Unit News

A cutting edge technique, called Direct RNA sequencing, shows that ‘jumping genes’ could be the key to help plants become more resilient.

Mangrove trees use changes in gene activity, including the activity of parasitic ‘jumping genes’, to increase their resilience to stress, a new study finds.

Study exposes silenced sites within ‘jumping genes’ that could one day drive development of environmentally-resistant crops.

OIST Prof. Hidetoshi Saze develops a new strain of rice that helps to prevent lifestyle and diet-related diseases.

Professor Hidetoshi Saze is leading a new research project to develop a new strain of rice that prevents obesity-related diseases.

In the journal Nature Communications, Prof. Saze and his collaborators announced the discovery of a cellular mechanism in the flowering plant Arabidopsis that masks the effects of transposable elements.

The Plant Epigenetics Unit, headed by Hidetoshi Saze, studies how epigenetic changes come about, a question with wide-ranging implications for plants and animals.

The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) announced on April 9 that OIST faculty members Kenji Doya and Hidetoshi Saze will receive Commendations for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

Dr. Hidetoshi Saze, Principal Investigator of the Plant Epigenetics Unit, was awarded the 2011 Young Investigator Award by the Genetics Society of Japan. Formerly at the National Institute of Genetics in Mishima, Shizuoka Prefecture, Dr. Saze joined OIST on September 1 to study epigenetic regulation of gene activity and trans-generational inheritance of epigenetic memory in plants.