Annual Report 2006

Insect and Animal Sciences Division
The Insect and Animal Sciences Division
consists of the following six departments.
The Developmental Biology Department is
conducting research to elucidate the
physiological functions of germ cell lines and
the hormonal mechanism underlying growth
regulation, and to develop embryonic technologies
as well. These researches focus on several
invertebrates and vertebrates.
The Molecular Biology and Immunology
Department is concerned with the molecular
events involved in the signaling for
antibacterial peptide synthesis in insects and
signaling of cytokines and T cell receptors in
mammals, the functional analysis of macrophage
/microglia, hematopoietic stem cells and T cell
subsets, the genetic mechanisms underlying
complex disease traits, and the development
and improvement of transgenic animal
technology. Major research on cytokine
signaling in the mammalian immune system,
innate immune system in insect, the
transformation of spermatogenic cells in vivo
and genetic analysis of multi-factorial are being
conducted.
The Physiology and Genetic Regulation
Department aims to elucidate the mechanisms
of unique physiological phenomena observed in
insects and animals. The studies include
analyses of neural functions including brain,
metabolic regulation, and physiological bases
for adaptation to environment, perception and
function of behavior regulating chemicals, cell
differentiation and the genes regulating them,
in both invertebrates and vertebrates.
The research activities of the Insect
Genetics and Evolution Department are mainly
focused on molecular and conventional genetics
of insects including silkworm, biochemical
analyses of insect-plant interaction,
characterization and breeding of natural
enemies, and basic and applied studies on insect
-associated microbes including pathogens and
symbiotes.
The Insect Biomaterial and Technology
Department is carrying out research which
aims to develop the biomimetic techniques of
insects and their utilization such as the sugar
reception of the flesh fly, and to clarify the
characteristics of insect-born biomaterials for
the development of new technologies.
The major targets of the Insect
Biotechnology and Sericology Department are
the development of functional insect cell lines
and transgenic insects, large-scale production of
useful substances using the transgenic insect
systems, and the development of new silk
materials which are good for healthful and
wealthy human life by developing new
sericultural technologies including breeding of
characteristic new varieties of silkworms.
The major research topics for 2005 from
these six departments in the Insect and Animal
Sciences Division are as follows: