Durham University faculty member holds public seminar on transposon research at Kyushu University

On Wednesday, January 7, 2026, Kyushu University held a public seminar under the framework of RENKEI, the UK–Japan partnership of research-intensive leading universities of which Kyushu University is a member. This seminar was organized by Associate Professor Eriko Sasaki of the Faculty of Science at Kyushu University. With support from the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, a faculty member from Durham University visited Kyushu University.

The speaker was Dr. Jungnam Cho from the Department of Biosciences at Durham University in the UK, whose research focuses on the coevolution of transposons and host plants within the context of plant RNA biology. The lecture title was "Arms race of transposons and host plants," presenting the reality of the ongoing, never-ending battle between the two, along with the latest research findings.

Transposons are widespread DNA sequences that can move around within eukaryotic genomes. Because of this mobility, they act as a double-edged sword: they can disrupt genes and cause mutations, but they can also drive evolution by increasing genetic diversity.

Most research to date has focused on how cells repress transposons at the level of transcription, largely through epigenetic silencing. However, far less attention has been paid to how transposons are controlled after transcription or to the ways transposons can actively escape host repression.

In this seminar, he presented recent work conducted in his lab that uncovers previously hidden layers of transposon regulation at the RNA level, as well as unique strategies employed by certain transposons to bypass host defenses.

The lecture was delivered in English and attracted a large audience of researchers and students, both in person and online. The Q&A session featured lively discussion, reflecting participants' keen interest in the unexplored areas of transposon research and future research directions. This seminar provided a valuable opportunity to showcase new perspectives in the life sciences emerging from basic research.

Kyushu University aims to build long-term research and educational collaboration networks by leveraging international university consortia such as RENKEI. We will continue to deepen international research exchanges through such opportunities.

Contact

Seminar Organizer: Eriko Sasaki, Faculty of Science
Email: sasaki.eriko.997★m.kyushu-u.ac.jp

International University Consortium Liaison:
Global Partnership and Alliance, International Affairs Division, International Affairs Department
Email: intlsenryaku★jimu.kyushu-u.ac.jp

※Please replace ★ with @ in the email address.