Usa Marine Biological Institute

Infobox University
name = Usa Marine Biological Institute (Japanese: 高知大学 海洋生物教育研究センター)


established = 1953, August 1
type = Public
president = Izumi Kinoshita
city = Usa
state = Kochi
country = Japan
undergrad = 30
postgrad = 7
PhDs = 3
faculty = 4
website = [http://www.kochi-u.ac.jp/JA/kaiyo/]

The Usa Marine Biological Institute (UMBI) (sometimes referred to as MBI-Japan, Japanese Marine Biological Institute, Usa Kaiyo Center or just Usa) in Usa cho, is one of the oldest and largest centers for Phycology and Marine Biology research, graduate training, and public service in Japan. UMBI is located in the village of Usa_cho, Kochi Prefecture, Japan and is devoted to scientific research leading to MS and PhD degrees in Phycology, Marine Biology and related fields. It grants degrees jointly with Kochi University.

History

The Usa Marine Biological Station was founded in 1953 as an "independent research institute" by the Japanese Government. In 1978, its name changed into "Usa Marine Biological Institute".

Under the directorship of Professor Masao Ohno, the institute has established a JICA training program in Marine Biology and since then a large number of foreign researchers come to the instutute to pursue short term research projects. At present, the current director Professor Izumi Kinoshita supervises and coordinate JICA training program.Since 2004, UMBI has started a new graduate program Kuroshio Sciences jointly with Kochi University to study Kuroshio Current in an interdisciplinary perspective. UMBI graduate students are supported by various financial aid schemes, especially Monbukagakusho MEXT International PhD Program.

Vessels

UMBI operates several manned research vessels and vehicles, owned by the Kochi University or the Japanese Government
* R/V Yutaka Hata Maru
* R/V Neptune
* R/V Hamayu
* R/V Triton

Faculty and Research

Laboratories

Early life-history of fishes
* [http://www.cc.kochi-u.ac.jp/~muhomatu/jako Kinoshita] "PhD Student"
*Mr Nunobe, Early life history of AyuZooplankton Ecology
* [http://www.cc.kochi-u.ac.jp/~hueda/zplab Hiroshi Ueda] Crustacean Ecology
* [http://www.kochi-u.ac.jp/JA/kaiyo/iwasakikenhp/index.html Nozomu Iwasaki] Marine Phycology
* [http://bbs5.cgiboy.com/p/26/03145 Masanori Hiraoka] "PhD Students"
*Hiroko Haraguchi Distribution of Sargassum species in Tosa bay.
* [http://www.geocities.jp/ttpww132 Felix bast] Physiological ecology and phylogenetics of Monostroma species in Japan.

Phycological Research

Usa Marine Biological Institute is long renowned for marine Phycological research. Emeritus Professor Masao Ohno is the first person in Japan to incorporate artificial seeding method for the commercial cultivation of green algae. The institute is one of the pioneer research institutes in the world for the study of Ulvophycean algae and has state-of-art facilities for the marine Phycological research.

Contemporary Marine Phycology research in the UMBI focuses on culture studies to establish life-histories of Ulvophycean algae (Ulva and Monostroma), tank cultivation of Ulva using Deep Seawater (Conducted conjointly with Deep Seawater Research Center, Muroto, Japan) and Ecology of Ecklonia and Sargasm species in Pacific Ocean.

Notable Alumni

*Masao Ohno
*Professor Nakauchi
*Professor Yamaoka

See also

* The Scripps Institution of Oceanography is a similar research facility located in La Jolla, California.
* The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is also a similar oceanographic facility located at Woods Hole in Massachusetts.
* The Institute of Algological Research is a similar phycological research institute also located in Japan
* The Friday Harbor Laboratories in the USA also conducts similar research in Marine Biology.

External links

* [http://www.kochi-u.ac.jp/JA/kaiyo/Japanease%20top/japanease%20main6.htm Usa Marine Biological Institute]