RESEARCHERID

Tetsuya Higashiyama

Affiliated Researcher, University of Tokyo, Professor

Website：http://www.liveholonics.com/en/

Plant reproduction, peptides, micro-genomics, cell manipulation, live cell imaging
Higashiyama is one of the most recognized plant biologists focusing on the identification of key molecules of plant reproduction. In particular, his discovery of the long-sought (~140 years) pollen tube attractant molecule "LURE", which is essential for plant reproduction, has secured his position as a world-renowned biologist. The identification of LURE peptides provide us with a major breakthrough to study and control pollen tube guidance of flowering plants and to break reproductive barriers. Moreover, he has also made significant technical development of micro-genomics and live cell imaging. Currently, he serves as one of the youngest directors of prestigious ERATO funding program supported by the Japan Science and Technology Agency. He will be involved mainly in the development of molecules that can overcome species barriers as well as innovative bio-imaging tools, collaborating with the groups of Yamaguchi, Irle, Torii, Itami, Ooi, Crudden, and Bode.

Profile

1994B.S.; The University of Tokyo (Plant Biology)
1996M.S.;The University of Tokyo (Biological Science)
1999Dr. Sci.; The University of Tokyo (Biological Science)
1998-1999JSPS Research Fellow;The University of Tokyo, JAPAN
1999-2006Assistant Professor; Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo
2007-presentProfessor; Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University
2008-2011JST PRESTO Researcher
2010-2017Director;
ERATO Higashiyama Live-Holonics Project, JST
2013-presentVice-Director, Professor; WPI-ITbM, Nagoya University

Research Highlights

Selected Awards and Honors

2018 2018 (71st) Chunichi Cultural Award, Chunichi Shimbun
2017 34th Inoue Prize of Science, Inoue Foundation for Science
2017 25th Kihara Memorial Foundation Academic Award, Kihara Memorial Yokohama Foundation for the Advancement of Life Sciences
2014 President of the International Association of Sexual Plant Reproduction Research
2014 NISTEP Award, National Institute of Science and Technology Policy
2014 20th Yomiuri Techno Forum Gold Medal Prize
2013 Hirase Award, Japan Society of Plant Morphology
2010 JSPS Prize, Japan Society for the Promotion of Sciences

Selected Publications

  • Maruyama, D.; Völz, R.; Takeuchi, H.; Mori, T.; Igawa, T.; Kurihara, D.; Kawashima, T.; Ueda, M.; Ito, M.; Umeda, M.; Nishikawa, S.; Groß-Hardt, R.; Higashiyama, T. Cell 2015, 161, 708. Rapid Elimination of the Persistent Synergid through a Cell Fusion Mechanism. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.03.018
  • Hamamura, Y.; Nishimaki, M.; Takeuchi, H.; Geitmann, A.; Kurihara D.; Higashiyama, T. Nature Commun. 2014, 5, 4722. Live imaging of calcium spikes during double fertilization in Arabidopsis. DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5722
  • Maruyama, D.; Hamamura, Y.; Takeuchi, H.; Susaki, D.; Nishimaki, M.; Kurihara, D.; Kasahara, R. D.; Higashiyama T. Dev. Cell 2013, 25, 317. Independent control by each female gamete prevents the attraction of multiple pollen tubes. DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2013.03.013
  • Takeuchi, H.; Higashiyama, T. PLoS Biol. 2012, 10, e1001449. Species-specific cluster of defensin-like genes encodes diffusible pollen tube attractants in Arabidopsis. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1001449
  • Hamamura, Y.; Saito, C.; Awai, C.; Kurihara, D.; Miyawaki, A.; Nakagawa, T.; Kanaoka, M. M.; Sasaki, N.; Nakano, A.; Berger, F.; Higashiyama, T. Curr. Biol. 2011, 21, 497. Live-cell imaging reveals the dynamics of two sperm cells during double fertilization in Arabidopsis thaliana. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2011.02.013
  • Okuda, S.; Tsutsui, H.; Shiina, K.; Sprunck, S.; Takeuchi, H.; Yui, R.; Kasahara, R. D.; Hamamura, Y.; Mizukami, A.; Susaki, D.; Kawano, N.; Sakakibara, T.; Namiki, S.; Itoh, K.; Otsuka, K.; Matsuzaki, M.; Nozaki, H.; Kuroiwa, T.; Nakano, A.; Kanaoka, M. M.; Dresselhaus, T.; Sasaki, N.; Higashiyama, T. Nature 2009, 458, 357. Defensin-like polypeptide LUREs are pollen tube attractants secreted from synergid cells. DOI: 10.1038/nature07882
  • Higashiyama, T.; Yabe, S.; Sasaki, N.; Nishimura, Y.; Miyagishima, S.; Kuroiwa, H.; Kuroiwa, T. Science 2001, 293, 1480. Pollen tube attraction by the synergid cell. DOI: 10.1126/science.1062429