Plant can alter their development, physiology and life history depending on environmental conditions. The North American lake cress, Rorippa aquatica, shows heterophylly,  phenotypic plasticity on leaf shape. They change leaf shape by submergence, temperature change and changes in light condition.  We investigate the mechanism of the heterophylly of R. aquatica.

 Cultivated vegetables show remarkable variation in leaf morphology and we are interested in genetic basis of this leaf shape variation.For example, Mizuna (left) and Mibuna  (Right) (Brassica rapa var. nipposinica) show totally different leaf shape though they are closely related varietiesWe study developmental, genetic, and evolutionary background of leaf shape variation.

 Some plants show high ability of regeneration and propagate asexually in nature. R. aquatica can produce new plant from leaf fragments without any external application of plant hormones. This phenomenon is quite interesting and important. We study molecular basis of mechanism of regeneration of R. aquatica. 

Research center for Ecological Evolutionary Developmental Biology (Eco/Evo/Devo Research Center) is established as one of the research center in Institute of Comprehensive Academic Research in 2015. The center’s research efforts focus on several areas to understand the relationship between plant and environment and its evolutionary background. 

 We are interesting in　practice research on science communication, science education and career development education.