Researcher Profiles

Research fields
Plant pathology

Research activities
Professor Arie is analyzing the attack mechanisms of plant diseases and the mechanisms of the evolution and differentiation of plant disease pathogenicity from the perspectives of molecular biology, genomics and molecular phylogenetics, using Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici as his primary model. He is also focusing his efforts on establishing comprehensive technologies for suppressing plant diseases.
Development of new microbial pesticides used to control Gibberella fujikuroi by treating flowerpots/containers with them
Professor Arie is engaged in research to find new ways to prevent the occurrence of major rice seed infectious diseases in the next generation by treating their flowerpots/containers with microbes that control pests. In addition to making it possible to produce seeds that incorporate microbial pesticides¡ªmeaning the seeds require no treatment¡ªthis technique has a low environmental impact and could help reduce costs and labor.
Research overview: Development of new microbial pesticides used to control Gibberella fujikuroi by treating flowerpots/containers with them

Related websites
Researcher Database?(ARIE Tsutomu)
Laboratory of Plant Pathology

Research fields
Applied chemistry, high polymer chemistry, materials engineering

Research activities
Biorefinery with ionic liquids
Professor Ohno is developing ionic liquids (liquid salts composed solely of cations and anions) that melt and remove useful substances such as cellulose and lignin from biomasses under temperate conditions. He is also engaged in the development of ionic liquids imbued with various new functions, as well as focusing on biology-related fields and developing new enzyme and protein solvents.
Research overview: Biorefinery with ionic liquids

Development of reversible and temperature-driven phase transitions of ionic liquid/water mixtures
Professor Ohno is designing and synthesizing new ionic liquids that show highly thermos-sensitive and reversible phase change between a uniform mixture and liquid-liquid phase separation after mixing them with water, and is cumulating fundamental data on the phase behaviour.He is using this information to develop cooling systems and create chemical pumps that reversibly absorb and discharge water via macromolecularization.
Research overview: Development of reversible and temperature-driven phase transitions of ionic liquid/water mixtures

Related websites
Researcher Database?(OHNO Hiroyuki)
Ohno Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Faculty of Engineering

Research fields
Agriculture in production environments, horticulture

Research activities
Increasing the yield of blueberries and making it possible to grow them year-round in plant factories that mimic the four seasons
Professor Ogiwara is researching ways to speed up the lifecycle of potted blueberry plants, making it possible to produce highly safe, high-quality blueberries year-round by constructing plant factories equipped with rooms that mimic the four seasons and moving the blueberry plants to these rooms.

Research overview: Increase blueberry yields and make it possible to grow them year-round in plant factories that mimic the four seasons

Related websites
Researcher Database?(OGIWARA Isao)
Laboratory of Horticultural Science

Research fields
Nano/microscience, applied physics, electrical and electronic engineering, materials engineering

Research activities
Researching nanoelectronics and nanotechnology
Professor Shirakashi is researching nanotechnology and nanoelectronics using scanning probe microscopy and electron beam exposure, as well as developing and using new ultra-minute machining technologies on the nanometer scale.
Research overview: Researching nanoelectronics and nanotechnology

Related websites
Researcher Database (SHIRAKASHI Jun-ichi)

Shirakashi Group, Institute of Engineering

Research fields
Agricultural chemistry, basic chemistry, biomolecular science

Research activities
Large-scale chemosynthesis of modified peptides and nucleic acid derivatives
Extensively modified peptides are substances seen as keys to the creation of useful medical products. Repeated chemical reactions are necessary to synthesize peptides that show effective reactions, and Professor Chiba focuses on the assembly of molecules known as reverse micelles and has made it significantly easier to control these repeated reactions. This will help ensure the rapid production of a diverse variety of useful substances that are candidates for medical products in the quantities needed.
Research overview: Large-scale chemosynthesis of modified peptides and nucleic acid derivatives

Related websites
Researcher Database (CHIBA Kazuhiro)

Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory

Research fields
Informatics frontiers, science education and educational technology, cultural asset study and museology

Research activities
Handwriting pattern recognition and user interfaces
Professor Nakagawa wants to increase the sophistication of handwriting interfaces to boost creative interactions between people and computers.
Research overview: Handwriting pattern recognition and user interfaces

Related websites
Researcher Database (NAKAGAWA Masaki)

Nakagawa Laboratory, Department of Computer and Information Sciences