Environmental Biology Course

Explaining the phenomena of life at the molecular level in the organisms that form ecosystems

The Earth is home to a vast variety of living organisms, which comprise rich ecosystems that exist in harmony with the environment. The Environmental Biology Course conducts research with the goal of understanding how organisms recognize the environment in ecosystems and harmonize their activities using the language of molecules.

For example, the course covers research into the mechanisms by which animals recognize and respond to external stimuli such as light, and research into the effects of endocrine disruptors flowing into rivers, lakes, and marshes on fish and other wildlife and the mechanisms by which those effects are carried out. Other projects in which department are enthusiastically involved include research into the mechanisms of plant environmental recognition and plant immunity to pathogenic bacteria, research into the physiological mechanisms of microorganisms and the control of their lifespans, and research into the various physiologically active substances that are created by organisms in the environment.

We consider research in areas such as these to provide a basis for maintaining ecosystems that are rich in life into the indefinite future.