Invasion genetics of Pseudorasbora parva
Characterizing ayu grazed biofilm bacterial communities and the ayu gut microbiome
Development of an epigenetic clock for Japanese eel
Japanese eel is an important commercial fisheries species, yet has also been classified as endangered by CITES and the Japanese Ministry of the Environment. In order to contribute to the appropriate management of this species I am developing a non-invasive method for determining the age of fish.
Understanding connectivity and the effect of disturbance on the freshwater communities of the Chikuma River
The Chikuma-Shinano Basin is one of the largest in Japan and hosts a diversity of freshwater taxa. The basin is also subject to human (agricultural and urban development) and natural (floods) disturbances and fragmentation due to dams and weirs. Colleagues and I at Nagano University are using a combination of eDNA, fish surveys, biofilm community functional analysis, and more to assess the freshwater communities of this important river basin.
Comparative genomics of Aphanomyces
Aphanomyces is a genus of water moulds (Oomycetes), including reknown pathogens causing diseases such as crayfish plague, root rot, and epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS, in Japanese: 真菌性肉芽腫症). This project aims to utilise a genomics approach to address questions that will help improve our understanding of the evolutionary history of these species.