My name is Shinji Kishimoto. On April 1, 2026, I assumed the position of Associate Professor in the Endowed Chair of Neo-Dimensional Molecular Sociology within the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences. I received my Ph.D. from the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Kyoto University in 2015. Subsequently, I engaged in research as a Specially Appointed Assistant Professor at the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka, where I later served as an Assistant Professor and Lecturer, dedicating myself to both research and mentoring students.
Since my time as a student, my research has consistently focused on low-molecular-weight compounds produced by microorganisms, known as “natural products.” Natural products exhibit a diverse array of biological activities, and many—such as penicillin and lovastatin—have been successfully developed into pharmaceuticals. During my studies at Kyoto University, my work involved discovering natural products with beneficial biological activities, evaluating the activities of novel compounds, and conducting total synthesis and structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies.
Upon moving to the University of Shizuoka, I shifted my focus toward elucidating the detailed functions of uncharacterized natural product biosynthetic enzymes. By combining X-ray crystallography, substrate synthesis, and in vitro reaction assays, I elucidated the function of target enzymes and contributed to establishing a foundation for discovering novel natural products through genome mining. Furthermore, as I took on the role of mentoring students, I expanded my research into the previously underexplored field of secondary metabolism in pathogenic fungi, discovering numerous novel natural products generated through unique biosynthetic pathways.
However, the biological activities of many of these newly discovered natural products remain uncharacterized. In fact, a vast number of natural products have unknown biological activities. Nevertheless, from an evolutionary perspective, it is highly probable that these natural products play crucial roles in the survival competition and environmental adaptation of their host microorganisms.
Given this background, our endowed chair aims to establish novel methodologies for predicting the biological activities and ecological roles of these compounds. This approach is rooted in the evolutionary analysis of natural product biosynthetic gene clusters and the compounds they produce. Through this work, we hope to pioneer a new paradigm in natural product discovery that does not rely on conventional random or chemical screening, ultimately paving the way for advanced drug discovery research.
While the nature of an endowed chair limits the number of students I can directly supervise, my goal is to cultivate individuals capable of independent trial and error and proactive problem-solving through our shared pursuit of novel research. I look forward to working with you all.