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Plant Immunity Research Group

Main Research Fields :
Biology
Related Research Fields :
Agricultural Sciences
Keywords :
Plant Immunity / Plant-Microbe Interactions / Genomics / Plant Chemical Biology / Signal Transduction
Project :
Innovative Plant Biotechnology / Integrative Symbiological Solutions
B
S

Understanding plant immunity mechanisms and developing sustainable disease resistant crops

Group Director

Ken Shirasu Ph.D.

Ken Shirasu

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ResearcherID

1993
Ph.D., University of California, Davis, USA
1993
Postdoctoral Fellow, Salk Institute / Noble Foundation, USA
1996
Research Scientist, Sainsbury Laboratory, John Innes Centre, UK
2000
Group Leader, Sainsbury Laboratory, John Innes Centre, UK
2006
Group Director, Plant Immunity Research Group, RIKEN Plant Science Center
2008
Adjunct Professor, University of Tokyo
2013
Group Director, Plant Immunity Research Group, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (-current)
2020
Deputy Director, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (-Current)

CONTACT

RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science
Plant Immunity Research Group

ken.shirasu

YokohamaAccess
1-7-22 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045 Japan
＃E618 6F East Research Building

Related Links

Laboratory Website
Plant Immunity Research Group

Laboratory on RIKEN Website
Plant Immunity Research Group | RIKEN

Outline

Plant Immunity Research Group
Our group’s ultimate goal is to fully describe functions of genes, proteins and small molecular compounds that are essential for immunity in plants. As the first step, we focus on the regulatory mechanism of immunity by studying dynamics of resistance signaling complexes and protein modifications that control defense responses. In addition, we plan to identify novel genes involved in plant immunity by isolating defense mutants in model plants. We also aim to isolate small molecule compounds involved in disease resistance.

Subjects

  1. To identify useful microbes from rhizosphere to promote plant immunity and growth
  2. To identify small molecules to regulate plant immunity and characterize their targets
  3. To isolate novel genes/metabolites for pathogen virulence
  4. To identify novel mechanisms for plant immunity
Strawberry anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum fungi
Anthracnose disease in A. Strawberry Leaves, B. Strawberry, C. Strawberry leaves by microscope
Molecular Biology of parasitic plant Striga
The damage caused by the parasitic plant Striga is a serious problem in Africa. We initiated genomic studies of Striga.