Recognizing Plant Cell authors: Naoki Kitaoka

Naoki Kitaoka, co-first author of Interdependent evolution of biosynthetic gene clusters for momilactone production in rice

Current Position: Assistant Professor, Hokkaido University

Education: PhD, Hokkaido University

Non-scientific Interests: Kayaking and jogging

Brief bio: I started my scientific career in Hokkaido University, where I got my PhD. During my PhD, I studied about the inactivation pathway of jasmonates under the supervision of Dr. Hideyuki Matsuura. I joined Prof. Reuben J. Peters’ lab in 2012, where I researched about rice diterpenoid biosynthesis as a postdoctoral fellow. In 2014, I joined in the group of Prof. Shinjiro Yamaguchi (currently in Kyoto University) in Tohoku University, where I researched about strigolactone biosynthesis as a postdoctoral fellow. After working as assistant professor in Toyama Prefectural University for three years, I came back to Hokkaido University in April 2020. Current my interest is the bioactivity and biosynthetic mechanism of plant natural products.