SAVE THE DATE! October 1, 2026, 16:00, OIST Entrance Tunnel – RAM 2026 Poster Session! – Registration and call for presentations are already open! – CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Ryudai-OIST Joint Symposium

This symposium brings together researchers from the University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine and OIST to share their research and explore opportunities for scientific exchange. By fostering interactions across institutions and disciplines, the event aims to strengthen connections, encourage collaboration, and promote the development of new research partnerships. All researchers and students from the University of the Ryukyus and OIST are welcome to participate, and attendees are invited to present their work during the poster session.

The Scientific Computing & Data Analysis Section (SCDA) invites you to a full week of training to get your computing set up and your questions answered!

Scan the QR code for the full schedule!

Title: Mathematical analysis of generalized fractional viscoelastic models

Speaker: Prof. Hiromichi Itou (Chuo University)

Prof. Akatsuki Kimura, National Institute of Genetics & The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Japan

Title: From image generation to three-dimensional turbulence: a physically interpretable diffusion-model from the perspective of deterministic PDEs

Speaker: Prof. Tsuyoshi Yoneda (Hitotsubashi University)

"Visiting Program Coffee Hour": informal discussions and getting to know each other, in the Visiting Program (TSVP) area in Lab 5 EF03

Title: Strong positivity property for subdiffusion equations and applications to related inverse problems

Speaker: Prof. Yikan Liu (Kyoto University)

This training course will show you how to make best use of the high-performance computing resources at OIST. In the first session we show you how computing clusters are organized and introduce the fundamental concepts of parallel computing.

Professor Matthew Middleton, Director of the Southampton Space Institute Deputy Head of School (Education), School of Physics and Astronomy University of Southampton

Reliable data storage is fundamental to research. In this training we will introduce the storage systems, talk about how to organise your data, do backups, handle remote data transfer, and the do’s and don’ts of using the storage systems.

TSVP Talk Language: English (no interpretation). Target audience: General audience / everyone at OIST and beyond. Freely accessible to all OIST members and guests without registration (also via Zoom).

The command line is the primary way to use the high performance computing resources at OIST. Here we quickly learn the basics we need to become comfortable and productive.

Start RAM 2026 celebration by presenting your research at the RAM Poster Session!

A beginner's introduction to using the clusters and other computing resources at OIST. This is the second, hands-on session.

OIST NetCafé is a casual science information session to introduce the OIST PhD program, Research Internship, and other workshops. OIST members such as PhD students and admissions staff will meet you to answer all your questions!

This workshop is part of TSVP Thematic Program “New Frontiers in Gauge Theory, Topology, and Physics” (TP26GT) at Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology .

"Visiting Program Coffee Hour": informal discussions and getting to know each other, in the Visiting Program (TSVP) area in Lab 5 EF03

This event will let you find colleagues at OIST with similar research interests and facilitate collaboration. We will gather people in the same broad research area to talk about their aspirations, technical challenges, and skills. You can walk out with helpful suggestions for your problems, and perhaps with a new collaborator.

The OIST Mini-Workshop on Gauge Theory and Low-Dimensional Topology is a three-day research meeting bringing together researchers working in gauge theory and low-dimensional topology.

The workshop is held as part of the OIST program New Frontiers in Gauge Theory, Topology, and Physics.

Bring your own lunch and join us to make new connections and enjoy some fun conversations! This month in conjunction with RAM.

TSVP Talk Language: English (no interpretation). Target audience: General audience / everyone at OIST and beyond. Freely accessible to all OIST members and guests without registration (also via Zoom).

Latest research on the Darwinian evolution of RNA-protein self-replication systems, synthetic gene circuits, and mirror-image biology.

Introducing graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in Japan with some of the knowledge and tools needed to start thinking about and planning personal finances effectively.

Dr. Saahil Achariya is an OIST Graduate and now a post-doc in the Kusumi Unit

Four sessions over two Fridays, October 9 and 16 from 0900-1200 in L4E01

DEI Lunch Seminar: open communication across cultures. Details to be added later

National holiday

OIST Sports Fiesta 2026 is coming — our first community-wide day of sport, teams, food, music, and fun activities all to raise funds for new gym equipment. Held on National Sports Day: Monday Oct 12, 1–5 PM at Akama Sports Field, open to students, staff, faculty, and families (kids welcome!).

Seminar by Kwabena Boahen, Stanford University

Dynamics, Fluctuations, and Entanglement in Quantum Materials and Many-Body Systems

The seminar will focus on risk management, with invited external experts discussing risk management in research laboratories and across the university as a whole.

Introducing graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in Japan with some of the knowledge and tools needed to start thinking about and planning personal finances effectively.

Dr. Saahil Achariya is an OIST Graduate and now a post-doc in the Kusumi Unit

Four sessions over two Fridays, October 9 and 16 from 0900-1200 in L4E01

A mini course on the application of machine learning in polymer chemistry

Professor Rong Tong is Associate Professor in Chemical Engineering at Virginia Tech

5 lectures over 5 weeks. October 16 to November 13 (Friday afternoons)

Please join us to celebrate Gil, who has served as OIST's Executive Vice President for Innovation and Outreach, as he prepares to conclude his role at OIST at the end of October.

This science talk features an OIST researcher and a guest science communicator as they explore the mysteries of the octopus mind.

In this workshop, OIST researcher, Dr. Tomoyuki Mano, and guest science communicator, Dr. Danna Staaf, invite participants to explore the fascinating world of the octopus mind. Octopuses may look strange, but they are smart and full of surprises! Join our two speakers and discover the secrets of the octopus! Registration Required

OIST Workshop | Website | Main organizer: Marco Terenzio (Molecular Neuroscience Unit) |OIST members are welcome to attend all scientific sessions. Meals are closed sessions for registered participants only.

In this workshop, OIST researcher, Dr. Tomoyuki Mano, and guest science communicator, Dr. Danna Staaf, invite participants to explore the fascinating world of the octopus mind. Octopuses may look strange, but they are smart and full of surprises! Join our two speakers and discover the secrets of the octopus! Registration Required

This science talk features an OIST researcher and a guest science communicator as they explore the mysteries of the octopus mind.

Language: English

Short Talks & Elevator Speeches

In this webinar, we will discuss the most important components of scientific storytelling, namely: how to make a talk focused and engaging; how to present the appropriate amount of data with appealing slide design; how to make the talk personal, memorable, and aid future collaborations - useful tool for conferences and proposals. The webinar is highly interactive so students should come prepared to share selective ideas of their work.

Language: English

Speaker : Shogo Ozaki, Associate Professor, Department of Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University Title : Flexibility in Bacterial Replication Origins: Molecular Mechanisms and Evolutionary Implications Abstract : Chromosomal DNA replication begins at a specific genomic locus, the replication origin (oriC). While the initiator protein DnaA is highly conserved among bacteria, replication origin sequences are remarkably diverse. This raises a fundamental question: how can bacterial replication initiation remain robust despite extensive evolutionary changes in origin architecture? In this seminar, I will present our studies of DNA replication origins from evolutionarily distant bacteria, including Escherichia coli, the hyperthermophile Thermotoga maritima, and the alphaproteobacterium Caulobacter crescentus. Comparison of these species reveals striking differences in origin architecture, providing a unique opportunity to explore how replication initiation systems evolve while maintaining the same fundamental function. By combining biochemical, genetic, and comparative approaches, we uncovered unexpected flexibility in DnaA-dependent origin function. Our findings reveal that bacterial replication origins can tolerate variation in the orientation of DnaA-binding sites, the sequence of unwound DNA, and the spacing between essential origin elements. Together, these observations suggest that DnaA-dependent initiation complexes possess intrinsic flexibility that enables replication origins to diversify during evolution while preserving reliable replication initiation. These findings provide new insight into the molecular mechanisms that underlie both the robustness and the evolutionary diversification of bacterial chromosome replication. Reference : Kiyohara N, Wakasugi Y, Ihara K, Kubaru A, Maruki S, Kojima N, Yoshitomi S, Katayama T, Ozaki S. Origin flexibility governs robust ssDNA engagement by the DnaA initiator. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2026 Sep 22;123(38):e2615469123. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2615469123. Lu C, Yoshida R, Katayama T, Ozaki S. Thermotoga maritima oriC involves a DNA unwinding element with distinct modules and a DnaA-oligomerizing region with a novel directional binding mode. J Biol Chem. 2023 Jul;299(7):104888. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104888.

A mini course on the application of machine learning in polymer chemistry

Professor Rong Tong is Associate Professor in Chemical Engineering at Virginia Tech

5 lectures over 5 weeks. October 16 to November 13 (Friday afternoons)

“PowerPoint Karaoke” (Lab0, L4D Lounge), 20:00-22:00. Each participant will improvise a presentation on 10 slides for 10 minutes . No preparation and no subject expertise are required. Just bring your creativity, confidence, and sense of humor. Registration link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/zVMB2sJfz1

This debate is hosted by OIST’s Debate Club and will feature two teams, one arguing in favour of the motion and one arguing against.

Long Talks and Dissertations

This webinar is dedicated to the skill of holding an audience’s attention for longer periods of time, such as during dissertations, defenses, or critical job talks. Special attention will be given to long-form storytelling, using consistent and repetitive imagery and connecting data to the larger theme, while stressing skill sets and novel contributions to the field. Other topics include delivery techniques for long talks, and how to demonstrate knowledge, pride, and commitment with humility and grace.

Science Day Gunma 2026 is a science outreach event for high school students in Gunma Prefecture, co-hosted by Gunma University and OIST. Through seminars, hands-on exhibits, and career consultations, participants will explore cutting-edge research in areas such as quantum computing, quantum sensors, future battery technologies, and advanced medicine, while learning about opportunities for future study and careers in science.

“Beyond Academia: Startup Careers at OIST” with Pizza networking session organized with OIST Innovation (C210), 16:00-18:00. Details to be provided later.

Seminar by JSPS Fellow: Asa Conover

A mini course on the application of machine learning in polymer chemistry

Professor Rong Tong is Associate Professor in Chemical Engineering at Virginia Tech

5 lectures over 5 weeks. October 16 to November 13 (Friday afternoons)