About
Motohiro Akashi received his PhD in Bioscience from the Tokyo University of Agriculture. During his university years, he learned molecular genetic analysis methods using microorganisms. Since 2018, he has been conducting research in environmental microbiology and virology as a postdoctoral and project researcher. His research aims to understand the mechanisms of evolution and ecology of environmental microbes and viruses through biological experiments and bioinformatics analysis. Recently, his interests have focused on disparity mutagenesis and understanding the distribution of giant viruses and their hosts in the wetland soil environment.
RESEARCH INTERESTSGiantvirus; Amoeba; Bacillus subtilis; Mutation; Ecology; Evolution; Early life.
RESEARCH FIELDSMicrobiology; Molecular genetics; Evolutionary biology; Microbial ecology; Environmental virology.
EXPERIENCE Research Assistant, Molecular&Genetics Lab., Tokyo University of Agriculture — 2014-2016Postdoc, Tokyo University of Science, Takemura Lab, Tokyo, Japan — 2018-2021Project Researcher, University of Tokyo, Iwasaki Lab, Chiba, Japan — 2021-2022Assistant Professor, Seikei University, Suzuki Lab, Tokyo, Japan — 2022-Present
EDUCATION Tokyo Metropolitan Fuji High School, Tokyo, Japan — High School Diploma, 2006.Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan — Bachelor of Bio Science, 2012.Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan — Master of Bio Science, 2014.Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan — Doctor of Bio Science, Ph.D., 2017.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPSociety of Evolutionary Studies, JapanJapanese Society of Micorbial EcologyThe Japanese Society for Virology
SKILLS Basic molecular biology experiments, transformation of B. subtilis, genetics of B. subtilis, spore analysis of Bacillus subtilis, transformation of E. coli, experiments with Acanthamoeba, isolation of giant viruses, sample preparation for TEM analysis, statistical analysis, molecular phylogenetic analysis, genomic analysis, metagenomic analysis, research management & assistance, syllabus planning.
PROGRAMMINGR, Python, awk & shell script.
Favorite Quote"Life Finds a Way" – Dr. Ian Malcolm, Jurassic Park (1993).
RESEARCH FIELDSMicrobiology; Molecular genetics; Evolutionary biology; Microbial ecology; Environmental virology.
EXPERIENCE Research Assistant, Molecular&Genetics Lab., Tokyo University of Agriculture — 2014-2016Postdoc, Tokyo University of Science, Takemura Lab, Tokyo, Japan — 2018-2021Project Researcher, University of Tokyo, Iwasaki Lab, Chiba, Japan — 2021-2022Assistant Professor, Seikei University, Suzuki Lab, Tokyo, Japan — 2022-Present
EDUCATION Tokyo Metropolitan Fuji High School, Tokyo, Japan — High School Diploma, 2006.Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan — Bachelor of Bio Science, 2012.Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan — Master of Bio Science, 2014.Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan — Doctor of Bio Science, Ph.D., 2017.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPSociety of Evolutionary Studies, JapanJapanese Society of Micorbial EcologyThe Japanese Society for Virology
SKILLS Basic molecular biology experiments, transformation of B. subtilis, genetics of B. subtilis, spore analysis of Bacillus subtilis, transformation of E. coli, experiments with Acanthamoeba, isolation of giant viruses, sample preparation for TEM analysis, statistical analysis, molecular phylogenetic analysis, genomic analysis, metagenomic analysis, research management & assistance, syllabus planning.
PROGRAMMINGR, Python, awk & shell script.
Favorite Quote"Life Finds a Way" – Dr. Ian Malcolm, Jurassic Park (1993).