About

Welcome to my home page! I’m Yuki Yoshida, a postdoc at The University of Tokyo, Japan. My research interests focus on how a genome produces phenotypes, with particular emphasis on Metazoans. I’ve studied mostly genomics and transcriptomics in anhydrobiotic tardigrades and midges, but more recently I’ve started doing E. coli genetics and single cell microscopy.

My background and history

I recived my Ph. D. from Keio University, Graduate School of Media and Governance under the mentorship of Prof. Masaru Tomita and Prof. Kazuharu Arakawa. In my last year of my Ph. D., I also studied under Prof. Takahiro Kikawada at National Agriculture and Food Research Organization. I am currently a postdoc under Prof. Yuichi Wakamoto of The University of Tokyo, spending time with E. coli and microfluidic devices.

Current and past research topics

Anhydrobiosis – a latent state of life –

In nature, there are organisms that can tolerate near-complete desiccation, a phenomenon known as anhydrobiosis. I have been focusing on the genomes of Tardigrades and Chironomids to understand how these creatures can undergo such an extensive stress and survive.

Related papers:

1. Comparative genomics of the tardigrades Hypsibius dujardini and Ramazzottius varieornatus
2. Time-series transcriptomic screening of factors contributing to the cross-tolerance to UV radiation and anhydrobiosis in tardigrades
3. High quality assembly of anhydrobiotic midge genome provides insights on a single chromosome-based emerging of extreme desiccation tolerance
4. Deciphering the Biological Enigma—Genomic Evolution Underlying Anhydrobiosis in the Phylum Tardigrada and the Chironomid Polypedilum vanderplanki

Genomics in non-model organims

Genomics had been primary focused on “model” organisms due to many reasons, but advances in sequencing technologies has enabled analysis on the neglected species. Many interesting phenotypes can be found only in the “non-model” organisms, which makes such projects more important year by year. I have participated in genome analysis of invertebrates (Tardigrades, Chironomids, Spiders), and several bacteria.

Related papers:

1. Comparative genomics of the tardigrades Hypsibius dujardini and Ramazzottius varieornatus
2. High quality assembly of anhydrobiotic midge genome provides insights on a single chromosome-based emerging of extreme desiccation tolerance
3. Orb-weaving spider Araneus ventricosus genome elucidates the spidroin gene catalogue
4. Multicomponent nature underlies the extraordinary mechanical properties of spider dragline silk
5. Darwins bark spider shares a spidroin repertoire with Caerostris extrusa but achieves extraordinary silk toughness through gene expression

Linking genotype and phenotype through microscopy

Majority of current biology methods are invasive, therefore observing the change in cellular states over time requires other methods. My current project is to combine microfluidics and Raman microscopy in order to understand such changes.

Contact

Please contact me through the twitter link at the left menu.