Research Outline

Ticks are troublesome arthropods that bite humans and animals in natural environments and transmit a wide range of infectious diseases. Many of the bacteria, protozoa, and viruses they carry can cause severe illness, making ticks an important focus of research for disease control.

However, ticks are not simply “dangerous organisms.” They also have a unique and fascinating ecology. Ticks spend most of their lives waiting in grass or on the ground for a host to pass by—an “ambush” strategy. When a host appears, they quickly attach, insert their mouthparts into the skin, and begin feeding on blood.

Ticks also host a diverse community of organisms. In addition to pathogens, they harbor various symbiotic microorganisms, and they are themselves targeted by natural enemies such as parasitoid wasps. I study this “micro-ecosystem” surrounding ticks from multiple perspectives.

My research aims to elucidate tick ecology and the mechanisms of tick-borne infections using approaches from medical entomology and microbiology, ultimately contributing to improved control strategies.

Major research topics:
–  Infection models for tick-borne pathogens using tick artificial feeding systems
–  Exploration of novel viruses carried by ticks
–  Investigation of exposure to tick-borne diseases in healthy individuals
–  Analysis of eukaryotic microbiome in ticks
–  Taxonomy of tick-parasitic wasps in Japan
–  Taxonomy and ecology of seabird-associated ticks