The Nishitani Lab is a brand new research group launching in October 2026 at Tohoku University. We are currently seeking highly motivated and curious founding members who are excited to build a positive and collaborative lab culture together from the ground up.
We seek highly motivated and curious individuals passionate about nanotechnolgy, chemical and biomolecular engineering, mateiral science, and biology. English is the official language of the lab. An English proficiency equivalent to a TOEFL score of 100 or higher is preferred as a guideline.
Our Co-Mentorship System:
As a unique independent lab located at the Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials (IMRAM), we operate under a highly collaborative co-mentorship system. Students will officially enroll in either the Department of Chemistry (Graduate School of Science) or the Graduate School of Life Sciences under the joint supervision of our senior partner professors, while conducting their primary research in our lab. You will benefit from diverse academic networks, multiple perspectives, and robust dual mentorship.
For most international applicants, we highly recommend joining our lab first as a "Research Student" (non-degree preparatory student) for 6 months. This allows you to adapt to life in Japan, prepare for the entrance exam, and start preliminary research.
In Japan, the financial support environment for Ph.D. students has dramatically improved. We are fully committed to helping our students secure funding so they can focus entirely on their research. Please refer to the FAQ section below for a realistic roadmap and specific funding opportunities.
If you are interested in joining us, please send an email to Dr. Nishitani at snishitani@berkeley.edu with the CV and Cover Letter attached in PDF format.
We are looking for highly motivated and ambitious researchers who are eager to leverage their core expertise while boldly jumping into new, interdisciplinary research fields.
We are fully committed to supporting postdoctoral candidates in securing independent funding. If you have recently completed your Ph.D. or are expecting to graduate soon, we strongly encourage you to contact us as early as possible. We will work closely with you to prepare competitive proposals for domestic and international fellowships, including:
If you are interested in joining us as a postdoc, please send an email to Dr. Nishitani at snishitani@berkeley.edu with the following documents attached in PDF format: