Living organisms demonstrate remarkable resilience by adapting to extreme environments and unpredictable changes. Even when faced with unfavorable conditions or harsh seasons, they survive through predictive responses and dormancy mechanisms. Furthermore, they ensure the continuation of their species by regulating their lifespan and aging speed according to environmental conditions. These adaptive strategies represent crucial functions that underlie the evolutionary success of organisms.
Kataoka lab. aims to elucidate diverse environmental adaptation strategies of organisms including insects and microalgae at the molecular level. Specifically, we analyze genome evolution mechanisms using organisms living in extreme environments as models and investigate the molecular mechanisms of predictive responses and dormancy phenomena against unfavorable environments. Additionally, we strive to comprehensively understand biological adaptation strategies by uncovering the regulatory mechanisms of lifespan control and aging, while analyzing the molecular foundations of social behavior using deep learning approaches.
By applying these insights, we explore the potential of new biological resources, particularly insects, as sustainable food and feed sources. Our vision is to harness these unique biological functions for the benefit of future society.