From October 1 to November 30, 2024, Noor Nailis Sa’adah, a doctoral student at the Faculty of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), participated in a research internship at the Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), Japan. The internship was funded by the Iida Scholarship and supervised by Prof. Dr. L. Hartanto Nugroho, M.Agr., Prof. Dr. Yekti Asih Purwestri, M.Si., and Dr.biol.hom. Nastiti Wijayanti, M.Si. At NAIST, Noor worked under the guidance of Prof. Takayuki Tohge in the Laboratory of Plant Secondary Metabolism, Division of Biological Sciences. The program was initiated by Prof. Dr. Yekti Asih Purwestri, an alumna of NAIST.
The research focused on “Metabolomic Profiling of Medinilla speciosa Fruit at Different Developmental Stages Using LCMS.” During the internship, Noor learned about metabolomic profiling techniques, sample extraction, LCMS operation, data annotation, and analysis. Data processing used Xcalibur software (Thermo Fisher Scientific) and included four main steps: 1) Qual Browser, 2) Processing Setup, 3) Sequence Setup, and 4) Quan Browser.
In addition to hands-on research, Noor participated in weekly unit and seminar meetings. These sessions provided opportunities to present progress, share research findings, and receive feedback from lab members and supervisors. The experience enhanced her understanding of metabolite diversity and its role in secondary plant metabolism, offering insights valuable for future research in metabolite engineering.
In addition to hands-on research, Noor participated in weekly unit and seminar meetings. These sessions provided opportunities to present progress, share research findings, and receive feedback from lab members and supervisors. The experience enhanced her understanding of metabolite diversity and its role in secondary plant metabolism, offering insights valuable for future research in metabolite engineering.
The internship provided significant personal and academic growth, exposing Noor to Japan’s educational environment, discipline, and research culture. Beyond academics, she also explored the beauty and culture of Japan, particularly in Nara, Osaka, and Kyoto.
This program highlights the importance of international collaboration, equipping students with new knowledge and experiences. It also supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 4 (Quality Education) and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). It hoped this collaboration will continue, enabling more students and institutions to benefit.
This program highlights the importance of international collaboration, equipping students with new knowledge and experiences. It also supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 4 (Quality Education) and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). It hoped this collaboration will continue, enabling more students and institutions to benefit.
[Noor Nailis Sa’adah, Doctoral Student, Faculty of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, 2023 Intake]
