Zoology

The Department of Zoology consists of three major courses. In the course of natural history, we are conducting research on the function and mechanism of animal behavior, the classification/lineage/biogeography of inland animals, the structure of fish communities, the differentiation and diversity of insects and fish, and the maintenance mechanisms of animals. In the animal science course, we are studying the molecular mechanism of animal development and the relationship between development and evolution, the determination of the entire genome sequence of protozoa, and the mechanisms of gene mutation generation and suppression. In the anthropology course, we are conducting research to clarify the position and evolutionary process of human beings in nature, field studies of non-human primates, social and ecological studies of people in traditional societies, and fossil morphology studies of the human superfamily.

Core Course

Zoological Systematics

We are engaged in natural history research such as species classification, systematics, historical biogeography, and morphology in order to elucidate the species diversity and evolutionary history of various inland animals.

Ethology

We are conducting research on behavioral functions, mechanisms, ontogeny, and evolution by appropriately using both field surveys and laboratory experiments on insects, reptiles, amphibians, and birds.

Animal Ecology

Focusing on freshwater fish and insects, we are conducting research with a wide range of approaches such as field research, breeding experiments, and molecular experiments such as genome analysis in order to elucidate the ecology and evolution in the field.

Animal Development

We are conducting research on the development mechanism of chordates, including vertebrates, focusing on morphogenesis, cell differentiation, gene expression, intercellular signals, genomics, and evolutionary development.

Stress Response Biology

In order to clarify the mechanism by which organisms respond to various environmental stresses at the genetic level, we are conducting research focusing on the mechanism of protection against DNA damage and repair, and oxidative stress.

Physical Anthropology

We are conducting a wide range of research on the anatomical and physiological adaptations of primates, including humans, and their evolutionary processes and factors, using excavated materials such as fossils and specimens of modern primates.

Human Evolution Studies

Mainly focusing on fieldwork, the goal is to clarify the ecology, behavior, and society of wild primates, and ultimately to understand the evolution of humans.

Cooperation Course

Marine Biology

At the Seto Marine Biological Laboratoy in Wakayama Prefecture, we are mainly conducting research in the field of natural history such as phylogenetic nomenclature and ecology of marine invertebrates, focusing on fieldwork.

Ecological Science I

We are conducting research on ecological phenomena involving a various organisms such as animals, plants, fungi, and microorganisms, set in representative ecosystems of the earth such as forests, grasslands (land areas), lakes, and rivers (water areas).

Cellular Signaling Regulation

Research focused on the acquisition and analysis of biophysical data that contributes to the development of cancer treatment, centered on the boron neutron capture therapy for children conducted at the Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute.