You may have heard the name "mitochondria" at least once. They are tiny organelles found within the cells of our bodies, ranging from several tens to thousands in number. However, these organelles are more than just ordinary. They play a crucial role in all vital activities, such as movement, thinking, and digestion, by generating the energy necessary for these functions. Additionally, they have their own unique set of genes called mitochondrial DNA, which is known to be inherited exclusively from the mother (maternal inheritance). Professor Ken Sato and Associate Professor Miyuki Sato from the Institute for Biological Information Signal Research have been fascinated by the mysteries of mitochondria and have made significant contributions to their research.

　Associate Professor Kiyohito Nagano specializes in mathematical optimization, particularly algorithmic research in discrete optimization targeting structures like networks. The concept of "submodularity," which abstracts networks, is also a central research theme. He is actively involved in research in artificial intelligence fields such as machine learning, a significant application area for discrete algorithms. He has published a book titled "Submodular Optimization and Machine Learning".