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Energy Biology Lab
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A lab that explores energy production within microbial communities through 3D imaging.
AboutAbout the lab
Exploring how microbes become multicellular through the energy of respiration.
The Energy Microbiology Lab studies how microorganisms generate energy when they form multicellular assemblies.
With "organisms" and "energy" as keywords, the lab extends its research into a wide range of fields, such as life sciences and biotechnology.
Using confocal fluorescence microscopy, the lab observes biofilms, which are aggregates of microorganisms, in 3D and investigates how energy is produced inside them.
The lab also works on increasing the output of microbial fuel cells and on developing wearable sensors that use membrane vesicles to measure sweat.
Key terms
- Biofilm
- A mass of microorganisms clustered together into a large aggregate. It is used in wastewater treatment and biotechnology, and can also cause infections.
- Microbial fuel cell
- A battery that uses a mechanism in which microbes produce electricity (generate power) instead of consuming oxygen. It eliminates the need for oxygen aeration.
- Membrane vesicle
- A nanometer-scale vesicle produced by microorganisms. Because it is not alive, it is easier to handle than microbes or cells.
ResearchResearch themes
The Energy Microbiology Lab studies microorganisms, focusing on the electron transfer and energy that occur inside cells during respiration. In particular, it observes and analyzes growing microbial cells to clarify how the mechanisms of energy production change in the transition from single cells to multicellular communities.
*Illustrative imageEnergy production when microbes become multicellular
In the environment, microbes form aggregates called biofilms. Using 3D observation with confocal fluorescence microscopy, the lab is uncovering how microbes sustain life and produce energy inside them.
*Illustrative imageApplying 3D imaging to medicine and other fields
With the lab's 3D imaging technique for biofilms, the localization and activity of the microbes inside, their gene expression, and the distribution of compound concentrations can be measured in space and time. The lab aims at applications in medicine and other fields, such as proposing treatment strategies for infections and new methods of sterilization.
*Illustrative imageMulticellularity of gut bacteria and its effects on health
Many gut bacteria form biofilms. The lab visualizes them with 3D imaging and, building on an understanding of their energy production mechanisms, is developing efficient ways to take in beneficial bacteria (probiotic technology).
*Illustrative imageElectricity-generating wastewater treatment with microbial fuel cells
In microbial fuel cells, microbes produce electricity instead of consuming oxygen, so aeration with oxygen is not needed. To raise output, the lab works to improve the power generation efficiency of microbes and to elucidate the mechanism of power generation.
MembersFaculty
Members of the Energy Microbiology Lab include faculty, researchers, doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students, and joint research members.
- Assistant ProfessorYoshihide Tokuno
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Mixed bacterial biofilm of staphylococci and bacilli 2” SandraG89 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Energy production when microbes become multicellular: “Mixed-culture biofilm” Krzysztof A. Zacharski / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Applying 3D imaging to medicine and other fields: “Spinal cord gray matter immunofluorescence staining, confocal imaging” Wisstock / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Multicellularity of gut bacteria and its effects on health: “Fermentor” Sarathkumaran Ranganathan / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Electricity-generating wastewater treatment with microbial fuel cells: “Aeration tank activated sludge process STP Bengaluru India” Vraj Acharya, WELL Labs / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Microbiology Lab): “Microscope view of bacteria colonies” Korinna / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Genome Microbiology Lab): “Enterobacteria phage T2 transmission electron micrograph” SnaxMikn / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Plant Molecular Physiology Lab): “ISS-56 Arabidopsis plants inside the Advanced Plant Habitat (1)” NASA / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Plant Physiology Lab): “Greenhouse at Plants Galore - geograph.org.uk - 4478771” Derek Harper / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
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