Research interests
Overall Research
FBRians pursue to produce value-added materials from bioresources such as renewable biomass and food byproducts as well as plastics using biological approaches such as recombinant enzymes and microorganisms as well as chemical catalysts.
1. Renewable biomass engineering
As part of our efforts to prevent climate change, we handle renewable biomass such as lignocellulose and macroalgae as well as byproducts to produce value-added materials including biosugars, bio-based chemicals (bioplastic monomers and platform chemicals, etc.), and biofuels.
2. Carbohydrate engineering
We try to produce value-added biosugars as well as their derivatives from common natural sugars. They include 1. rare sugars that have various health benefits, 2. functional oligosaccharides, and 3. polysaccharides that have the potential as dietary fiber or unique physical properties.
Production of rare sugars by biological conversion through a muti-enzymatic cascade system
Production of biosugars and oligosaccharides by efficient hydrolysis through enzymes or chemical catalysts
Synthesis of oligosaccharides through enzymatic transglycosylation
Production of polysaccharides by efficient extraction and modification from raw materials and by microbial fermentation
3. Plastic engineering
As part of our efforts to respond to the global plastic issue,
Development of an efficient integrated chemo-bioprocess for plastic upcycling to achieve resource circular
Production of advanced plastics through efficient plastic recycling and modification processes
Development of fermentation and bioconversion process to utilize plastic monomers to produce value-added materials
Production of bioplastic building blocks from renewable biomass
4. Microbiome engineering
Isolation and characterization of a new indigenous probiotic strain and development of the efficient isolation system
Engineering probiotic yeast to improve its functional properties
Production of unique prebiotics through biological approaches
5. Future alternative food
Isolation and characterization of a new indigenous probiotic strain and development of the efficient isolation system
Engineering probiotic yeast to improve its functional properties
Production of unique prebiotics through biological approaches