Faculty of Textile Science and Technology Research Activity2015｜Shinshu Universi

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55Bioresource and Environmental ScienceStudying the capabilities and survival strategies of insects and leveraging them in daily lifeDivision of Applied BiologyInsects are the most prosperous animals on earth. They employ artful survival strategies to adapt to the environment, and each species has developed unique features. I investigate attractive and useful capabilities of insects in order to leverage them to benefit our daily lives in the future. Insects are not completely different from us, a fact that is clear even if we only consider their morphology. Research into the special features of insects provides us with important clues to understanding ourselves as humans.Associate Professor Shirai took his current position after working as a COE special researcher at the National Institute of Sericultural and Entomological Science of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries and as an assistant professor at Shinshu University. His areas of specialization are biological chemistry and molecular cell biology for utilizing insects and insect cells.The picture to the right shows a green larva. In this larva, dye-binding proteins are stored in granules in epidermal cells. My lab is researching the mechanism by which these granules are formed. By discovering how that occurs, we hope to also discover a mechanism by which secretory proteins can be maintained within cells.Outlook for researchGraduates are active as researchers at food and pharmaceutical manufacturers and as public ocials.Outlook for students after graduationA dye-binding protein extracted from the dermal cell of an insect. The protein contains clues about protein secretion control.The green larva of the sweet potato hornworm, Agrius convolvuli, a large lepidopteran insect found throughout Japan.Koji ShiraiAssociate ProfessorBioresource and Environmental ScienceCreating new plants based on knowledge of basic plant science in order to contribute to the development of a sustainable societyDivision of Applied BiologyI investigate the molecular mechanisms by means of which plants protect themselves from salinity stress (high-salt environments) using the experimental methods of molecular biology, molecular genetics, and plant physiology. I hope to develop innovative technology to generate salt-resistant crops in order to increase agricultural yields in salt-affected areas.Associate Professor Horie took his current position in 2010 after working as a researcher at the University of California, San Diego, and as an assistant professor on special contract with the Institute of Plant Science and Resources at Okayama University. His research centers on the basic molecular physiology of plants and plant genetic and cellular engineering based on it.I expect that my lab’s research could become an important element in avoiding food and energy shortages that are expected in the near future if we can apply knowledge obtained from basic plant science to breed salt-tolerant plants.Outlook for researchMany of the students in my lab choose to pursue careers with companies whose work involves plants. Graduates also tend to be interested in working for companies that develop distinctive environmental technologies or in becoming teachers.Outlook for students after graduationWe analyze the target Na+ transporter that is essential for plant salt tolerance in the oocyte expression system of Xenopus laevis. We are attempting to produce mutagenized Na+ transporters, which we expect to increase the salt tolerance of the host plants.My lab focuses on rice and plants in the genius Arabidopsis for molecular physiological studies using wild-type and Na+ transporter-mutant plants. The picture shows an example of a hydroponic culture of rice plants.Tomoaki HorieAssociate Professor

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