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Accepting Applications for 2021

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Research Section

Evolutionary Morphology

The section aims to elucidate the evolutionary processes and diversity of such morphological traits as encephalization, hominoidization, the development of specialized locomotor styles such as bipedalism, functional adaptation of sensory organs, ontogeny process, using a wide encompassing multidisciplinary approach.

Systematics and Phylogeny

To understand the process of primate evolution, we take a multidisciplinary approach in the investigation of the morphology and distribution of living and fossil primates, taking into account of the effects of regional and global environmental changes.

Social Systems Evolution

This section conducts research in Africa and Asia on wild primate populations in order to elucidate the processes of evolution of social systems and hominization using behavioral and ecological methodologies.

Ecology and Conservation

We conduct fieldwork in Japan, Africa, and Southeast Asia to study population dynamics, feeding and behavioral ecology of wild primates and the effect of environmental factors on them. We also study the interactions between primates and other living things and primate conservation ecology.

Cognition and Learning

The aim of our research is to understand the evolutionary origins and mechanisms of human cognitive function, social behavior, communications, and their dysfunction in psychiatric disorders, using an interdisciplinary approach including cognitive science, comparative psychology, neuropsychopharmacology, and social genomics in both humans and non-human primates.

Language and Intelligence

This section aims to explore higher cognitive functions in apes, especially in chimpanzees. The approach of comparative cognitive science will lead us to understand human language and intelligence from an evolutionary perspective.

Cognitive Neuroscience

The section aims at understanding brain mechanisms underlying emotion, memory, perception, and communication. We are analyzing single neuron activity, neural connections, and effects of various molecules on behavior. We also conduct human brain imaging studies.

Systems Neuroscience

This section aims at elucidating how a variety of nerve cells in the primate brain construct neural networks to achieve higher functions, such as motor control and cognitive behavior, and what mechanisms underlie these functions, by means of multidisciplinary approaches (anatomy, physiology, molecular biology etc.) in combination with the cutting-edge "in vivo?gene transfer" technique.

Molecular Biology

We investigate the following items in primates using genomes, genes, and proteins.

  1. Evolution of sensory function of vision, olfaction, and taste etc.
  2. Evolutional biology/medicine with iPS cells and primate developmental biology.

Cellular Biology

We engage in cellular biology such as the following research themes,

  1. Changes in the structure and function of chromosomes in human evolution
  2. Conservation of biological diversity using developmental engineering techniques
  3. Conservation breeding by endocrinological, ethological, and cytological approaches in endangered animals

Primate Medicine and Welfare

We conduct clinical research in collaboration with staff vets who take care of nonhuman primates when they are injured or suffer from various diseases. We have a lot of interesting cases and it is important that we report those cases as a case report and accumulate the knowledge of spontaneous diseases in nonhuman primates.

Infectious Diseases

Our laboratory is focusing on intractable viruses such as human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus and human T-cell leukemia virus. These viruses share common similarities; disease development after long-term persistent infection, presence of unique mechanism for the immune evasion, and narrow and selective host range. Especially, the last one leads us to be incapable of employing small laboratory animals as immunocompetent models for viral infection. In this point of view, we have challenged these issues and established novel non-human primate models for the intractable viruses. With the use of the model animals, we would like to unravel the molecular and immunological mechanisms by which the viral persistency and disease onset are induced, and further challenge applied research regarding the development of vaccines and new therapeutics.

Genome-diversity

Wildlife Research Center

The Wildlife Research Center of Kyoto University aims to promote scientific research and education on wild animals. Our three missions are 1) to conduct basic research on endangered and threatened species of wild animals, 2) to integrate different areas of science to create new disciplines applicable to field settings, and 3) to collaborate with zoos, sanctuaries, aquariums, and museums, etc, to promote environmental education among youths.