Tomokazu Kawashima

Dr. Tomokazu Kawashima (Tomo Kawashima) is an Associate Professor at the University of Kentucky's Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences. He earned his Ph.D. in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology from the University of California (2009) and a B.S. from the University of Tsukuba (2002).

His research focuses on the molecular and cellular mechanisms governing plant sexual reproduction, seed development, and cytoskeleton dynamics in flowering plants and land plant evolution. He pioneered real-time live-cell imaging methods to study fertilization processes in Arabidopsis thaliana, revealing F-actin's role in sperm nuclear migration and the evolutionary transition from microtubule to F-actin-based systems in land plants.

Recent publications highlight his work on dehydrin protein interactions, peri-germ cell membranes, coenocytic endosperm dynamics, and gene silencing in pollen cells. His lab investigates how environmental factors like temperature influence seed growth and yield.

Scientific awards include the National Science Foundation award for plant fertilization research and editorial board memberships at

• The Plant Cell
• Plant & Cell Physiology
• PLOS Genetics

. He mentors graduate researchers and recruits undergraduate students for projects on plant reproduction.