Medical ScienceProgram
Graduate School of Medicine
Program Overview
Doctor
AWARD
PhD in Medical Science
DURATION
3-4Y
SCHOOL(S)
Graduate School of Medicine
Medical Science Program
Program Introduction
Nagoya University’s Medical Science Graduate Program offers international students a comprehensive education in advanced biomedical research. The four-year Ph.D. program explores the molecular, biochemical, and biophysical basis of human biology and disease, with a focus on developing innovative medical technologies for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. Students receive rigorous training through over 200 expert-led lectures ("Tokuron") and 70 hands-on courses annually, along with weekly departmental seminars in specialized research areas.
The curriculum supports both broad scientific understanding and deep expertise in each student’s research focus, fostering independence and interdisciplinary collaboration. All instruction, research, and thesis defenses are conducted in English. The program begins in October to accommodate international academic schedules. For over a decade, the program has supported global participation through an English-based application and evaluation system.
Graduates of Nagoya University’s Graduate School of Medicine pursue a wide range of career paths. Many continue in academia as postdoctoral researchers or faculty members in Japan and abroad, contributing to cutting-edge research in medical science and public health. Others return to their home countries to work in hospitals, research institutes, or public health organizations, where they play an active role in strengthening healthcare systems and advancing community well-being.
Take a look at the List of Available Research Groups below to see the full list of available research topics.
List of Key Research Topics
Integrated Medicine (Basic Medicine)
Biological Chemistry / Microbiology and Immunology / Advanced Medical Science / Laboratory Animal Science / Cell Science / Neuroscience / Oncology / Higher Nervous Control / Regulation of Organ Function / Molecular and Cellular Adaptation / Anatomy and Cell Biology / Pathology / Social Life Science / health Promotion Medicine / Aging Research / HIV and AIDS / Neurochemistry / Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention
Integrated Medicine (Clinical Medicine / Clinical Pharmacology)
Internal Medicine / High-Technology Application of Medicine / Clinical Neuroscience / Head and Neck and Sensory Organ Medicine / Surgery / Musculoskeletal and Cutaneous Surgery / Biomedical Regulation / Clinical Management Medine / Medicines in Growth and Aging / Maternal and Perinatal Care / Psychiatry for Parents and Children / Comprehensive Management Medicine / Molecular Pharmacology / Clinical Pharmacology
How to Apply
The application period for the Medical Science PhD Program at the Graduate School of Medicine begins in January. Applicants are advised to contact their prospective research supervisor in advance to confirm whether the research group can accommodate an additional graduate student. If you do not receive a timely reply, we recommend contacting another research group.
Contact information for program professors can be found in the List of Available Research Groups above or by emailing the Graduate School directly. The Graduate School’s contact details are provided at the end of this page.
Please click the “Apply Here” icon above to view the full application instructions.
Tips for a succesful application :
- Contact intended research supervisor in advance
- Make sure to align research plan to the research field of supervising professor.
- Include examples of past research experience (papers, conference participations etc.)
- Submit your application before the application deadline so AO can check your application for missing documents.
Research Voice
Student from Filipino (Philippines)
What sparked your interest to pursue research in your chosen program?
Immunotherapy, such as Immune Checkpoint Blockade, CAR-T cell therapy, and Oncolytic Virus therapy (OV), has been developed worldwide, yet radiation therapy and chemotherapy remain the primary therapeutic options in my home country. While wealthy families can go abroad and access these latest therapies, most Filipino families including those who are living below the poverty line do not have this privilege. Experiencing the impact of these limitations firsthand sparked my interest in helping bring more effective cancer treatment strategies to the Philippines.
Through the Make New Standards Program, I attended a Bioinformatics Summer School hosted by the University of Padova in Italy.
What kind of research you do currently?
At the Cancer Immune Therapy Research Center, we work with oncolytic viruses (OV). OVs are variants of wild-type viruses whose virulence is sufficiently attenuated not to harm normal cells. They efficiently replicate in tumor cells due to the tumor cells' impaired antiviral systems. By lysing tumor cells, OVs not only eliminate tumor cells directly but also release tumor antigens that restimulate the already dysfunctional anti-tumor immunity. Currently, I am modifying our laboratory's OV to improve the delivery of tumor proteins to dendritic cells (DC) and to enhance the diversity of CD8+ T cells that target tumor cells.
What has been the most memorable research experience in your studies so far?
It was very satisfying when successfully performed a cross-presentation assay for the first time. For this experiment, I spent several months optimizing the methods for differentiating bone marrow cells into cDC1, the subtype of dendritic cells that specializes in cross-presentation. I then learned how to isolate the cDC1 and, later on, CD8+ T cells. Culturing the antigen with DC also required several attempts as the procedure varies depending on the antigen type (eg., protein, lysate, infected cells, etc.). The cross-presentation assay itself takes up an entire day and requires intense focus at every step.
What message would you like to share with someone considering pursuing research at Nagoya University?
Nagoya University offers the Make New Standards Program for the Next Generation Researchers, which provides substantial financial support to doctoral students. In addition to covering living expenses and partial tuition fees, the program also provides funding for participating in conferences and training abroad. Furthermore, it provides partial support for publication fees when publishing your research.
Towards the end of my master’s course in medical science at Nagoya University, I received the AnGes Young Investigator Award 2024 – Award of Excellence.
Applying what I learned from the Bioinformatics Summer School, I am now exploring how to analyze RNA sequencing data using R packages.
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Contact Info
Student Affairs Division
For the admission requirements and scholarship related inquiry, please contact the student affairs division of the school that you are applying for.
Reseach Group
Applicants to the G30 Graduate Programs are required to contact their prospective research supervisor in advance to confirm whether the research group can accommodate an additional graduate student. If you do not receive a timely response, we recommend reaching out to another research group. Contact information for program professors can be found in the List of Available Research Groups below, or by contacting the Graduate School directly via email.
