Updated on 2025/06/10

Information

 

写真a

 
SAWAFUJI RIKAI
 
Organization
Faculty of Social and Cultural Studies Department of Environmental Changes Lecturer
Advanced Asian Archaeology Research Center(QA3RC) （Concurrent）
Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Global Society Department of Integrated Sciences for Global Society（Concurrent）
Title
Lecturer
Homepage

Research Areas

  • Life Science / Physical anthropology

Degree

  • Ph.D.（Doctor of Philosophy） （ 2017.6 The University of Tokyo ）

Research Interests・Research Keywords

  • Research theme： Development of New Methods in Bioarchaeology

    Keyword： Bioarchaeology, ancient DNA, ancient protein

    Research period： 2024.12 - Present

  • Research theme： Bioarchaeology

    Keyword： Bioarchaeology

    Research period： 2024.12 - Present

Papers

  • A male Denisovan mandible from Pleistocene Taiwan.

    Tsutaya T, Sawafuji R, Taurozzi AJ, Fagernäs Z, Patramanis I, Troché G, Mackie M, Gakuhari T, Oota H, Tsai CH, Olsen JV, Kaifu Y, Chang CH, Cappellini E, Welker F

    Science (New York, N.Y.)   388 ( 6743 )   176 - 180   2025.4   （ ISSN:0036-8075 ）

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    Language：English   Publisher：Science (New York, N.Y.)  

    Denisovans are an extinct hominin group defined by ancient genomes of Middle to Late Pleistocene fossils from southern Siberia. Although genomic evidence suggests their widespread distribution throughout eastern Asia and possibly Oceania, so far only a few fossils from the Altai and Tibet are confidently identified molecularly as Denisovan. We identified a hominin mandible (Penghu 1) from Taiwan (10,000 to 70,000 years ago or 130,000 to 190,000 years ago) as belonging to a male Denisovan by applying ancient protein analysis. We retrieved 4241 amino acid residues and identified two Denisovan-specific variants. The increased fossil sample of Denisovans demonstrates their wider distribution, including warm and humid regions, as well as their shared distinct robust dentognathic traits that markedly contrast with their sister group, Neanderthals.

    DOI： 10.1126/science.ads3888

    Scopus

    PubMed

  • From bones to sediments: ancient human DNA from open-air archaeological sites

    Rikai Sawafuji,Ryohei Sawaura,Masaki Yokoo,Toshiaki Kumaki,Nils August Thomasen,Takumi Tsutaya,Mikkel Winther Pedersen

    bioRxiv   2025.03.19.643861   2025.3

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    Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author  

    DOI： 10.1101/2025.03.19.643861

  • Tracing early pastoralism in Central Europe using sedimentary ancient DNA International coauthorship

    2024.9

  • East and Southeast Asian hominin dispersal and evolution: A review International coauthorship

    2024.6

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    Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author  

  • Palaeoproteomic investigation of an ancient human skeleton with abnormal deposition of dental calculus.

    2024.3

  • 近世の日本本土におけるヒトの食事　炭素窒素安定同位体比についてのメタアナリシス(Human diet of premodern mainland Japan: a meta-analysis of carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios)

    Tsutaya Takumi, Doi Naomi, Katagiri Chiaki, Sawafuji Rikai, Yoneda Minoru

    Anthropological Science   132 ( 1 )   27 - 38   2024.1   （ ISSN:0918-7960 ）

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    Language：English   Publisher：(一社)日本人類学会  

  • Perspectives and Future Developments Within Sedimentary DNA Research International coauthorship

    2023.12

  • Genomic ancestry, diet and microbiomes of Upper Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers from San Teodoro cave International coauthorship

    2022.11

  • A review of the spread and habitat of the genus Homo: Focusing on East Asia

    2022

    　More details

    Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author  

  • Ethics of DNA research on human remains: five globally applicable guidelines International coauthorship

    2021.10

  • Comparison of Periodontal Bacteria of Edo and Modern Periods Using Novel Diagnostic Approach for Periodontitis With Micro-CT

    2021.9

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    Authorship：Corresponding author  

  • Fecal proteomics as a novel method to study mammalian behavior and physiology International coauthorship

    2021.3

  • Ancient DNA analysis of food remains in human dental calculus from the Edo period, Japan

    2020.3

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    Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author  

  • Applications of mass spectrometry-based proteomics in archaeology and palaeoanthropology

    2020

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    Authorship：Lead author  

  • The bioarchaeology of dental calculus : DNA, proteomics and starch analysis

    2018.5

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    Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author  

  • Proteomic profiling of archaeological human bone International coauthorship

    2017.6

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    Authorship：Lead author  

  • Emulsion PCR-coupled target enrichment: An effective fishing method for high-throughput sequencing of poorly preserved ancient DNA International coauthorship

    2013.10

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Professional Memberships

  • sedaDNA Scientific Society

  • Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association (IPPA)

  • 日本文化財科学会

  • 日本人類学会

Committee Memberships

  • 日本人類学会   代議員  

    2022.10 - 2024.9   

Academic Activities

  • 学術論文等の審査 International contribution

    Role(s)： Peer review

    2024.12 - Present

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    Type：Peer review 

    Number of peer-reviewed articles in foreign language journals：2

Research Projects

  • 過去の病原体ゲノム解析の効率的解析方法の開発と応用

    Grant number： 24K00154  2024.4 - 2028.3

    日本学術振興会  科学研究費助成事業  基盤研究(B)

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    Authorship：Principal investigator 

Educational Activities

  • 大学院では生物考古学・自然人類学などの分野の基礎知識とその動向を教え、体系的に学べる授業を心がけている。また生物学の基礎知識がない学生も基本的な知識から教育し、最先端の技術まで理解を繋げられるようにプログラムを組んでいる。

Class subject

  • 生物考古学Ⅳ

    2025.12 - 2026.2   Winter quarter

  • 生物考古学Ⅷ

    2025.12 - 2026.2   Winter quarter

  • フィールドに学ぶＢ

    2025.12 - 2026.2   Winter quarter

  • Fundamentals in Bioarchaeology Ⅳ

    2025.12 - 2026.2   Winter quarter

  • Fundamentals in Bioarchaeology Ⅷ

    2025.12 - 2026.2   Winter quarter

  • 先史学入門

    2025.10 - 2026.3   Second semester

  • 生物考古学Ⅲ

    2025.10 - 2025.12   Fall quarter

  • 生物考古学Ⅶ

    2025.10 - 2025.12   Fall quarter

  • Fundamentals in Bioarchaeology Ⅶ

    2025.10 - 2025.12   Fall quarter

  • Fundamentals in Bioarchaeology Ⅲ

    2025.10 - 2025.12   Fall quarter

  • 生物考古学Ⅱ

    2025.6 - 2025.8   Summer quarter

  • 生物考古学Ⅵ

    2025.6 - 2025.8   Summer quarter

  • Fundamentals in Bioarchaeology Ⅵ

    2025.6 - 2025.8   Summer quarter

  • Fundamentals in Bioarchaeology Ⅱ

    2025.6 - 2025.8   Summer quarter

  • 生物考古学Ⅰ

    2025.4 - 2025.6   Spring quarter

  • 生物考古学Ⅴ

    2025.4 - 2025.6   Spring quarter

  • Fundamentals in Bioarchaeology Ⅴ

    2025.4 - 2025.6   Spring quarter

  • Fundamentals in Bioarchaeology Ⅰ

    2025.4 - 2025.6   Spring quarter

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FD Participation

  • 2020.6   Role：Participation   Title：Towards a More Inclusive Kyushu University: On-Campus, Off-Campus and Beyond

    Organizer：University-wide

Travel Abroad

  • 2021.9 - 2024.9

    Staying countory name 1：Denmark   Staying institution name 1：コペンハーゲン大学