated to rapidly translocate to the synapse following LTP induction. But, how CaMKII can be translocated rapidly is still unclear.
We here focus on a class of protein called CaMKII inhibitors (CaMKIINs), CaMKIIN1 and CaMKIIN2, which are known as CaMKII endogenous inhibitors. Previous studies reported that CaMKIINs expression increased during fear memory formation. However, the functional role of CaMKIINs in synaptic physiology has not been totally elucidated. Therefore, my research aim is to test if CaMKIINs organize LTP induction via regulating CaMKII translocation.
What is your career goal after your degree completion?
I want to keep being a researcher. I wish at the beginning I could find postdoc position in Japan. If I have opportunity to go other countries to be a postdoc, I’m also willing to. But after that, I wish I could find my position in Japan.
Short message to the prospective students
in English
Studying abroad in anywhere has its difficulties. Before making your decision, you need to think deep and wide about it. Nowadays, you can gain many information from website, and it’s also easy to ask someone who have similar experience. After decided, then you don’t need to worry too much, just keep going on the road you want. When you meet any problems that you cannot deal with it on your own, don’t need to feel embarrassed about asking others for helping. Waseda University provides comprehensive supports for students, you can find anything you want here.
in Chinese
如果你是有意願來早稻田讀書的學生，並在網站上找到這段訊息，那基本上你對早稻田大學應該已經有基本的認識了（笑。
相比其他大學，早稻田大學對外國學生的支援和學生可自由運用的資源真的相當豐富，不僅是校內的課程或活動，你在日本生活所需要的基本需求，他們也都能協助你一起安頓好，尤其若你又是日文苦手的話，早稻田大學無疑是個相當好的選擇。
來到日本生活，或許會遇到許多想像以外的困難，但只要以「そんなこともある」（這樣的事情也是會發生呦）的角度去看待並嘗試解決它，必定能在過程中獲得不同的樂趣。
