Difference between revisions of "Eiichiro Fukusaki"

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(Created page with "thumb| Prof. Eiichiro Fukusaki ==Short Biography== ''' Biography''' Eiichiro Fukusaki entered a private company, Nitto Denko Co, after rec...")
 
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''' 1. When and why did you start using metabolomics in your investigations?'''
 
''' 1. When and why did you start using metabolomics in your investigations?'''
  
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I first started down the path of metabolomics during my PhD research in 2009. My research aim was to identify blood-based biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease. Before my PhD, I had already had some experience in analytical chemistry and small molecule LC-MS, and the PhD project had access to an LC-QToF-MS, so it was a natural fit that kicked off a metabolomics and lipidomics journey!
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After graduating from Osaka university, I was engaged in research on large scale practical synthetic processes of bioactive substances in a private company.
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After 10 years company experience, I received an offer from Osaka University to become an associate professor in 1995. My new boss at Osaka University was a specialist in analytical chemistry and natural product organic chemistry.
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He strongly required me to do the two things.
 +
One was not to continue the synthetic chemistry research I had been doing at the company, but to start something completely new from scratch. The second was that the new research should be centered on analytical chemistry.
 +
Therefore, I decided to focus on biosynthesis, which is an organic synthetic reaction in living organisms, and to develop new technologies for the comprehensive analysis of organic compounds, which are biosynthetic products, as my new research subject. After much trial and error, I decided to focus on metabolomics research, which is what I am doing now, from around 2000.
  
 
===Question 2===
 
===Question 2===
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''' 2. What have you been working on recently? '''
 
''' 2. What have you been working on recently? '''
  
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I’m currently based in Australia. I moved over from the UK in 2019 to help set up the Australian National Phenome Centre (ANPC) in Perth. Since I have been here, I have been working on building up metabolomics mass spectrometry methods and creating new collaborations, both nationally and internationally, as the centre goes through its formative years. My primary research interest in metabolomics remains in the neurodegenerative space, specifically - studying the mechanism and metabolism of neurodegeneration. The aim of this research is two fold; first, can we identify early mechanistic pathways that contribute to disease; and second to build an understanding of the wider impact of neurodegeneration on systemic metabolism. A recent interesting project that highlights this is the application of mass spectrometry metabolomics to serum collected from models of traumatic brain injury, with the aim to identify possible blood-based prognosis predictors of injury.
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Since 2000, I have been conducting technology-driven application research in various fields using GC/MS, LC/MS, and NMR. In order to maintain good relationships with prestigious collaborative clients, I have avoided having our own research samples as much as possible. As a result, my research targets have been extremely wide-ranging, including basic biology, medicine, drug discovery, microbiology, fermentation production, and food. However, based on the idea that selection and concentration are necessary to become a first-rate researcher, I gradually narrowed down my research targets to food and fermentation. Recently, I have concentrated especially on applications based on comprehensive analysis of volatile metabolites in foods.
  
 
===Question 3===
 
===Question 3===
  
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''' 3. You are actively involved in neurodegenerative disease-related research, such as Alzheimer's and dementia. What are the advantages of involving metabolomics in this field?  '''
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''' 3. During your career you have worked in both industry and academia; what are the main differences working in these environments? What are the skills gained through your experience in the industry that benefits the academic process?  '''
  
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Our knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease is rapidly advancing all the time, but there are still some major gaps – particularly in our understanding of those who are most at risk of developing the disease and why they develop it. Although we now are adept at identifying genetic risk factors, how those risk factors translate to disease incidence and detailing the mechanisms that underpin them often remains unclear. Metabolomics gives us the opportunity to investigate this from a metabolic pathway and mechanistic viewpoint. I think over the coming years we will see much more research investigating the specific metabolic mechanisms of genetic and environmental risk of disease. This will really help us build the specific pathways that influence disease and the subsequent mechanistic picture as to why certain individuals go on to develop the disease and then perhaps we can then modify these pathways, and delay the progression of disease.
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There may be exceptions, but the basic difference is that corporate research is technological development for the pursuit of profit, while research in academia is aimed at the search for truth and the training of future generations.　Corporate research always prioritizes speed while considering the 3C's (Company, Customer, Competitor). The most important thing I learned in the corporate world is the "sense of speed".　The ancients said, ’Fast but slow’ is better than ‘skillful but slow’. Even now, I conduct my research and education based on the principle.
  
 
===Question 4===
 
===Question 4===
  
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''' 4. You often use urine or serum as the samples for untargeted metabolomics studies for phenotyping Alzheimer's and dementia diseases. What are the challenges in translating the results found using this kind of samples into a more local understanding of the nervous system once samples like CSF and brain tissue are very unavailable?  '''
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''' 4. Since you are an expert in food metabolomics method development and application, are there any challenges applying metabolomics in food samples? How did you overcome this challenge?  '''
  
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This is certainly a huge challenge in the field – and something that is really interesting to consider when performing such research. Typically, such analysis reveals systemic changes, rather than direct metabolites of the neurodegeneration itself. The challenge to unpick these patterns that we see in the data and determine if they are in anyway causative factors in the disease or if they are a response to disease pathology itself. One such way we can attempt to address this is to work on longitudinal cohorts, and to study the metabolism of “healthy” populations, before they develop neurodegenerative diseases. By retrospectively looking at this data in combination with up-to-date current clinical data of the participants diagnostic outcome, we can try to observe metabolic patterns in populations that could indicate those who later go on to develop neurodegenerative conditions.
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First, I had a hard time maintaining the freshness of food samples. I often worked with perishable foods such as fruits and seafood from overseas, and I had great difficulty in finding ways to import food samples from overseas with minimal deterioration. To solve this problem, I spent a lot of time optimizing sampling, storage, and logistic methods. Needless to say, I was supported by the dedication of our international collaborators. Another important aspect of food metabolomics is the food-derived response variable, which is necessary to construct regression prediction models using metabolomes as explanatory variables.　Especially in the case of secondary functions of foods, I had a great deal of difficulty in obtaining reproducible sensory evaluation data. At first, I depended on my collaborators who provided food samples for sensory evaluation, but recently, I have started to conduct sensory evaluation of various foods in my own laboratory.
  
 
===Question 5===
 
===Question 5===
  
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''' 5. Would you mind sharing any interesting findings in the application of metabolomics in neurodegenerative disease?  '''
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''' 5. We are interested in one of your recent projects about contributing to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDG) (https://handaifoodloss.otri.osaka-u.ac.jp/), Could you explain in detail how metabolomics could contribute to this matter?  '''
  
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We collaborate with a group in Singapore who are interested in the influence of the gut microbiome on the host neurological system. We recently helped them by applying mass spectrometry metabolomics platforms to measure specific plasma metabolites. The project was able to demonstrate that these metabolites, secreted by gut-microbes, go on to influence adult neurogenesis. The data indicates that a symbiotic gut–brain coregulatory axis exists, connecting the metabolic status of gut microbes to the control of neurogenesis in the brain. The gut-brain axis is a really interesting area of research, and the concept that the microbes in our gut can influence our neurological system, mood and even regulate neurogenesis is fascinating.
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As you mentioned, I started the "Food and wase reduction innovation Hub" project with the support of JST last fiscal year. This project is a collaborative effort to develop new technologies such as "development of rapid monitoring technology for food functions" , "development of smart data logger system" and "development and utilization of zero-waste recycling food materials" . In addition to the challenges of developing new technologies, the project is also involved in social science research projects such as "Building a sustainable socio-economics system through ethical consumption" . 　The project is a large-scale fusion of the humanities and sciences, including research projects such as "Developing human resources for food solutions and creating opportunities through interactive international education programs. "　Food metabolomics technology targeting volatile metabolites is positioned as an important core competence technology in this project.
  
 
===Question 6===
 
===Question 6===
  
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''' 6.  What you would say are next hot topics in the field of neurodegenerative diseases that early career researchers in the field of metabolomics could strongly contribute to?  '''
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''' 6.  Do you have any advice for early career researchers that interested to be involved in food metabolomics?  '''
  
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I think data integration will become a hot (hotter?) topic in the field, both in terms of combining metabolomic data from cohorts from around the world to create larger datasets to combining different omic techniques, for example, metabolomics, microbiomics, genomics. To achieve this we will need early career researcher contributions in a variety of areas at every stage of the pipeline. For example – we will need analytical chemistry experts who specialise in the analytical platforms and data acquisition, as we will need robust and reproducible data that can be translated to collaborating groups. We will also need researchers who can contribute in the bioinformatics of such projects - to combine and match data from different cohorts, and then work on integrating data acquired from the different omic technologies. By achieving this we can build giant datasets, and mine them to finely detail the mechanism of systemic diseases. Also, research into the metabolism of the human microbiome will grow (more!), we’ve already touched above on the gut-brain axis, and I think that research into host-microbe interactions at a metabolic level will be hot topics going forwards, as will combining these datasets and interpreting the interactions at a metabolite level through metabolomics, and the subsequent impact and influence on disease, will be a fascinating research area.
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As I mentioned earlier, for successful food metabolomics, in addition to metabolomics techniques, "sample freshness maintenance techniques" and "procurement of useful response variables for social demand" are important. To achieve these goals, I think it is necessary to be constantly aware of global needs and to make diplomatic efforts to obtain the best collaborative research partners. Food research is more difficult to obtain research funds than medical research, but it is important research that is indispensable for the future of the world. I hope that more young people will enter food metabolomics research.
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
 
   
 
   
 
[[Category:Expert Opinion]]
 
[[Category:Expert Opinion]]

Revision as of 02:19, 16 May 2022

Prof. Eiichiro Fukusaki

Short Biography

Biography

Eiichiro Fukusaki entered a private company, Nitto Denko Co, after receiving master degree from Osaka University on 1985. He received PhD from Osaka University on 1993 through his company work. After ten years company experience, he returned back to Osaka University as an associate professor. On 2007 he has been assigned as a full professor in department of biotechnology, graduate school of engineering, Osaka University. He received several awards including; an Excellent Paper Award of the Society for Biotechnology, Japan [1993, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2015], the Japanese Society for Chemical Regulation of Plants Award for the Encouragement of Young Scientists. [2001]; the Society of Biotechnology, Japan ‘Saito’ Award [2004]; the Society of Biotechnology, Japan Achievement Award [2015]; Excellent Paper Award of Division of Chemical Information and Computer Science, The Chemical Society of Japan [2009]. He was assigned as a life-time honorary fellow of Metabolomics International Society [2019]. His current research interests are focusing on development and application of metabolomics technology. He has published over 300 original papers and 50 patents. He is focusing on not only fundamental science but also practical application. Particularly he facilitates research collaboration with private companies in the several fields including food, chemical, pharmaceutical, analytical etc. He is also energetically promoting international education and research collaboration. Recently he has participated double degree program in graduated school level between Osaka University and several foreign universities.

Expert Opinion

Question 1

1. When and why did you start using metabolomics in your investigations?

After graduating from Osaka university, I was engaged in research on large scale practical synthetic processes of bioactive substances in a private company. After 10 years company experience, I received an offer from Osaka University to become an associate professor in 1995. My new boss at Osaka University was a specialist in analytical chemistry and natural product organic chemistry. He strongly required me to do the two things. One was not to continue the synthetic chemistry research I had been doing at the company, but to start something completely new from scratch. The second was that the new research should be centered on analytical chemistry. Therefore, I decided to focus on biosynthesis, which is an organic synthetic reaction in living organisms, and to develop new technologies for the comprehensive analysis of organic compounds, which are biosynthetic products, as my new research subject. After much trial and error, I decided to focus on metabolomics research, which is what I am doing now, from around 2000.

Question 2

2. What have you been working on recently?

Since 2000, I have been conducting technology-driven application research in various fields using GC/MS, LC/MS, and NMR. In order to maintain good relationships with prestigious collaborative clients, I have avoided having our own research samples as much as possible. As a result, my research targets have been extremely wide-ranging, including basic biology, medicine, drug discovery, microbiology, fermentation production, and food. However, based on the idea that selection and concentration are necessary to become a first-rate researcher, I gradually narrowed down my research targets to food and fermentation. Recently, I have concentrated especially on applications based on comprehensive analysis of volatile metabolites in foods.

Question 3

3. During your career you have worked in both industry and academia; what are the main differences working in these environments? What are the skills gained through your experience in the industry that benefits the academic process?

There may be exceptions, but the basic difference is that corporate research is technological development for the pursuit of profit, while research in academia is aimed at the search for truth and the training of future generations.　Corporate research always prioritizes speed while considering the 3C's (Company, Customer, Competitor). The most important thing I learned in the corporate world is the "sense of speed".　The ancients said, ’Fast but slow’ is better than ‘skillful but slow’. Even now, I conduct my research and education based on the principle.

Question 4

4. Since you are an expert in food metabolomics method development and application, are there any challenges applying metabolomics in food samples? How did you overcome this challenge?

First, I had a hard time maintaining the freshness of food samples. I often worked with perishable foods such as fruits and seafood from overseas, and I had great difficulty in finding ways to import food samples from overseas with minimal deterioration. To solve this problem, I spent a lot of time optimizing sampling, storage, and logistic methods. Needless to say, I was supported by the dedication of our international collaborators. Another important aspect of food metabolomics is the food-derived response variable, which is necessary to construct regression prediction models using metabolomes as explanatory variables.　Especially in the case of secondary functions of foods, I had a great deal of difficulty in obtaining reproducible sensory evaluation data. At first, I depended on my collaborators who provided food samples for sensory evaluation, but recently, I have started to conduct sensory evaluation of various foods in my own laboratory.

Question 5

5. We are interested in one of your recent projects about contributing to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDG) (https://handaifoodloss.otri.osaka-u.ac.jp/), Could you explain in detail how metabolomics could contribute to this matter?

As you mentioned, I started the "Food and wase reduction innovation Hub" project with the support of JST last fiscal year. This project is a collaborative effort to develop new technologies such as "development of rapid monitoring technology for food functions" , "development of smart data logger system" and "development and utilization of zero-waste recycling food materials" . In addition to the challenges of developing new technologies, the project is also involved in social science research projects such as "Building a sustainable socio-economics system through ethical consumption" . 　The project is a large-scale fusion of the humanities and sciences, including research projects such as "Developing human resources for food solutions and creating opportunities through interactive international education programs. "　Food metabolomics technology targeting volatile metabolites is positioned as an important core competence technology in this project.

Question 6

6. Do you have any advice for early career researchers that interested to be involved in food metabolomics?

As I mentioned earlier, for successful food metabolomics, in addition to metabolomics techniques, "sample freshness maintenance techniques" and "procurement of useful response variables for social demand" are important. To achieve these goals, I think it is necessary to be constantly aware of global needs and to make diplomatic efforts to obtain the best collaborative research partners. Food research is more difficult to obtain research funds than medical research, but it is important research that is indispensable for the future of the world. I hope that more young people will enter food metabolomics research.

See also

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