研究室紹介

Systematic Forest and Forest Products Science

We conduct research on the forest environment and the diverse organisms that make up forests from a variety of perspectives. We aim to clarify the environmental functions of plants, elucidate the active ingredients that improve human life through functional foods, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, and make effective use of forest resources from a variety of perspectives. Based on plant ecophysiology and environmental biophysics, we also conduct research on plant evolution, atmospheric, light and soil environments, forest insects, space agriculture and Mars terraforming.

Research Interests

We are evaluating the effects of volatiles emitted from Japanese cedar (Sugi, Cryptomeria japonica) on humans, and clarifying the composition and evaluating the functionality of various mushrooms (Hakatasugitake mushroom, Enokitake mushroom, Bunashimeji mushroom, Reishi mushroom, Yamabushitake mushroom), plants, microorganisms, insects, and marine products. We are also working toward standardization of tatami fragrance. We are isolating and identifying functional components using various types of chromatography, conducting metabolomics analysis using LC-QTOFMS, human testing of plant fragrances, and clarifying the functions of extracted components (functional evaluation using cells, etc.). We are analyzing the evolutionary process of mosses to ferns and conifers from the perspective of light utilization. To elucidate the environmental factors driving the evolution of terrestrial plants, we study the effects of solar radiation and gravity, including space experiments. Based on the results of these studies, we are developing new experimental and measurement tools.

Keyword of Research Area