Rate My Professor Masao Miyazaki

Masao Miyazaki is a Professor in the Faculty of Agriculture at Iwate University, affiliated with the Department of Life Science, Course of Molecular Biomedical Sciences. He earned his undergraduate degree in Veterinary Science from the Faculty of Agriculture at Iwate University in 2000 and completed his Doctor's Course in the Graduate School, Division of Agricultural Sciences at the same institution in 2004, receiving a Ph.D. in Agricultural Science. His campus career at Iwate University includes serving as Research Associate Professor from 2011 to 2012 and Associate Professor from 2012 to 2020 before his appointment as Professor. Prior to these roles, he held positions as Special Postdoctoral Researcher at RIKEN Frontier System Research from 2004 to 2007, Researcher at RIKEN Frontier System Research in 2007, Researcher at Tokai University Institute of Glycotechnology from 2007 to 2008, Special Researcher of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science at Tokai University from 2008 to 2011, and Visiting Researcher at Louisiana University from 2008 to 2009.

Professor Miyazaki's research focuses on pheromones, biochemistry, animal behavior, olfaction, and chemical communication, with particular emphasis on domestic cats. His work includes investigations into the biological function of cauxin, a major urinary protein in cats, as detailed in chapters contributed to Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 11 (2007) and Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 15 (2023). Recent publications address topics such as the reduction of urinary felinine in cats with renal diseases leading to decreased catty odor (2024), free-roaming and captive cats preferring silver vine to catnip for self-anointing (2026), and olfactory habituation and dishabituation regulating feeding motivation in domestic cats (2026). He has also contributed to studies on the characteristic response of domestic cats to plant iridoids and other aspects of feline chemical signaling and behavior. His professional affiliations include membership in the Japanese Biochemical Society and the Japanese Association for the Study of Taste and Smell. Professional Email: null