VISION
Life and Light: Exploring Marine Microbial Adaptation and Evolution
Life has continuously adapted and evolved in response to environmental changes, ranging from short-term fluctuations over days to long-term transformations spanning hundreds of millions of years. A powerful tool for unraveling these complex processes lies in omics data, such as genomes (complete genomes), transcriptomes (mRNA), and metagenomes (comprehensive environmental DNA analysis). Particularly transformative in this field is the advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, which has revolutionized biology by enabling the rapid and comprehensive analysis of genetic data, creating entirely new research possibilities.
The Yoshizawa Group focuses on the fascinating interplay between life and light, with a special emphasis on how marine microorganisms utilize light. By integrating cutting-edge bioinformatics and molecular biology techniques with traditional field science and biological approaches, we aim to uncover the dynamics of life-light interactions within the captivating context of the ocean.
In addition, we are actively engaged in the Ocean DNA Project, which seeks to analyze DNA drifting in seawater to comprehensively study organisms ranging from microbes to large marine animals. Through these efforts, we aim to expand our understanding of the marine ecosystem and its intricate connections.
This section is one of the four sections of the Center for Earth Surface System Dynamics (CESD). The CESD was established in 2010 following the merger of Ocean Research Institute and Center for Climate System Research into the Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute.