Projects
Research of basic techniques
Genomics
The project attempts to understand how genome-encoded genes function and create designed genomes that produce materials useful for human life.
Transcriptomics
The project analyzes a nucleic acid "RNA;, various functions of which has been identified in recent years, through informatics and molecular biology and challenges the new paradigm of genetic control.
Proteomics
This project aims comprehensive analysis of whole proteins expressed in cells/ tissues/ body fluids. Our goal is to understand whole proteome (protein + -ome) in human and other organism.
Metabolomics
This project aims to develop high-throughput comprehensive chemical analysis to apply metabolome data to medicine, metabolic engineering, and agriculture.
Bioinformatics
The project aims to develop a software named "E-CELL System", a basic environment to run various simulations on cells and organisms on the computer.
Research of application
Biomedical Applications
Cancer Metabolome Project
A project to study the metabolic state of cancer cells by identifying and measuring metabolic substances linked to cancer development and growth.
"Tsuruoka Metabolome Cohort Study" project
"Tsuruoka Metabolome Cohort Study" project aims to understand the mechanism of lifestyle related diseases, to establish the efficient preventives, in cooperation with Tsuruoka city and local health / medical organizations. This is the world-first cohort study using Metabolome analysis technique, and will be utilized for citizens' health checkup in the future.
Human-associated microbiota
The final goal of this project is to develop the disease prevention and preemptive medical care system based on the regulation of human-associated microbiota.
Environmental Applications
Environmental Microorganisms
Although various environments were present on the earth and diverse microbes were living there, less than 1% of the microbes were previously researched. To clarify the effect of microbes for the earth and microbial diversity, we analyzed microbes living in hot springs and soil environments.
Nutritional & Agricultural Applications
Metabolome analysis of the agricultural products
Metabolome analysis is being used to investigate the relationship between taste components and cultivation conditions as well as processing and storage methods for a variety of agricultural produce, including traditional vegetables and fruits.
Analysis of characteristics of rice
Through analyzing the characteristics of flavorful rice produced in Yamagata Prefecture, such as Tsuyahime rice, we are working to figure out what make these varieties so appealing and apply the findings from our research to the production of rice in the future. We are also doing research to understand how the characteristics of different rice varieties affect the sake-making process.
