Research Activities in the Space-DREAM Project

The sense of smell is deeply related to our minds and bodily functions. My research focuses on how the brain processes smell information and how it is linked to appropriate behavioral outputs. In particular, I am studying the olfactory cortex, which is thought to convert odor information into behavioral outputs.
In our daily life, we are surrounded by many different smells. However, this is not the case in the space. The weightlessness also affects our bodily functions. I would like to reveal how the relationship between smell information and bodily functions changes under such a unique environment, and whether the brain and bodily functions can be restored by using smells. I would like to propose the importance of smells in life in space as well as in daily life.

Profile

I graduated from pharmacy school and did graduate studies in pharmacy and medicine. I have been studying the olfactory system since my doctoral studies. As I study olfaction from a medical perspective, I would like to elucidate the basic information processing mechanisms of the olfactory system and to develop treatments that can regulate mental and physical functions using odors.