There are about 1030microbial cells on Earth, living in diverse environments such as oceans, soil, the human body, and deep-sea trenches. They form complex metabolic networks and drive Earth's biogeochemical cycles. Advances in DNA sequencing and bioinformatics have revealed vast microbial genomes that encode many unknown genes, and some of these genomes exhibit unexpected genomic features based on our current knowledge. This highlights our limited understanding of microbial diversity and evolution.
Our lab primarily focuses on microbes in deep subsurface environments, investigating how they form ecosystems, function, and adapt—from microbial communities to single genes. By uncovering the mechanisms of adaptive evolution, we aim to answer fundamental questions: What is life? What are its limits? How did it originate? How have they evolved to shape the current forms of diverse microbial life? Additionally, we aim to apply microbial adapting mechanisms and genetic resources to develop new technologies, contributing to societal advancements.
shino.suzuki[at]riken.jp
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