Outlook for research Studying the capabilities and survival strategies of insects and leveraging them in daily lifeOutlook for research Understanding the nature of stem cells and controlling their fate51応用生物科学科Department of Applied Biology応用生物科学科Department of Applied BiologyOutlookforstudentsaftergraduationOutlookforstudentsaftergraduationInsectsarethemostprosperousanimalsontheearth.Theyemployartfulsurvivalstrategiestoadapttotheenvironment,andeachspecieshasdevelopeduniquefeatures.Iinvestigateattractiveandusefulcapabilitiesofinsectsinordertoleveragethemtobenefitourdailylivesinthefuture.Insectsarenotcompletelydifferentfromus,afactthatisclearevenifweonlyconsidertheirmorphology.Researchintothespecialfeaturesofinsectsprovidesuswithimportantcluestounderstandingourselvesashumans.Thepicturetotherightshowsagreenlarva.Inthislarva,dye‐bindingproteinsarestoredingranulesinepidermalcells.Mylabisresearchingthemechanismbywhichthesegranulesareformed.Bydiscoveringhowthatoccurs,wehopetoalsodiscoveramechanismbywhichsecretoryproteinscanbemaintainedwithincells.Graduates are active as researchers at food and pharmaceutical manufacturers and as public officials.AssociateProfessorKojiShiraiAssociateProfessorShiraitookhiscurrentpositionafterworkingasaCOEspecialresearcherattheNationalInstituteofSericulturalandEntomologicalScienceoftheMinistryofAgriculture,Forestry,andFisheriesandasanassistantprofessoratShinshuUniversity.Hisareasofspecializationarebiologicalchemistryandmolecularcellbiologyforutilizinginsectsandinsectcells.Thegreenlarvaofthesweetpotatohornworm,Agriusconvolvuli,alargelepidopteraninsectfoundthroughoutJapan.Adye‐bindingproteinextractedfromthedermalcellofaninsect.Theproteincontainscluesaboutproteinsecretioncontrol.ThespermatogenicpotentialofGScellsisexpectedtofindapplicationnotonlyintreatingmaleinfertility,butalsoinproducingsuperiorlivestock.Inaddition,mGScellsareexpectedtoserveasanothersourceofpluripotentstemcellssuchasiPScells.Inthiscontext,GScellsmightbecalledmultipotentstemcellswiththepotentialtocontributetoawiderangeoffields.Thevalueofthemarketassociatedwithregenerativemedicineisexpectedtogrowto1trillionyenin2020(accordingtostatisticsfromtheMinistryofEconomy,TradeandIndustry).Itismyhopethatourfuturecolleagueswillbeabletoplayaremarkableroleingrowthindustries,includinginregenerativemedicine.RegenerativemedicineusingiPScellsisexpectedtoserveasanovelapproachforcuringdisease.Mylabisfocusingongermlinestem(GS)cells,tissue‐specificstemcellsintestis.AlthoughGScellshavealreadycommittedtogermcelllineage,theyalsohavepluripotencypotentialandoftende‐differentiateintomultipotentGS(mGS)cellsthatpossesspluripotencylikeiPScells.ThegoalofourresearchistounderstandtheuniquenatureofGS/mGScellsandcontroltheirfate.AssociateProfessorSeijiTakashimaAfterreceivingadoctorate(inengineering)fromTokyoInstituteofTechnology,AssociateProfessorTakashimaworkedasaresearchfellowattheUniversityofTokyobeforecomingKyotoUniversityasanassistantprofessor.Hisareasofresearchareregenerativemedicineandstemcellbiology.GScells.Left:MouseGScellsgrowinginvitro.Center:SpermatogenesisinthetestistransplantedwithGScellsexpressinggreenfluorescentprotein(GFP).Right:MouseoffspringproducedfromspermderivedfromGScellsexpressingGFP.TheoffspringalsoexhibitedgreenfluorescenceunderUVlight.ThepluripotencypotentialofGScells.Left:mGScellsde‐differentiated(rejuvenated)fromGScells.mGScellspossesspluripotencylikeiPScells.Right:mGScancontributetotheformationof“chimeramice.”mGS‐derivedtissueinthechimaeramiceexhibitedGFPexpression.
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