Laboratory of Biotechnology for Resources Engineering
As of October 23, 2021
Basic information
Division
Sustainable Resources Engineering, Cooperative Program for Resources Engineering
* Please go to Courses to see the list of subjects offered by the division.
Laboratory's URL
https://bre.eng.hokudai.ac.jp/en/
Faculty members accepting applicants
KAWASAKI Satoru (Prof.), NAKASHIMA Kazunori (Prof.)
About the laboratory
Description
We are focusing on the recovery of resources and the solution of environmental issues by utilizing and imitating excellent biofunctions in nature. Our research includes, biocementation for soil solidification, biosorption for metal recovery, and biomineralization for new material synthesis. Students in our lab is trained in chemical and biological experiments with solid samples, as well as the handling of microbes, gene manipulation, electron/optical/fluorescent microscope analysis. Also, students sometimes go out for field work to find a novel, functional, and useful microbes in nature.
Organization of research
First year master students spilt their time between taking necessary courses for graduation and research activities. They are focused on acquiring fundamental knowledge on their research topics while learning various experimental techniques. We have individual meetings for specific research topic with each supervisor. We also have a weekly laboratory seminar to discuss the experimental results and future work and to introduce recent research papers regarding our research topics.
Ongoing projects
(1) Solidification and stabilization of geomaterials using biocementation learned from nature
(2) Novel biomineralization techniques using generally recognized as safe (GRAS) materials.
(3) Metal recovery using biopolymers combined with functional proteins
(4) Fabrication of novel hybrid materials using silica polymerizing enzymes/peptides
Enrolled students' research topics
Research topics related to above projects
Information for potential applicants
Applicants' background
Students with a good background in civil engineering or chemistry or bioengineering with some basic experimental skills would be suitable for our research.
Who should apply?
Students with a strong interest in basics and application of bioengineering or environmental geotechnics.
How to choose a research proposal topic?
It would be preferable if the proposal is related to the laboratory's research profile and the topic of the applicant's interest.
How the research proposal is evaluated?
We evaluate the student proposal based on (1) basic knowledge and understanding the research question, (2) strong motivation to solve the question and finish your Master's or Doctoral course, (3) story of the proposal and logical discussion, and (4) English.
Plan to accept applicants
| Application type | Enrollment semester | Master’s course | Doctoral course | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MEXT Scholarship (Uniform call) | Oct. 2022 | 〇 | 〇 | |
| MEXT Embassy | 〇 | 〇 | ||
| e3 Special Selection | Oct. 2022 | 〇 | 〇 |
How to apply
Please follow the application procedure for the respective application category announced at the e3 web page.
Accepting Research Students
We accept applicants as Research Students prior to entering Master’s or Doctoral program. Please check the e3 web page for information about the research students.
Availability of financial support
Please check the e3 web page for information about the scholarships and other financial support.
Inquiries
If you have any inquiries about the application and admission procedures etc., please contact the e3 office. You can submit your application on-line during the "matching period" irrespective of prior contact with potential supervisor(s).