Atsushi Ogura · 小倉 淳
Reading genomes to understand how life diversifies — and turning that knowledge into biological function for food, water and carbon.
- Professor, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology
- President & CEO, Novelgen Inc.
- Representative Director, Aquatic BioGX Initiative
70 journal papers · 210 conference presentations · 14 granted patents · 46 competitive research grants (¥1.7B+ secured).
Profile
Working across bioinformatics, comparative genomics and biotechnology, my mission is to decode the evolution and diversity of life through genomic information — and to turn that knowledge toward solving the planet's challenges.
For more than twenty years I have sequenced the genomes of non-model organisms — molluscs, microalgae, insects and more — studying how complex traits such as the nervous system and the camera eye evolve, and how biological diversity arises.
Today I focus on implementing the “wisdom of nature” uncovered in that basic research as sustainable function in society: CO₂ fixation and water purification by microalgae, marine-derived bioadhesives, sustainable insect food — returning life's diverse capabilities to the environment and industry.
I founded Novelgen Inc. and the Aquatic BioGX Initiative to lead the real-world implementation of a genome-science-based “Bio-Green Transformation (GX).”
Research
Diversity & Evolution
How is biological diversity generated? By comparing genomes and transcriptomes across molluscs, vertebrates, diatoms and insects, I trace how complex traits such as the camera eye evolved — through gene loss, Pax-6 splicing variants and regulatory rewiring — and how species adapt to extreme and changing environments, from deep-sea hydrothermal vents to conservation of aquatic ecosystems.
Information Biology
Life is data. I build the computational methods to read it: de novo genome assembly pipelines for species with no reference (combining MinION long reads and short reads), differential alternative-splicing estimation without a genome, and graph-based analysis of single-cell transcriptomes as evolving gene-correlation networks that track disease trajectories such as diabetes and fibrosis.
Harnessing Biological Function
Genome science becomes real-world impact. My teams engineer microalgae for CO₂ fixation, microplastic removal, water purification and high-value land-based aquaculture; develop the FP121 series of hybrid proteins that mimic marine adhesives with cell-adhesion activity; and advance the genomics-assisted domestication of crickets as a sustainable protein source — the core of the Bio-Green Transformation.
Recent publications
- Satomura K., Ogura A. “Molecular Divergence Between Two Geographically Overlapping Cryptic Crickets: Loxoblemmus campestris and L. sylvestris”, 2026, Ecology and Evolution https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.74457
- Le BTN., Nguyen PT., Tran HS., Dang LT., Tran TTH., Ogura A., Yura K., Kim OTP. “Transcriptomic and Metagenomic Analyses of Snout Otter Clams (Lutraria rhynchaena) Infected with Swollen-Siphon Disease”, 2026, Journal of Shellfish Research, 45(2):241-254 https://doi.org/10.2983/035.045.0202
- Kamba S., Kuroki M., Takemura I., Tabata H., Minei R., Shimamoto M., Ogura A., Hasegawa M., Ishikawa M. “Enrichment of Lysobacter in a long-term organically managed agricultural field with low soilborne disease incidence”, 2026, Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiosc.2026.07.002
- Matano Y., Kubota H., Sakagami K., Nagai N., Ogura A. “Antioxidant and Renal Protective Effects of House Cricket (Acheta domesticus) Powder in a Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Nephropathy Model”, 2026, Applied Food Research, 6(1):101598 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afres.2025.101598
- Kawakami Y., Shishioh N., Ogura A. “Development of the FP121 series: Hybrid proteins mimicking marine adhesive proteins with cell adhesion and proliferation activity”, 2025, Materials & Design, 255:114153 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114153
- Sustainable Cephalopod Aquaculture and Welfare Group, including Ogura A. “A balanced approach to the potential of octopus aquaculture”, 2025, Marine Policy, 179:106682 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106682
- Takekata H., Satomura K., Ogura A., Takemura A. “Chilling induces prompt and synchronised hatching after obligatory diapause in the subtropical cricket Cardiodactylus guttulus”, 2025, Physiological Entomology, 50 https://doi.org/10.1111/phen.12482
- Nagai S., Minei R., Takemura I., Tabata H., Töpel M., Pinder M., Kourtchenko O., Lee-Kuo K., Van Nguyen N., Sildever S., Ogura A., Gojobori T. “The draft genome sequences of the cosmopolitan centric diatom, the genus Skeletonema”, 2025, Scientific Data, 12(1):1358 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-05432-8
- Murata K., Kataoka K., Sanno R., Satomura K., Ogura A., Asahi T., Yura K., Suzuki T. “Complete mitochondrial genome sequences of two ground crickets, Dianemobius fascipes nigrofasciatus and Polionemobius taprobanensis (Orthoptera: Grylloidea: Trigonidiidae)”, 2023, Mitochondrial DNA Part B: Resources, 8(12):1311-1315 https://doi.org/10.1080/23802359.2023.2285400
- Motomura K., Matsuzaka T., Shichino S., Ogawa T., Pan H., Nakajima T., Asano Y., Okayama T., Takeuchi T., Ohno H., Han SI., Miyamoto T., Takeuchi Y., Sekiya M., Sone H., Yahagi N., Nakagawa Y., Oda T., Ueha S., Ikeo K., Ogura A., Matsushima K., Shimano H. “Single-Cell Transcriptome Profiling of Pancreatic Islets From Early Diabetic Mice Identifies Anxa10 for Ca2+ Allostasis Toward β-Cell Failure”, 2024, Diabetes, 73(1):75-92 https://doi.org/10.2337/db23-0212
All 70 journal articles, 16 books/chapters/reviews: /data/publications.json
Selected funding
- Oyster fattening system & fisheries-logistics DX — MAFF SBIR Phase 3 (JATAFF), 2023–, ¥1.25B
- Insect-supported circular food production for food security & space — Cabinet Office / MAFF (Moonshot), 2020–2027, ¥180M
- Microplastic-removal water-purification system — Nippon Foundation — Project Ikkaku, 2019–2021, ¥40M
- Oyster–microalgae integrated aquaculture system — Hiroshima Carbon-Recycle Program (CHANCE), 2023–2025, ¥20M
- Microalgae biochar for decarbonisation & water purification — Shiga Near-Future Technology Program, 2022, ¥20M
- COI-NEXT Hiroshima University hub (Prof. Sakuno) — JST COI-NEXT (Hiroshima University), 2026–2035, ¥20M+
- High-value water-purification tank via microalgae microplastic removal — MAFF SBIR (Phase 0) / BRAIN, 2021–2022, ¥19.5M
- Closed-cycle aquaculture system using microalgae — MAFF SBIR (Phase 2) / BRAIN, 2024–2025, ¥19.5M
Awards
- 2026.06 VivaTech 2026 — “Tech For Change” selection
- 2026.03 Best Business Concept Presentation Award
- 2025.11 Agri Food Tech Expo World Championship — Selected
- 2025.10 Toyo Keizai "Amazing Ventures 100" — Selected
- 2025.09 Forbes Oceans "Local Engagement" Award
- 2024.11 ILS TOP100 STARTUPS — Selected
- 2024.06 Kansai Mirai Bank "Mirai Way" Excellence Award
- 2023.09 U Startup KANSAI 2023 EXPO Award
- 2023.07 HVC KYOTO 2023 — Kansai Innovation Initiative Award
- 2020.10 Eco Tech Grand Prix 2020 — Nippon Steel Engineering Award & Audience Award
- 2019.09 BRAVE 2019 — Uchida & Samejima Law Office Award
- 2017.09 Marine Tech Grand Prix 2017 — Dai Nippon Printing Award
- 2017.07 Shiga Tech Planter 2017 — Takara Bio, Kansai Urban Bank & Audience Awards
- 2003 Walter Fitch Prize
Career
- 2026.1 – present: Representative Director, Aquatic BioGX Initiative (general incorporated association)
- 2019.10 – present: President & CEO, Novelgen Inc.
- 2019.4 – present: Professor, School of Bioscience, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology
- 2013.9 – 2019.3: Associate Professor, Dept. of Computer Bioscience, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology
- 2012.8 – 2013.8: Lecturer, Institute for Proteo-genome Research, Tokushima University
- 2008.3 – 2012.7: Assistant Professor (specially appointed), Ochanomizu University, Academic Production
- 2007.4 – 2008.2: Deputy Head, DDBJ System Management, National Institute of Genetics
- 2007.3 – 2008.2: Assistant Professor (specially appointed), National Institute of Genetics
- 2006.12 – 2007.2: Project Researcher, National Institute of Genetics
- 2004.6 – 2006.3: Research Fellow, Prof. Hartl Lab, Harvard University, Dept. of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
- 2004.4 – 2006.12: Research Fellow (PD), Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
- 2003.8 – 2004.3: Researcher, Bioinformatics Promotion Program, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)
- 2003.4 – 2003.7: Researcher, Center for Information Biology, Genetics Promotion Foundation
Education
- 2003: Ph.D. in Genetics, SOKENDAI (Graduate University for Advanced Studies), School of Life Science, Dept. of Genetics
- 2000: M.Sc., Graduate School, University of Tokyo, Applied Life Engineering
- 1998: B.Sc., University of Tokyo (Natural Sciences II)
Data and links
Structured data: /data/profile.json, /data/publications.json, /data/presentations.json. AI/agent orientation: /llms.txt (full text: /llms-full.txt).
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