Assoc.Prof. WATANABE Daisuke
Please tell us about your own research and what you find interesting about it.
Microorganisms play pivotal roles in improving shelf life and flavor during production of traditional fermented foods -- but how do they work? Yeasts for bread, beer, and wine making continuously interact with environments and other organisms; however, such complex microbial behavior and interactions still remain elusive. I would like to explore novel and surprising phenomena in yeast microbiology using familiar fermented foods.
Please tell us about the difficulties and joys of the research field.
Many trials and errors are often required for establishing experimental methods for fermented foods. Nevertheless, we must remember that novel findings can be obtained with novel experimental techniques. Being the first human to discover a new original fact is a very moving experience that only scientists can enjoy.
Please tell us about the expected results and social significance of the project.
Although microbiology has been developed based on aseptic technique and pure culture, natural ecosystems always include interactions with environments and other organisms. Traditional fermented foods can provide excellent experimental models to comprehend such microbial ecology. I hope to reveal essential basic principles to establish complicated microbial ecosystems like intestinal bacterial flora. Needless to say, our research substantially contributes to the food and beverage industries.
A message of support for students who are about to take the exam
Life is fun because it is unpredictable.
What websites, books, review articles, and so on, do you recommend for studying in order to apply for the lab ?
- JapanSakeOfficial; https://www.youtube.com/user/JapanSakeOfficial/videos
- “Moyasimon: Tales of Agriculture” by Masayuki Ishikawa
What do you do to keep yourself fresh?
Adorable mascot characters, such as Rilakkuma and Koupen-chan, always make me feel happy.