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Establishing sustainable food production systems under climate change and infectious disease risks

Global challenges such as climate change and emerging infectious diseases pose serious threats to sustainable agricultural and livestock production. Addressing these complex risks requires cross-disciplinary research and strong international collaboration. This project aims to establish a leading research hub centered on plant pathology, genetics and breeding, horticulture and animal immunology.

Our research addresses cross-border crop diseases such as wheat blast, which pose severe risks to global food security. We aim to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying plant disease resistance and to develop rapid breeding strategies based on durable resistance to emerging pathogens.

We also investigate the molecular bases of hybrid vigor, domestication processes and adaptive responses to environmental stressors such as drought, heat and salinity. Through collaboration with institutions in Southeast Asia, joint surveys on rice nutrient content provide a foundation for the development of biofortified crop varieties.

By exploring common principles underlying plant and animal immune systems, we promote comparative and interdisciplinary research supported by advanced structural analysis. These efforts collectively aim to ensure stable food production systems while fostering the next generation of researchers capable of leading international collaborations.