SUGAWARA Masayuki Associate Professor

ThemeStudies on brewing microorganisms and plant symbiotic bacteria

My DreamContributing to a sustainable food supply through microbial research

Belongs

Research Department/Department of Life and Food Sciences/Division of Food Science/Section of Biomolecular Structure and Function
Faculty (Unit)Food Science Program
Field Brewing microbiology, Genome microbiology, Applied microbiology
Keyword Brewing microorganisms, Yeast, Lactic acid bacteria, Gene, Genome, Microbe-Microbe interactions, Plant-microbe interactions, Symbiosis

Introduction

The function of microorganisms is very important in human diet. For example, it is well known that traditional Japanese foods such as miso, soy sauce, and sake are brewed by utilizing the fermentation action of microorganisms. In the process of sake brewing, various microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria beside the koji molds and yeasts, work in concert to influence the quality and flavor of sake. In addition, symbiotic microorganisms have a great influence on the growth of crops such as soybeans and rice, which are raw materials for brewed foods. Aiming for the effective utilization of microorganisms for a rich human diet, I study on the mechanism of such microbe-microbe interactions and plant-microbe interaction from the viewpoint of genetics, ecology, and genomics.

List of current research topics

Study on microbial ecology and interaction in sake brewing process
Research on brewing microorganisms
Study on agricultural use of rice bran and sake lees
Study on plant symbiotic microorganisms

Related industries Brewing, Agriculture
Affiliated academic society Society of Genome Microbiology, Japan, Japanese Society of Plant Microbe Interactions, Japanese Society of Microbial Ecology, Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology,and Agrochemistry
Academic degree Ph.D.
Self introduction

I am from Sendai. I have studied on the molecular mechanism of plant-microbe interactions, but now I am challenging different research fields while enjoying my life in Obihiro.

Room addressGeneral Research Building 3
Room number303
Mail address msugawara atmark obihiro.ac.jp