Okayama University Institute of Plant Science and Resources held 2nd IPSR International Training Course: Methods in Plant Stress Research” in August 24-28, 2015.

As part of its ongoing efforts to act as an international research hub in plant research, the institute initiated this new international training course in 2014 with the aim to provide novel opportunities to young Japanese researchers for concurrent training and interaction with foreign colleagues. Three young researchers from UK, USA, and Taiwan, and three counterparts from Japan (one being a visiting scholar from Bangladesh) participated this year to learn several modern mass spectrometry (MS) analytical methods. The participants had the opportunity to utilize common IPSR’s state-of-the-art research equipment including MALDI-TOF-MS, LC-MS/MS, and GC-MS to learn 1) fingerprinting-based identification of bacterial species isolated from leaf samples, 2) plant hormone determination (jasmonic acid, salicylic acid, abscisic acid), and 3) analysis of plant volatiles released from herbivore attacked plants, respectively.

The course was accompanied with lectures covering theoretical background of each method, followed by hands on training using the equipment, thus providing unique opportunity for all participants to master the protocols. This year, for the first time, all training sessions took place in the new laboratory located in the Advanced Plant Science Research Building just opened in April 2015, thus providing comfortable learning environment for the course participants.
As part of the course, plenary IPSR lecture presented by Professor Eric Richards (Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research) entitled “The interface between epigenetics and plant stress responses” was organized, which illustrated the importance of epigenetics research in current (plant) biology. A special Round Table Lecture moderated by Prof. Richards was then targeted to course participants, providing additional open discussion forum for probing the concepts of epigenetics, regulation of environmental responses and evolution.
The participants had also been given chance to present and enjoyed short presentations and discussions about their own current research projects.

Additional details about the course can be found at IPSR website:
http://www.rib.okayama-u.ac.jp/information/20150902.html

Contact:
Institute of Plant Science and Resources,
Professor Ivan Galis
Tel：+81-86-434-1235