Biography

Kenji Suetsugu, Ph.D.
Professor, Division of Biodiversity, Ecology and speciation

Research Interests
I was born in Nara City, located in the Nara Prefecture, and spent my formative years in proximity to Nara Park, which boasts a distinct and abundant biota. My childhood experiences imbued me with a keen interest in the intricacies of biological interactions and the natural history of captivating organisms that inhabit terrestrial ecosystems. Recently, my research has been focused on heterotrophic plants, which derive their sustenance from exploiting other organisms for carbon resources, thus losing the capability of photosynthesis. Although mutualisms in biology are frequently perceived as a harmonious and reciprocal exchange of resources between distantly related organisms, there are many instances where this relationship is subverted by organisms that do not reciprocate - heterotrophic plants represent a particularly noteworthy example. By delving into the ecological and evolutionary processes that underlie the transition from autotrophic to heterotrophic plants, we can gain a more profound understanding of the dynamics that exist along the mutualism-parasitism spectrum.