RIKEN CBS Summer Program 2025 - Neural Circuits: Coding, Computation and Cognition

Overview

The RIKEN Center for Brain Science (RIKEN CBS), located just outside Tokyo, Japan, offers a summer program to train advanced students interested in brain function. Applicants may choose either a 2-month laboratory internship (Plan A) within a RIKEN CBS laboratory or an intensive 5 days lecture course (Plan B) featuring a distinguished international faculty. Those participating in the internship may also enroll in the lecture course. The course consists of an intensive 5 days lecture series featuring distinguished international faculty and poster sessions to be put on by the program participants. These two components are equally important for the students to deepen their insight and enhance their expertise in neuroscience. While the lectures serve to introduce them to cutting-edge research being carried out throughout the world, the student poster session allows them to experience the work of their colleagues and share their own research. We encourage the students to take full advantage of the wonderful opportunities offered by this program to broaden the horizons of their research.

Attendees come from wide-ranging academic backgrounds and are usually enrolled in graduate courses or have recently embarked on postdoctoral research. However, candidates holding other positions are encouraged to apply. All accepted students must be able to travel to Tokyo.

Plan A: Internship Course

Summer interns will work in a CBS Lab for 2 months and participate in the research activities of the host laboratory. Interns will give a presentation on their work at the end of the course.

Although Internship participants do not have to attend all the lectures in the Lecture Course from July 7 - July 11, a poster “must be presented” during a designated time during the lecture course with the other Lecture Course participants.

Please refer to the following list of potential host laboratories.

Schedule: 2 months, June 10–August 8, 2025

Plan B: Lecture Course

The lecture course is set up to present both basic concepts as well as cutting-edge research that will aid in understanding the selected theme. The intensive course is a coherent platform from where a wide variety of important new research and techniques will be revealed.

Schedule: 5 days, July 7–11, 2025

Poster Sessions

• Presenting a poster during the lecture course is mandatory for intership and lecture participants.
• To facilitate interaction between participants and RIKEN members, please prepare a poster presentation that represents your research (past, present or future) at your current institution.
• NOTE: Please bring your poster already printed.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be enrolled in an academic institute or company at the time of application throughout the program period.
• High school students are not eligible.
• Foreign participants must have a valid passport.
• For participants who need a VISA: If you are unable to obtain a VISA, you will not be able to attend.

Fee & Expense

• No registration fees are required.
• There will be no salary supplement or support for food expenses.
• Airfare and domestic transportation must be purchased by the participant.
• Accommodation.
• For Internship Course Participants:
  1. Accident insurance: Participants in the internship course are required to have accident insurance. Check to see if your affiliation provides insurance coverage for you.
  2. Medical examination: A medical examination must be completed within six months before your departure. The medical examination form must be filled out by a physician in either English or Japanese.

Accommodations

All participants except for those who reside within commuting distance will be assigned living quarters.

NOTE: Participants who have not received approval for a financial support request letter will not be eligible to receive financial support for accommodation expense.

Application info

We recommend that you apply early in order to ensure that your application arrives by the deadline. Please read through the instructions and the Application FAQ (Important Information) before you prepare the application. Failure to follow all the instructions may eliminate your application in the selection process at an early stage. Selection results will be sent by email notification regarding the results around the end of February. All documents should be prepared in English.

Multiple applications from the same person will be accepted with the latest as valid. If you would like to apply to both Internship (Plan A) and Lecture (Plan B), please select “Both” in the Plan section.

The deadline is Friday, January 31, 2025, 9:00 AM (JST). The deadline for the recommendation letter is also the same day. Your supervisor will receive an email asking him/her to upload the recommendation letter once you register your supervisor’s information. It is important you make sure that your supervisor is aware of your request for a recommendation.

Source and application details: https://cbs.riken.jp/en/summer/applying.html