Yoko Mizuta

Principal Investigator, Designated Assistant Professor (YLC)

Plant biology, Plant reproduction, Imaging, Pollen, Gene modification
Flowers are the organs that allow plants to produce seeds. Even a small flower blooming on the side of the road has a magnificent drama of life hidden in it. We are trying to understand molecular mechanism of plant reproduction by using a microscopic imaging and genetic engineering technologies. Especially focusing on pollen, the genes and the mechanism of pollen tube attraction have been studied. We also developed methods for deep imaging inside a flower, genetic modification, and regulation of germ cells. By understanding how seeds are produced, my research aims to enrich our lives by increasing food production and plant breeding.