From February 10 to 26, 2025, seven students (two master's course students and five undergraduate students) from Patuakhali Science and Technology University in Bangladesh, along with a faculty member, Prof. Quzi Sharmin Akter, were invited to Gifu University to participate in the Sakura Science Program Course C (Science and Technology Training Course). Prof. Akter is an alumna of the MURASE Laboratory.

10 February 2025

Invitees arrived in Chubu International Airport in early morning and moved to an apartment house, where they had a rest for a while. Then they underwent orientation of the course in a students practice room of Gifu University. Invitees lived a life by preparing meals for themselves during the period.

11 – 14 February 2025

Training practice was held by Associate Professor SAKAGUCHI Kenichiro on embryo transfer in cattle. Basic training on embryo manipulation was carried out by using bovine uterus and oocytes, which were inserted into the uterus and then recovered to examine under the microscope.

• Advantages and disadvantages of the artificial insemination (AI), semen collection method and standard semen analyses methods were explained and then training of artificial insemination technique was carried out by using uterus.
• Procedures of cryopreservation of frozen semen for AI was explained. Students underwent a training of preparation of diluent for cryopreservation of semen.
• Lecture was given on special semen analyses methods.
• Students visited the Laboratory of Animal Developmental Engineering (Head, Dr HIMAKI Takehiro) to learn biotechnological technique including oocyte collection from pig ovaries, in-vitro fertilization and intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection.

15 Feb 2025

As a cultural activity, we visited Gifu Castle by climbing in a cable car and then Ukai Museum, a museum on traditional fishing in Nagar River in Gifu. The weather on the top of the Mt. Kinka, where Gifu Castle is located, was so beautiful that wonderful landscape was seen from the Gifu Castle.

16 February 2025

As a cultural activity, we also visited Shirakawago Village, where traditional Japanese old style of houses is seen. There was much snow in the village, and this was the first time for the students to see snow in their life.

17 - 18 February 2025

• Basic training on rectal palpation followed by AI in cattle was carried out.
• Students underwent a training on the technique to stain spermatozoa with a fluorescent probe to examine viability.
• Students experienced rectal palpation with a cow.
• At the end, discussion was carried out by presenting what the students learned during the course. Comments were given that it was a good opportunity to join the course providing trainings that are not available in their mother country.

19 February 2025

In the very early morning, invitees left the accommodation and then, departing from the Chubu International Airport, they safely arrived in Bangladesh.

●In the end, what the host feels:

I was very pleased to accept Professor Akter and her students as an alumina return to the graduated Laboratory, and I am very much relieved by the comments made by the invitees that the course was very useful because the provided training was one that is not available in their home country.

I am honorable if the course was useful to the students because the host thought that the students are expected to contribute very much to the development of animal husbandry in the future in Bangladesh.

I wish to thank the staff of JST Sakura Science Program and administration office of the Gifu University for their assistance in the performance of the course, Associate Professor SAKAGUCHI for the part of the course and Assistant Professor HIMAKI for his acceptance of visit by the invitees.