Research Projects

Global Gut Microbiology for human health and long life

40 trillion bacteria consisting of several hundreds of species reside and form community in human intestine. Recent progress in intestinal microbiology reveals that those inhabiting microbes play an important role for maintenance of host health. We are now trying to understand the relationship among foods, gut microbiota, and host health in collaboration with microbiologists, clinicians and scientists in industries in the world. Our objective is to gain knowledge about foods shaping healthy microbiota and contribute to human health and long life. To achieve this objective, we are now undergoing below projects.

Analysis of microbiome and metabolites of Asian populations
⇒ Asian Microbiome Project

Study on establishment of gut microbiota in infancy and its relationship to health in later life（Japan Environment and Children's Study）

Gut microbiome and metabolome of patients in certain diseases（in collaboration with faculty of medicine）

Study on regulatory mechanism of toxin production (quorum sensing) of intestinal pathogens

Heatlh effect simulation of foods via microbiota using in vitro gut model

Investigation of health effect of food components via gut microbiota（in collaboration with industry）

抗菌ペプチド・バクテリオシンに関する研究

発酵食品などに広く見出される乳酸菌によって生産される抗菌ペプチド・バクテリオシンは、安全性の高い抗菌物質として様々な用途への利用が期待されています。優れた特性をもつバクテリオシンを探索し、その構造と機能、生合成機構、利用について、研究を行っています。

新奇乳酸菌バクテリオシンの探索と構造・特性の解析

乳酸菌による多成分バクテリオシン生産に関する研究

乳酸菌由来新奇環状バクテリオシンに関する研究

乳酸菌由来新奇リーダーレスバクテリオシンに関する研究

乳酸菌・類縁菌が生産するランチビオティックに関する研究

乳酸菌バクテリオシンの食品保存料や抗菌剤としての利用