The Environmental Genomics Laboratory, led by Professor Naomichi Yamamoto, aims to elucidate the environmental distribution and dynamics of microorganisms, including pathogens, antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), and allergens, using molecular biological techniques. These pathogenic agents are thought to be spread and transported in the environment through routes such as the air and through wildlife. We aim to elucidate their distribution and dynamics by analyzing environmental DNA (eDNA).
Technologies used in our laboratory include metagenomic sequencing and RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) using next-generation sequencing (NGS). Since these technologies generate massive amounts of data (“Big Data”), students in our laboratory can also acquire knowledge such as bioinformatics and statistics for processing such large amounts of information.
Current specific research themes include:
1) Research on atmospheric bioaerosols
2) Research on indoor microbiome
3) Research on wildlife pathogens and dietary content in Korea
Theme 1) is related to fields such as aerosol science and atmospheric science. Theme 2) may be of interest to people in the field of architecture. Theme 3) is related to “One Health”, which considers the health of humans and animals together, and is related to the field of veterinary medicine. It is also related to wildlife ecology and conservation biology.
We welcome those who are interested in applying their knowledge to new fields, and those who are interested in pioneering new fields. If you're interested, please also check out the short YouTube video.
YouTube Link
Keywords: Environmental DNA (eDNA), Metagenome, Resistome, Parasitome, Virome, Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), Big Data, Bioaerosols, Aerobiology, Bioinformatics, One Health, Environmental microbiome