[Okayama University] Held the 12th Meeting of "Microbe Explorers" Aimed at Interdisciplinary Fusion and Base Formation

March 29, 2026
National University Corporation Okayama University

https://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/

◆ Overview

National University Corporation Okayama University (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Okayama City, President: Yasutomo Nasu) held the 12th meeting of the research group "Microbe Explorers" (*Note), which was established with the aim of interdisciplinary fusion and research base formation, on February 16, 2026, at the Co-creation Innovation Lab (KIBINOVE) on the Tsushima Campus.

Following the 11th meeting, this session, held with the keyword of the microbiology field, welcomed a guest speaker from outside the university and served as a venue for a lecture based on specialized knowledge and enriching exchange of opinions. On the day, 15 people participated, including faculty members, students, URAs, and coordinators (industry-academia collaboration, academic research).

The meeting opened with welcoming remarks by Research Professor Yuhei Chadani of the Academic Area of Environment, Life and Natural Sciences (Science). Subsequently, Dr. Yuichi Furuhata, Senior Researcher at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), gave a lecture titled "Next-generation Gene Evolution System and Application to Genetic Code Expansion."

In the lecture, the principles of the "next-generation gene evolution system," which autonomously evolves target genes through cell culture, and the characteristics of representative systems (OrthoRep, EcORep, T7-ORACLE) were introduced. Furthermore, he explained applied research regarding "genetic code expansion," which introduces artificial amino acids into proteins in a site-specific manner. In order to overcome the issues of throughput and experiment time that were challenges of conventional methods, it was reported that they succeeded in constructing a platform that efficiently evolves the substrate specificity of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase utilizing this system. After the lecture, active Q&A and discussions took place among the participants, providing a valuable opportunity to promote the further development of research.

Please continue to look forward to the initiatives of Okayama University: an open regional core and distinctive research university.

This information was released by Okayama University on March 3, 2026.

Note: Prospectus for the establishment of "Microbe Explorers"
The purpose of this activity is to promote interaction among researchers within the university who study microbes, leading to new joint research and the creation of academic fields. By making "microbes" the theme, we aim to form a salon-like place where a wide range of researchers can easily participate and interact. Through this activity, we expect not only to share equipment and methods common to microbiology research, but also that new research will emerge from interdisciplinary exchange. Furthermore, we aim to link this activity to the purchase of expensive common equipment through securing budgets inside and outside the university, the formation of research bases, and securing human resources, thereby strengthening the foundation of microbiology research within the university.

https://www.orsd.okayama-u.ac.jp/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/biseibutsu.pdf

◆ Reference

・Okayama University Organization for Research and Innovation Co-creation

https://www.orsd.okayama-u.ac.jp/

・Okayama University Co-creation Innovation Lab (KIBINOVE)

https://www.orsd.okayama-u.ac.jp/kigyo/kibinove/

・Okayama University Regional Core and Distinctive Research University Enhancement Promotion Project (J-PEAKS)

https://j-peaks.orsd.okayama-u.ac.jp/

◆ Reference Information

・[Okayama University] Held the 1st Meeting of "Okayama University Microbe Explorers" Aimed at Interdisciplinary Fusion and Base Formation

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000002958.000072793.html

・[Okayama University] Held the 2nd Meeting of "Microbe Explorers" Aimed at Interdisciplinary Fusion and Base Formation

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000003021.000072793.html

・[Okayama University] Held the 3rd Meeting of "Microbe Explorers" Aimed at Interdisciplinary Fusion and Base Formation
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000003109.000072793.html

・[Okayama University] Held the 4th Meeting of "Microbe Explorers" Aimed at Interdisciplinary Fusion and Base Formation

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000003237.000072793.html

・[Okayama University] Held the 5th Meeting of "Microbe Explorers" Aimed at Interdisciplinary Fusion and Base Formation

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000003298.000072793.html

・[Okayama University] Held the 6th Meeting of "Microbe Explorers" Aimed at Interdisciplinary Fusion and Base Formation

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000003430.000072793.html

・[Okayama University] Held the 7th Meeting of "Microbe Explorers" Aimed at Interdisciplinary Fusion and Base Formation

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000003527.000072793.html

・[Okayama University] Held the 8th Meeting of "Microbe Explorers" Aimed at Interdisciplinary Fusion and Base Formation

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000003644.000072793.html

・[Okayama University] Held the 9th Meeting of "Microbe Explorers" Aimed at Interdisciplinary Fusion and Base Formation

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000003738.000072793.html

・[Okayama University] Held the 10th Meeting of "Microbe Explorers" Aimed at Interdisciplinary Fusion and Base Formation

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000003778.000072793.html

・[Okayama University] Held the 11th Meeting of "Microbe Explorers" Aimed at Interdisciplinary Fusion and Base Formation

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000003795.000072793.html

・[Okayama University] Held the 1st Meeting of "AI-HPC Partners" A Place for Interaction Among Researchers and Technical Staff Who Want to Utilize AI and HPC (High Performance Computing)

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000003704.000072793.html

・[Okayama University] Held the 2nd Meeting of "AI-HPC Partners" ~ A Place for Interaction Among Researchers and Technical Staff Who Want to Utilize AI and HPC (High Performance Computing) ~

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000003752.000072793.html

・[Okayama University] Held the 1st Meeting of "Koso Nexus" ~ Knowledge and Future Connected by Light: A Research Base Aiming for Interdisciplinary Fusion ~

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000003205.000072793.html

・[Okayama University] Held the 2nd Meeting of "Koso Nexus" ~ Knowledge and Future Connected by Light: A Research Base Aiming for Interdisciplinary Fusion ~

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000003332.000072793.html

・[Okayama University] Held the 3rd Meeting of "Koso Nexus" ~ Knowledge and Future Connected by Light: A Research Base Aiming for Interdisciplinary Fusion ~

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000003542.000072793.html

・[Okayama University] Held the 4th Meeting of "Koso Nexus" ~ Knowledge and Future Connected by Light: A Research Base Aiming for Interdisciplinary Fusion ~

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000003747.000072793.html

・[Okayama University] Held the 5th Meeting of "Koso Nexus" ~ Knowledge and Future Connected by Light: A Research Base Aiming for Interdisciplinary Fusion ~

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000003820.000072793.html

・[Okayama University] Held the 6th Meeting of "Koso Nexus" ~ Knowledge and Future Connected by Light: A Research Base Aiming for Interdisciplinary Fusion ~

・[Okayama University] Held the 7th Meeting of "Koso Nexus" ~ Knowledge and Future Connected by Light: A Research Base Aiming for Interdisciplinary Fusion ~

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000003853.000072793.html

◆ Inquiries Regarding This Matter

Okayama University Organization for Research and Innovation Co-creation

Academic Research Coordinator: Zixuan Peng

Chief URA: Koji Hatanaka

Headquarters Building, Okayama University Tsushima Campus, 1-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture 700-8530

E-mail: peng-zixuan◎okayama-u.ac.jp

koji.hatanaka◎okayama-u.ac.jp
*Please replace ◎ with @

https://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/tp/news/news_id15121.html

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Okayama University Organization for Research and Innovation Co-creation, Startup and Venture Creation Headquarters

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• Okayama University Selected for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's "Regional Core and Distinctive Research University Enhancement Promotion Project (J-PEAKS)" - Co-creating the future of the region and the earth, accelerating the realization of Okayama University as a research university that serves as the core of global innovation, and building a mountain range of research universities in Japan that we can be proud of to the world

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