[Okayama University] The 14th Meeting of 'Microbe Explorers' Held, Aiming for Interdisciplinary Fusion and Hub Formation

Okayama University (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Okayama City; President: Yasutomo Nasu) held the 14th meeting of the research group 'Microbe Explorers,' established to aim for interdisciplinary fusion and research hub formation, on March 16, 2026, at the Co-creation and Innovation Lab (KIBINOVE) on its Tsushima Campus. Following the 13th meeting, this session, centered on the keyword of microbiology, welcomed a professor from outside the university, providing a venue for a specialized lecture and fruitful exchange of opinions. About 15 people, including faculty, students, URAs, and coordinators (for industry-academia collaboration and academic research), participated.

The meeting began with an opening address by Professor Hisa-Aki Moriya of the Faculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology (Agriculture). Following this, Professor Kaoru Takegawa from the Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, delivered a lecture titled 'Exploring the Function and Application of Microbial Glycochains from the Specificity of Glycochain-related Enzymes.' The lecture focused on 'glycochains,' which function as marker molecules for cell-cell adhesion and information transmission on the cell surface, and explained their function in eukaryotic microorganisms, a previously limited area of research. Professor Takegawa introduced how microorganisms utilize glycochains and the potential for their application, focusing on the specificity of the glycochain-related enzymes he discovered.

After the lecture, a lively Q&A session and discussion took place among the participants, providing a valuable opportunity to promote further research development. Please look forward to their future activities. We hope you will continue to expect great things from the initiatives of Okayama University, an open, regional core, and distinctive research university.

This matter was made public on May 31, 2026.

Note: Purpose of establishing 'Microbe Explorers'
The purpose of this activity is to promote interaction among researchers within the university who study microorganisms, leading to new collaborative research and the creation of new academic fields. By focusing on 'microorganisms,' we aim to create a salon-like space where a wide range of researchers can easily participate and interact. Through this activity, we expect not only to share common equipment and methods for microbial research but also to spark new research through interdisciplinary exchange. Furthermore, we aim to link this activity to the acquisition of large-scale common equipment through internal and external funding, the formation of research hubs, and securing human resources, thereby strengthening the foundation of microbial research within the university.