動物生理化学

動物の中でも最も多様性に富む昆虫について，その生態や生理，行動様式（分類，形態，発生，変態，生殖と性決定，先天免疫，休眠・リズム，社会性，認知能力，コミュニケーション，進化）を生理化学の観点から捉え，最近，解明されつつある分子メカニズムや未解明の問題について解説する．また昆虫以外の動物にも言及し，昆虫の生命現象の多様性に着目した研究から，どのような普遍的な原理の理解が導き出されうるか講義する．これに伴い，動物行動学や社会生物学など，他の講義がカバーしない学問領域の概説も行う．従来の学問体系を理解するとともに，未解明の問題に注目する姿勢を身につけて欲しい．

Insects are the most diverse of all animals. This lecture will explain their ecology, physiology, and behavior (classification, morphology, development, metamorphosis, reproduction and sex determination, innate immunity, dormancy and rhythm, sociality, cognitive abilities, communication, and evolution) from the perspective of physiochemistry, and will describe molecular mechanisms that have recently been elucidated and problems that remain unresolved. The lecture will also refer to animals other than insects and discuss what universal principles can be derived from studies focusing on the diversity of insect life phenomena. In line with this, areas of research not covered in other courses, such as animal behavioral biology and sociobiology, will also be reviewed. It is expected that students will gain an understanding of conventional academic systems and develop an attitude to look into unexplored problems.