Isao Kubo

Isao Kubo is a Professor in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at the University of California, Berkeley. His research focuses on natural products chemistry, particularly exploring ecological pest control agents and antimicrobial compounds derived from plants and microorganisms. Key projects include studying polyphenol oxidase (PPO) exudation in crops as a defense mechanism and investigating enzyme inhibition pathways for pesticide development. Kubo has pioneered studies on anacardic acids' synergistic effects against MRSA and their potential in anti-cavity agents.

Research Interests:

• Development of eco-friendly pest control agents
• Enzymology of plant defense mechanisms (e.g., PPO)
• Structure-activity relationships of antimicrobial compounds
• Phytochemical analysis of tropical plants

Recent Contributions:

Kubo's work bridges basic enzymology with applied chemistry, yielding over 40 peer-reviewed articles between 2004–2009. Notable findings include:

• Identification of anacardic acids' multifunctional roles in antimicrobial and antioxidant activities
• Discovery of novel antifeedant compounds from Croton jatrophoides and Wilbrandia species
• Characterization of tyrosinase inhibitors and melanogenesis modulators

Teaching:

He instructs courses in Chemical Ecology (119), Toxicology Research (193), and supervised research (199/299). Office hours are held Thursdays via appointment.