Interactions of Exercise, Probiotics, Functional Foods, and Stressors with Oral Responses

My name is Yōsuke Maruyama. I am an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at Nayoro City University in Hokkaido, Japan.

I previously worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences and the National Institute of Vegetable and Tea Science, both of which were research institutes affiliated with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan. 

I earned my Ph.D. in Life Science from Hokkaido University under the supervision of Professor Junji Yamaguchi.

Although I was born in Joetsu City, Niigata, I spent most of my childhood in Tochigi until I entered university. Therefore, I consider Tochigi my hometown. I've been playing baseball since my childhood. Recently, my alma mater, Ishibashi High School, reached the Koshien tournament. As an alumnus who also played on that baseball team, it’s a small source of pride for me.

When I entered university, I initially studied education. However, I became particularly interested in plant photosynthesis, especially carbohydrate metabolism, which led me to transfer to the Department of Biological Sciences in the Faculty of Science. As I studied plant metabolism in greater depth, I came to realize that understanding biological processes at the genetic level was essential. I gradually became fascinated by molecular biology and biochemistry, particularly in the context of plant research.

When I began my research at Nayoro City University, I shifted my research focus from plants to humans.

My current research focuses on the effects of exercise stress and probiotics on local oral immune responses. It is widely recognized that regular moderate exercise, such as walking, can help maintain a healthy immune status. In addition, consuming foods containing lactic acid bacteria, such as yogurt and fermented milk beverages, may enhance both local and systemic immune responses.

My research aims to better understand how exercise and probiotics interact to influence oral immune function.