Our research group aims to contribute to society by constructing plant production systems that are robust against environmental stresses, utilizing specialized metabolites and phytohormones produced by plants themselves.
Plants are exposed to various environmental stresses, including non-biological stresses such as high temperatures and drought, as well as biological stresses such as pests and pathogens. Plants have evolved various means to survive and overcome environmental stresses. Plant hormones and secondary metabolites (specialized metabolites) are nano-sized natural organic compounds produced by plants and are indispensable chemical tools for plant survival strategies. Based on the concepts of Bioorganic Chemistry, Chemical Biology, and Biochemistry, we are designing and synthesizing new small molecules that regulate plant life phenomena and elucidating the biosynthesis of phytohormones and specialized metabolites and their mechanisms of action. Our research methods include organic synthesis, gene manipulation, enzyme chemistry, biological testing, and isolation and structure determination of natural organic compounds.
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