Online Seminar “Microbial diversity in Japan and Russia” co-hosted by HU Graduate School of Science and HaRP on March 22–23, 2021

On March 22 and 23, 2021, the seminar “Microbial diversity in Japan and Russia” was held online. It was co-hosted by the Institute for the Advancement of Higher Education (IAHE), the Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University and HaRP. The seminar was coordinated by Dr. Kevin Wakeman, IAHE, Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University and Dr. Denis Tikhonenkov, Papanin Institute for Biology of Inland Waters RAS, Tyumen University.

The following is a general overview and summary of the seminar.

This online seminar was held for 2 days so that the participants from Dr. Kevin Wakeman’s laboratory could become acquainted with the members of Dr. Denis Tikhonenkov’s laboratory.
Prior to the seminar, Dr. Kevin Wakeman conducted shellfish sampling from Otaru and Soen fish markets on 6 March 2021.
Dr. Kevin Wakeman and Dr. Denis Tikhonenkov both gave talks to introduce their general research and their respective institutions (Hokkaido University, Japan; and Papanin Institute for Biology of Inland Waters RAS and Tyumen University, Russia)
Three students at Hokkaido University belonging to Dr. Kevin Wakeman’s laboratory gave introduction talks to the group: Ranjani Rajagopal, Yong Heng Phua, Kay Hian Liam.
Four students from Dr. Denis Tikhonenkov’s research group gave introduction talks.
Talks in this seminar were focused on the overall diversity of microbial eukaryotes.
Over the course of the meetings (in particular, on March 23), a general timeline of the following steps was established for implementing the project:
- Sampling in Russia
- Sampling in Japan
- In consideration of COVID-19 conditions and the related travel and work restrictions, working remotely and collaborating and exchanging data and information via the internet (rather than meeting in person).