Naoya Sugi

Naoya Sugi is a Visiting Professor at ENS de Lyon's Plant Reproduction and Development Laboratory (RDP) from July 2024 to July 2025, hosted by Prof. Thomas Widiez. He holds dual roles as Associate Professor and Project Assistant Professor at the Kihara Institute for Biological Research, Yokohama City University. Sugi earned his Ph.D. in Life and Environmental Sciences from the University of Tsukuba (2021), following a Master’s (Tsukuba) and Bachelor’s (Ibaraki University) in Science.

His research focuses on plant reproductive mechanisms, particularly sperm cell activation in Arabidopsis and maize. Collaborations with RDP aim to explore evolutionary conservation of cellular processes using advanced imaging tools. Key projects include pollen tube rupture dynamics under light exposure and microtubule roles in cellular transport. His work integrates metabolomics and genetic profiling to study plant heterosis in Arabidopsis hybrids.

• Awards: JSPS Research Fellowship for Young Scientists (2024–2027)

Current collaborations emphasize long-term ties between Yokohama City University and ENS Lyon. Research efforts span plant development, genetics, and cellular biology, with a focus on bridging fundamental and applied plant science.