Research Outline

Many animals, including humans, live in social groups. Group living is thought to provide a range of benefits, such as reducing the risk of predation and increasing opportunities to find mates. At the same time, it also entails costs that arise precisely because animals live together, including competition within groups and the spread of infectious disease. Animal societies are built on a delicate balance between these benefits and costs.

My current research focuses on the transmission and sharing of gut microbes among individuals in animal groups. The gut microbial community is now understood as an essential component of animal life, influencing nutrient metabolism, immunity, physiology, and even psychological development and behavior. Recent studies have further shown that socially close individuals tend to have more similar gut microbial communities across a wide range of animals, including humans. Drawing on fieldwork with wild primates in Japan and abroad, I investigate the evolution of animal societies through the lens of gut microbial sharing.