Assoc.Prof. MOROZUMI Yuichi
Please tell us about your own research and what you find interesting about it.
Cells need to tightly regulate their growth and proliferation in response to environmental conditions through various signaling pathways. Using yeast as a model, our research group is studying regulatory mechanisms of such pathways related to diabetes, cancer, and aging. We are also interested in the regulation of cell growth under high temperature conditions.
Please tell us about the difficulties and joys of the research field.
Research is a process of forming hypotheses based on previous findings and then testing them through experiments. Although the results are often not as expected, I get really excited when everything goes well. The greatest pleasure comes from discovering something that no one in the world knew before.
Please tell us about the expected results and social significance of the project.
The signaling pathways that regulate cell growth are highly conserved between humans and yeast, the latter of which is widely used as a model to understand eukaryotic possesses. Our findings may contribute to the development of new treatments for diseases such as diabetes and cancer. Given increasing concerns over climate warming, understanding of the growth regulation at high temperatures is critical, and our findings could potentially lead to new methods for alleviating heat stress. Furthermore, our research may contribute to the widespread use of bioethanol, which is produced by yeast fermentation as an alternative energy source to fossil fuels.
A message of support for students who are about to take the exam
Many researchers conducting cutting-edge research in various fields are working at NAIST. There are also many international students, providing ample opportunities to learn English and different cultures. Let’s join us and enjoy this lovely environment.
What websites, books, review articles, and so on, do you recommend for studying in order to apply for the lab ?
I recommend using “Essential Cell Biology'' to study the basis of cell biology.
What do you do to keep yourself fresh?
Going out with my family on a day off. Savoring tasty foods.