​In the Comparative Genomics and Genetics (CGG) Laboratory, we are searching for industrially useful genes and gene products from an enormous variety of microbes such as bacteria and planktons in the Red Sea.  We isolate a huge amount of DNAs directly from the sea water samples to obtain the genomic information.  Inferring functions and structures of genes from comparisons of the genomic information between different species, we try to discover novel genes and proteins.  We also work on genetic basis of diseases such as diabetes and cancer by comparisons of human genomes among different individuals. 

Our experimental works and bioinformatic analyses of big data can be applied for discoveries of new drugs and biofuels as well as early diagnosis and prevention of the genetic diseases.

​Ph.D., Theoretical Population Genetics, Kyusu University, Japan, 1979

Master of Science in Theoretical Population Genetics, Kyushu University, 1976

Bachelor of Science in Biology, Kyushu University, 1974

​Oct 1, 2013-Present: Distinguished Professor, KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology), and

                                 Acting Director of CBRC (Computational Bioscience Research Center) KSA
 
Oct 1, 2013-Present: Distinguished Guest Research Professor, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan

Oct 1, 2013-Present: Invited Senior Researcher, AIST-Waseda University, Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
 
Oct 1, 2013-Present: Emeritus Professor, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan

Oct 1, 2013-Present: Emeritus Professor, School of Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Sciences, Hayama Japan

Oct 1, 2013-Present: Project Professor, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan

Oct 1, 2013-Present: Visiting Professor, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan

Oct 1, 2013-Present: Visiting Professor, Nihon University, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan (Apr., 2013-Mar., 2015)

Oct 1, 2013-Present: Vice President of Committee on Data for Science and Technology, CODATA, ICSU

Oct 1, 2013-Present: Honorary distinguished chair professorship, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU)

Oct 1, 2013-Present: Executive Board Member of International Genetics Federation (IGF)

Oct 1, 2013-Present: President of The Society of DNA Typing, Japan  

Oct 1, 2013-Present: Executive board member of The Japanese Society of Virology (2012-2015), Japan

Oct 1, 2013-Mar 30, 2017: Project Professor, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan

Aug 1, 1990-Sep 30, 2013: Professor, School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Hayama, Japan

Apr 1, 2007-Sep 30, 2013: Vice-Director of National Institute of Genetics, Japan, and Professor at Center for Information Biology and DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ)

Mar 2008- 2013: Visiting Professor, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kanagawa, Japan

2010-2012: Member of International Advisory Committee of National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG), India

2007-Mar 2013: Special Consultant, Biomedicinal Information Research Center (BIRC), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tokyo, Japan

Mar 2004-2013: Visiting Chief Scientist, RIKEN, Yokohama, Japan

2011-2012: Executive board member of The Molecular Biology Society of Japan

2009-2012: President of Genetics Society of Japan

2007-Feb 2011: Member of Life Science Committee of Council for Science and Technology Policy (CSTP), The Government of Japan

2008 – 2010: Executive Committee member of Committee on Data for Science and Technology, CODATA, ICSU

2007 – 2008: Program Director of Council for Science and Technology Policy (CSTP), The Government of Japan

2004 – 2008: Science Officer, Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, Culture and Technology (MEXT), The Government of Japan

2005 – 2007: Program Vice-Director of Council for Science and Technology Policy (CSTP), The Government of Japan

2002-2007: Vice-Director, Biological Information Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tokyo, Japan

2005 - 2006: Honorary Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

1994- 2009: Director of Center for Information Biology and DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ),  National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan

1990- 2013: Professor, Laboratory for DNA Data Analysis, National Institute of Genetics

1988 - 1990: Associate Professor, Department of Population Genetics, National Institute of Genetics

1990: Visiting Research Fellow, Department of Mathematics, Stanford University, USA

1989: Visiting Research Fellow at Imperial Cancer Research Fund (ICRF), London, UK

1983 - 1987: Assistant Professor, Department of Population Genetics, National Institute of Genetics

1985 - 1986: Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Washington University Medical School, St. Louis, Missouri, USA

1984-1985: Visiting Assistant Professor, Center for Population Genetics at the University of Texas, Houston, Texas, USA

1979 - 1983: Research Assistant Professor and Research Associate, Center for Population Genetics at the University of Texas, Houston, Texas, USA

2019 Khalifa International Award For Date Palm And Agricultural Innovation, category ‘Distinguished Innovative Studies and Modern Technology’ awarded to our publication (Jarvis et al., Nature 2017) 

2015 Associate Fellow of EMBO

2014 Honorary Doctorate by the National Cheng Kung University from Taiwan

2013 Fellow of the World Academy of Science for the Developing Countries (TWAS)

2012 Member of Academia Europaea

2009 The Medal with Purple Ribbon from the Government of Japan

2007 Academician Member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Vatican Page 4

2006 Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, USA

2005 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), USA

2005 Society Prize (Kihara Medal), The Genetic Society of Japan

2004 Society Prize (Motoo Kimura Medal), The Society of Evolutionary Studies, Japan

2004 The Gaetano Salvatore Gold Medal, Statione Zoologica, Anton Dohrn, Italy

1997 Science Award from Japan Science and Technology Corporation (JST)

1995 Science Award from Hitoshi Kihara Memorial Foundation, Japan

1987 Promotion Award from Japanese Society of Genetics, Japan ​

• ​Comparative Genomics and Genetics Lab (CGG)
• Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC)
• Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division (BESE)