2024
Nov 8, 2024: A new paper has been published in Nature Communications representing new findings of the evolution of sex determination in nematodes! [Link]
Oct 1, 2024: The CREST research project, “Development of Innovative Chromosome Manipulation Techniques Using Nematode-Specific Chromosomal Rearrangement Phenomena,” has commenced. In collaboration with Dr. Asako Sugimoto at Tohoku University, we’re accelerating our research toward the development of chromosome manipulation technology.
Aug 28, 2024: Attended and gave an oral presentation at the nFuture 2024, Japan. Many presentations in the conference were given by students and postdocs, and the quality was impressively high.
Aug 23, 2024: Attended to the SESJ 2024 and delivered an invited talk in the symposium, “Diversity in Chromosome Number and Shape.” It was a fascinating event, offering a rare opportunity to hear about the intriguing diversity of chromosomes.
Aug 9, 2024: Launched our lab’s homepage! [Link] Please check it out if interested (though it’s still very much a work in progress).
Jun 17-24, 2024: Attended and gave an oral presentation at the Evoworm 2024 . It was an inspiring conference with world-leading researchers pioneering the field of nematode evolution.
Jun 11, 2024: Gave a lecture at the SOKENDAI Integrated Evolutionary Science Seminar.
Apr 1, 2024: New lab members have joined our lab: Dr. Naoko Fujito (Associate Professor), Dr. Yuki Inoshita (Assistant Professor), and Ms. Akiko Nishida (Technical Assistant).
Jan 1. 2024 I was appointed a specially-appointed professor at Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Japan. I will develop the genome diversitology of nematodes but also launch a new study of evolutionary biology for brain disease. [Link]
2023
Dec 6 We published a review paper in Ichthyoloigcal Research. It summarizes recent developments of genome studies of "fish" and their huge diversity. [Link]
Nov 28 We published a research article in Molecular Ecology. It concludes that karyotype evolution of medata is largely explained by a phenomena, "centromere repositioning". [Link]
Nov 24 I gave a seminar talk in Kitazato University. Also, I visited a lab of my old boss, Okada-sensei, who is still very active. It was wonderful to share the opinions to the recent trends of fields with him.
Sep 21-23 I attended to the 4th international Pristionchus meeting in Tübingen, Germany. It was the most at-home international meeting I've ever experienced. I gave a talk of the study published soon, which got very good responses.
Sep 18-20 I was invited as a speaker in the 8th Asia-Pacific Chromosome Colloquium in Turkey. It was an amazing time to discuss with famous cytogeneticist in the world.
Sep 11 Our collaborative review for intrinsic postzygotic reproductive isolation was published in Cold Springer Harbor Perspectie in Biology. It was one of many papers of the special issue for speciation. I recommend for people who are interested in speciation to read through these reviews. [Link]
Sep 6-Sep8 I was invited as a speaker in GSA-GSJ Joint Symposium "Evolutionary Genetics in the Genomic Era: Understanding Biological Diversity". It was fun to hear the advanced researches using different organisms.
Aug 31-Sep3 I organized a symposium "Future of evolutionary biology driven by diversity of nematodes" in SESJ. Though most of all speakers were nematode researchers who had not attended the evolutionary meeting, I got response from multiple people who was excited in all talks. It was the great evidence that "Nematode x Evolution" would be a new frontier in the field. Also, there was a ceremony for the research encouragement award.
July 23-27 I attended to SMBE 2023, Ferrara, Italy and presented in the poster session. It was helpful to understand the recent trends in molecular evolution. I was really glad to know that nematode researchers were increasing in this community!
July 10. 2023 I was invited to talk in the lecture in Brain Research Institute in Niigata University. It was very impressive since I got very crucial questions from the audience out of the field.
July 4. 2023 I received the research encouragement award in Society of Evolutionary Studies, Japan! It is my great pleasure and motivates me further to develop my research. [Link]
June 23. 2023 Our new review paper of the selfish genetic elements and speciation was out in Current Opinion in Genetics & Genetics. We mainly introduced the recent works in the last few years
June 21. 2023 I joined the Kick-off meeting of the international workshop, "Tree of Sex v2.0",(Hinxton, UK）and presented my recent research. It was exciting to interact with many world researchers who study the hard-core evolution of sex.
June 2. 2023 I gave the lecture "Outline of Bio-science" in Tokyo University. It was personally good time to summarise the general speciation study field as a long-time presentation.
Apr. 11. 2023 I presented in IOS (integration of speciation research) online seminar. It was wonderful time to talk at the center of the field and experience super exciting discussions.
Apr 1. 2023 I moved to National Institute of Genetics, Japan as a specially appointed assistant professor. I will continue the nematode study but also involve in more ecological projects.
Jan 30. 2023 My first-author paper about speciation genetics in Pristionchus nematodes was published in Nature Ecology and Evolution [Link]. This is also the first paper of my corresponding authorship. Here is an background story in "Behind the paper" of Nature Portfolio Ecology and Evolution [Link].
Jan 28- Feb. 3 2023 Attended Gordon Research Seminar (GRS), speciation and Gordon Research Conference (GRC), speciation. It was a great time to talk with prominent researchers in the speciation field. My poster was selected in the top 10 in GRS. It was also an important opportunity to let people know speciation study of nematodes.
Oct 4. 2022 Ryo Hatashima from Tokyo Institute of Technology came to our lab and started projects together for six weeks. Hope he finds fun experience of nematode research!
Sep 4-9. 2022 Visited Japanese institute and universities and presented in the seminars (National Institute of Genetics, Tohoku University and Hiroshima University). This was also wonderful time to discuss with many students and staffs.
2022
Aug. 29-30. 2022 Presented in "future of the nematodes studies 2022" [Link]. Also, I organized the conference as as the chair of program committee.
Aug. 18. 2022 The co-author paper with Christian was published in G3. This is the genome paper of a species of Parapristionchus, which is closely related genus of Pristionchus [Link]
2021
Sep. 1. 2021 Awarded "Next Leader Award" in the meeting of "Future of the nematodes studies", Japan.
Jun. 30. 2021 Opened homepage "Genome driving biodiversity", which aims introduction of my research and related genome biology.