On June 17, 2019, a group from the University of Ghana visited President Juichi Yamagiga.
Prof. Miho Murayama, Wildlife Research Center, arranged the meeting and invited Prof. Boniface Kayang, an associate professor at University of Ghana, Christopher Adenyo, a research fellow from the university, Prof. Rob Ogden from Edinburgh University and Prof. Koide Takeshi from National Institute of Genetics. They discussed the progress on collaborative research at the University of Ghana University with Mr. Yamagura.
Prof. Murayama is conducting a research project in Ghana to domesticate wild rodents called grass cutters. Grass cutters are eaten as delicacy, but ecological destruction is becoming serious due to population growth and excessive hunting in the country. The project aims at applying the technology of gene analysis to select easy-to-treat and tamed individuals from wild grass cutters, and domesticate them in cooperation with local farmers. So far, the University of Ghana and Wildlife Research Center have mainly carried out the collaborative project, but will expand he scale of breeding experiments with the addition of the University of Edinburgh and the National Institute of Genetics.
President Yamagura touched on the philosophy of the Kyoto School, which advocated the fusion of nature and culture, and stated that this project represents a unique approach of this university that applies advanced science to solve the problem of biological resources. Kyoto University concluded an academic exchange agreement with the University of Ghana in 2017, and expects further academic collaboration in the future.
Prof. Kayang explaining the project
Group photo
