Outline

COMB Facts

21century

History Snapshot

Founded in 1990 as the Gene Research Center on the main campus of University of the Ryukyus. Name changed to Center of Molecular Biosciences in 2001.

Affiliation

COMB is a research-oriented educational institution of University of the Ryukyus, which is a part of former National University System of Japan.

Composition

COMB is made up of five research groups (Integrative Biology, Molecular Biotechnology, Bioremediation, Immunobiology, and Molecular Microbiology), and our faculty members belong to three Graduate Schools of University of the Ryukyus and United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences of Kagoshima University.

University of the Ryukyus Graduate School of Science and Engineering
University of the Ryukyus Graduate School of Medicine
University of the Ryukyus Graduate School of Agriculture
United Graduate Schools of Agricultural Sciences of Kagoshima University

Faculty

COMB features a faculty of twelve full-time professors with Ph.D. degrees, and one visiting scientist from abroad. Their professions include molecular genetics, molecular entomology, molecular and cellular immunology, bacteriology and biotechnology. The graduate student-faculty ratio is 4:1 (Spring 2007)

Degree Offered

COMB does not offer its own degrees, however, all graduate students learning and conducting research at COMB essentially belong to the Graduate Schools of University of the Ryukyus or Kagoshima University, and thus are able to accomplish the following degrees from either University of the Ryukyus or Kagoshima University.

Master’s degrees
Master of Science and Engineering (University of the Ryukyus)
Master of Agriculture (University of the Ryukyus)
Mater of Medical Science (University of the Ryukyus)

Doctoral degree
Doctor of Philosophy (in Science and Engineering from University of the Ryukyus)
Doctor of Philosophy (in Agriculture from Kagoshima University)
Doctor of Philosophy (in Medical Science from University of the Ryukyus)

Facilities and Equipments

COMB houses various experimental facilities and equipments essential to conduct competitive research within V-shaped four-story building possessing more than 40,000 square feet of space. The followings are the lists of some of them:

  1. Central laboratory space for BSL 1 & 2 experiments
  2. DNA/protein sequencing facility (ABI 3130&310)
  3. Mass spectrophotometory laboratory (TOF-MS)
  4. Darkroom for fluorescent and confocal microscopy and flow cytometry
  5. Phytotrons
  6. Animal experimental facility (SPF and BSL 1-3)
  7. Radioisotope facility
  8. Trangenic plant facility with Greenhouse
  9. Library, lecture rooms and student lounge
  10. Laboratories for affiliated research companies (Genolac BL & Hapropharma Co., 2007)