In collaboration with the local community
We will continue to do what we can as a research facility.

LILAS

Leaders for people with innovation,
Liberty and Ambitions.

A series of interviews with female researchers introducing leading female leaders who are at the forefront of their fields.LILASLilac means lilac in French, and is also known as the flower of Sapporo. Along with plant arrangements inspired by the interview content, we will be sharing this original interview series, conveying messages about the strength, flexibility, and diversity that plants possess.

04: Our fourth featured researcher is Chikako Nagasato from the Muroran Marine Biological Station of the Northern Biosphere Field Science Center. Ms. Nagasato researches the developmental biology and cell biology of seaweed. Driven by a desire to continue her research by the sea, she has pursued a career at the marine biological station. While balancing research, education, and station management, she actively promotes diversity, international collaborative research, and cooperation with the local community.

Driven by a strong desire to continue research by the sea

How did you start your career as a researcher?

There's an organization called the National Conference of Directors of Coastal and Lagoonous Biological Stations, and I participated in an open marine field training program hosted by them when I was an undergraduate student. That experience led me to join the Muroran Marine Biological Station for my master's degree. When I first joined the station, there were only about five students, and at the time, my professor told me I was the first Japanese woman. Since then, more and more women have joined the station, and now the ratio of men to women is roughly equal.
After obtaining my degree, I had the opportunity to return to the marine research station as an associate professor after completing a postdoctoral researcher position. There were challenges due to the small number of female researchers, but my strong desire to continue my research by the sea has been the driving force that has kept me going. I also feel very fortunate to have been able to start my research career immediately after obtaining my degree.

I want to be able to consult with you not only about research, but also about small things in my daily life.

Please tell me about the challenges unique to marine research stations.

When I first took up the position, running the laboratory was more challenging than teaching. The Muroran Marine Biological Station at the time was located on a cliff, very close to the sea, so there were constant problems such as damage from waves, electrical leaks, and power outages. Since we also had equipment for cultivating seaweed for research, a prolonged power outage would affect our valuable samples. We had to deal with aging equipment, and I was constantly under pressure to be able to rush to the scene and handle any problems, even if I was alone.

Another important part of the job was supporting the students' daily lives. It takes about 30 minutes to walk from the laboratory to the students' apartments, so I would accompany them as much as possible during late-night experiments, and for students without cars, I would drive them home, prioritizing their safety above all else.
Most of the students who came to the Marine Biological Station came from universities outside Hokkaido, so they were living alone in Muroran, away from their families and friends. I made sure to create an atmosphere where they felt comfortable talking to me about anything, not just research-related matters, but also everyday life issues.
While this environment was challenging, it provided a valuable opportunity to hone my adaptability and management skills. Now that the marine research station has relocated, I feel that the working environment is much more comfortable than before.

Providing facilities suitable for the modern research environment means providing a place where everyone can learn and conduct research comfortably.

DEIHow are you addressing this issue?

The open marine fieldwork and international open marine fieldwork programs held at the Muroran Marine Biological Station attract students and researchers from diverse backgrounds. Therefore, we pay close attention to differences in lifestyle and dietary habits. For example, at the farewell party on the final day, we prepare a menu that everyone can enjoy and prioritize creating an atmosphere where everyone can interact. We believe that emphasizing diversity brings new perspectives and inspiration to the entire research lab, creating a more vibrant environment.
As a university faculty member, I believe it's important to share the challenges of educational and research activities, as well as maintenance and management, that differ from those at the Sapporo campus, especially since most faculty members at Hokkaido University are based there.

I currently chair the Working Group for Future Planning at the Northern Biosphere Field Science Center, and in this working group, we are examining the future plans of the facility from various angles. Among the issues that have been raised in particular is the issue of gender considerations in facilities such as toilets and changing rooms.
Currently, the Field Science Center's facilities are not adequately equipped in some areas, and there is room for improvement, particularly regarding the availability of separate restrooms and changing rooms for men and women. One contributing factor to this is the small number of female students and researchers in the past. As a result, the development of facilities such as restrooms and changing rooms was put on the back burner. However, in recent years, the number of female researchers and students in the field of field science has increased, and there is a need to improve the facilities to accommodate this.
Providing facilities suited to the modern research environment is crucial for creating a comfortable learning and research environment for everyone. While there are challenges in facility development, such as securing funding, we aim to address these issues as quickly as possible while maintaining a balance. By promoting a gender-inclusive environment, we hope to create a place where diverse individuals can thrive in the field of field science.

Opening up new possibilities in the cell biology of seaweed

Please tell me about your contributions to the research field.

Our laboratory focuses on the developmental biology and cell biology of seaweed. In particular, our improved microinjection technique into algal cells is attracting attention as it opens up new possibilities in seaweed cell biology. Many researchers from overseas visit us to learn this technique, contributing to the development of international collaborative research.

I actively participate in international research exchanges. For example, I served as an instructor at a technical workshop on macroalgae for graduate students held in France, where I taught microinjection techniques. It was a valuable experience for me to have the opportunity to directly interact with researchers and students from Europe and share our respective technologies.
From an international perspective, large-scale cross-border collaborative research is actively conducted in Europe, and I notice differences from Japan in terms of how research funding is obtained and how projects are managed. A culture of publishing high-quality papers has taken root there, where specialists from various fields come together and collaborate to advance research. We also participate in such international networks, and in the future, we would like to realize large-scale collaborative research in which Japan takes the lead.
Furthermore, we are also focusing on collaboration with Asian countries such as South Korea, China, and Malaysia, and in addition to joint research, we are actively promoting exchanges among students belonging to our laboratory. In particular, the Hokkaido Summer Institute^*We invite professors from South Korea and New Zealand every year to conduct international marine field training, and graduate students supervised by our collaborators also participate.

Through these ongoing international exchanges, we aim to broaden our perspectives and explore new research possibilities in collaboration with diverse researchers. While our laboratory is not particularly large, we actively pursue international collaborative research to incorporate new technologies and knowledge, striving to produce higher-quality research. We intend to continue our efforts to contribute to the entire research field.

*Hokkaido Summer Institute: A program in which Hokkaido University faculty invite researchers from overseas to conduct classes in English. Students from both within and outside Hokkaido University can participate.

I truly feel that this facility is deeply rooted in the community.

Please tell me about your contribution to society.

Seaweed beds, which are like underwater forests created by seaweed, are said to absorb CO₂ and contribute to maintaining biodiversity in coastal ecosystems and improving water quality. In recent years, in particular, as the term "blue carbon" has become commonplace, there has been growing interest in the mechanisms by which ecosystems consisting of seaweed and other organisms absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
There is still much we don't know about the physiological and ecological aspects of seaweed, so I believe that by developing this research, we can contribute to solving global environmental problems.
Muroran City is working towards achieving carbon neutrality, and the port authorities sometimes ask for advice on what can be done to increase seaweed in Muroran's waters. We intend to continue to consider all aspects and collaborate on what can be done to ensure the abundant growth of seaweed.
In terms of contributing to the local community, the laboratory has a long-standing connection with the community through activities such as regularly hosting the "Minato Hometown Experience Learning" program organized by the Board of Education and the "Seaweed Club" program organized by the Environmental Science Museum, where elementary school students and their guardians can collect seaweed and make specimens, as well as conducting workshops and study sessions for high school teachers.
The Seaweed Club, in particular, is a very long-running program, and I've heard stories from people involved with the science museum who participated in it when they were children. I really feel that it's a facility deeply rooted in the community, so I want to continue doing what I can as an experimental laboratory in cooperation with the local community.

Whichever path you choose, a future full of new possibilities awaits.

Please give a message to those who aspire to become researchers.

I hope you won't assume that "this is the only path," but instead consider a wide range of options. Pursuing a research career is a good choice, and there are also paths to take on new challenges in companies or overseas. While I myself followed the same research path, I hope students will continue to challenge themselves at their own pace. With so many options available now, it's crucial to choose a career that suits your life plan. Whichever path you choose, a future filled with new possibilities awaits you.

LILAS
items

"A timer is an essential item for managing experiments. I choose one with a design and alarm sound I like so that I can conduct experiments comfortably. I've been using tweezers since my student days, and I modify the needles at the end of the handles myself to suit the experiment. They are all indispensable companions for my daily experiments."

LILAS
Plant

A gaze directed towards things close at hand. The natural environment that is a continuation of my hometown. I used coral as a link between various species, plants, and seaweed through diverse forms of fertilization.

ルナリア Scientific name: Lunaria annua Family and genus: Brassicaceae, Lunaria
Fanflower Scientific name: Ravenala madagascariensis Family and genus: Order Zingiberales, Family Strelitridae
Okra Scientific name: Abelmoschus esculentus Family and genus: Malvaceae, Abelmoschus
Rice Scientific name: Oryza sativa Family and genus: Poaceae (grass family), Oryza genus
ギンネム Scientific name: Leucaena leucocephala Family and genus: Fabaceae, Mimosoideae
Ume no kigoke moss Scientific name: Parmotrema tinctorum Family and genus: Parmotreaceae
Coral Family and genus: Cnidarians

LILASThis is part of the Hokkaido University 150th Anniversary Project. Hokkaido University will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2026.

In collaboration with the local community We will continue to do what we can as a research facility.