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Molecular Microbiology Lab [International Center for Biotechnology]
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The lab explores the functions of microorganisms from extreme environments to create new biological functions.
AboutAbout the lab
Practicing research that leaves tangible results
The Molecular Microbiology Lab studies the unique functions of microorganisms that grow even in harsh environments (extreme environments), such as high temperature, strongly acidic or alkaline conditions, and the presence of organic solvents.
The lab is elucidating how biomolecules such as the genes and enzyme proteins that support these functions work.
The lab also combines these biomolecules artificially with an engineering mindset to realize new biological functions that do not exist in nature and give them industrial value.
On the lab's website, it is also introduced under the name "Honda Lab."
Key terms
- Extreme environment
- A harsh environment, such as high temperature, strongly acidic or alkaline conditions, or the presence of organic solvents
- Thermophile
- A microorganism that prefers and grows in high-temperature environments. It produces heat-resistant enzymes
- Synthetic biology
- Research that combines biomolecules to reconstruct a biological system with a specific function and studies how it works, an approach of "understanding by building"
NewsLab news
A paper by a PhD student was published in Algal Research
A paper by a PhD student was published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology
A PhD student won the FY2024 Osaka University Outstanding Research Award for Female Graduate Students
A master's student published a paper on the secondary metabolism of thermophiles in ChemBioChem
ResearchResearch themes
Based on the concepts of synthetic biology, the Molecular Microbiology Lab works on developing creative bioproduction technologies. Using biomolecules derived from extreme-environment microorganisms, including thermophiles, as parts, it assembles artificial systems from the bottom up, aiming to contribute to solving problems in the environment, energy, and food.
*Illustrative imageBuilding metabolic pathways outside cells with thermophilic enzymes
The lab takes out the enzymes responsible for biological metabolism and combines them outside cells to build cascade reactions that mimic metabolism, producing pharmaceutical raw materials and functional food ingredients at high yield. Using heat-resistant enzymes from thermophiles, which prefer high temperatures, makes enzyme purification simple and the reactions stable.
*Illustrative imageManufacturing using evolution
The lab works on evolutionary molecular engineering, which uses evolution to modify and improve the functions of enzymes, proteins, systems, and hosts. It independently develops advanced technologies related to ribosome engineering and genome editing.
*Illustrative imageBioactive substances produced by thermophiles
Focusing on thermophiles, which have rarely been studied as a source for discovering bioactive substances, the lab aims to discover and apply bioactive substances such as antibiotics. It is also elucidating the mechanisms of the enzymatic reactions that biosynthesize these compounds. In addition, it searches for new compounds produced by actinomycetes.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Molecular Microbiology Lab consist of faculty, Project Professors, Visiting Professors, postdoctoral researchers, technical staff, administrative staff, and PhD, master's, and undergraduate students.As of 2026
- ProfessorKohsuke Honda
- Associate ProfessorHiroya Tomita
- Assistant ProfessorAtsushi Minami
- Project ProfessorKentaro Miyazaki
- Project ProfessorIsao Yumoto
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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: “Hot spring in Yellowstone” Jon Sullivan / Public domain (cropped)
- Building metabolic pathways outside cells with thermophilic enzymes: “CYP4F2 protein structure” Maxim Masiutin / CC0 (cropped)
- Manufacturing using evolution: “DE cycle” Thomas Shafee / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Bioactive substances produced by thermophiles: “Streptomyces hygroscopicus” Snuupo / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (生体材料化学領域): “Nanofibrillar cellulose hydrogel” Qspheroid4 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (細胞工学領域): “Plant tissue culture sample” Syed Sajidul Islam / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (ケミカルバイオロジー領域): “Fluorescence microscopy with ZEISS Axiocam (cropped)” ZEISS Microscopy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (物理有機化学領域): “Sumanene-3D-balls” Jynto (talk) / CC0 (cropped)
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