Photosynthesis Across Scales: From Microscope to Telescope

Our planet’s surface environment is largely shaped by oxygen released through plant photosynthesis and by the vegetation that covers it. At the cellular level, microscopy reveals the pigments that drive photosynthesis and shape the reflection spectra of vegetation, whereas at the planetary level, telescopes can detect distinct yet related photosynthetic signatures in planetary reflection spectra across light-years. Together, these spectral signatures serve as crucial "biosignatures," indicators of life that could reveal its presence on exoplanets from vast interstellar distances.

Photosynthesis does not merely respond to its environment: It can also reshape a planet’s climate and atmospheric chemistry and take different forms under conditions far from Earth’s. Predicting how photosynthetic life and its host planets co-evolve across different environments, and how the resulting biosignatures might be detected through astronomical observations, is a monumental challenge. Addressing it requires cross-disciplinary collaboration (spanning biology, environmental science, planetary science, and astronomy) that breaks through traditional academic boundaries.

With "spectroscopy" as our unifying keyword, this conference brings together researchers across these disciplines, whether they look through a microscope or a telescope, to exchange ideas on photosynthesis and its planetary consequences, spanning scales from molecules to planets.

Nancy Y. Kiang (NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, US)

Wonkook Kim (Pusan National University, KR)

David M. Kramer (Jan IngenHousz Institute, NL)

Sascha P. Quanz (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, CH)

Shang-Min Tsai (Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, TW)

Shingo Kameda (Rikkyo University, JP)

Yui Kawashima (Kyoto University, JP)

Tsuyoshi Komiya (The University of Tokyo, JP)

Masaru Kono (Astrobiology Center, NINS, JP)

Hibiki Noda (National Institute for Environmental Studies, JP)

Kazumi Ozaki (Institute of Science Tokyo, JP)

Yusuke Tsukatani (Biogeochemistry Research Center, JAMSTEC, JP)

Akihiko Yamagishi (Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, JP)

Katsuki Johzuka (Astrobiology Center / National Institute for Basic Biology, NINS, JP)

Toru Kondo (Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems / National Institute for Basic Biology, NINS, JP)

and more (to be announced)

Tentative Program

Day 1: 2026.11.9 (Mon)

12:00 - 13:00   Registration

13:00 - 13:05 Opening Remarks

TBA

Session 1 Astrobiology and Extraterrestrial Photosynthesis

Session 2 The Environments of Earth

Session 3 Photosynthesis: From the Microscopic to the Macroscopic

Mixer dinner

Day 2: 2026.11.10 (Tue)                                  

Session 4 Remote sensing of Earth and Life

Session 5 Exoplanet Detection

13:00-15:00 Lunch along with Poster session

Afternoon Site visit to NIBB Trans-Scale Biology Center

Free time

Day 3: 2026.11.11 (Wed)                                  

Session 6 Organisms’ Tolerance to Extreme Environments

Session 7

12:30 - 12:40 Closing Remarks

TBA

13:00- Departure

Invited Speakers and those who wish to attend will be required to register via the following links.

Registration Form ← Click here!! (powered by Google Form)

Registration deadline: October 5th, 2026

We encourage participants to consider giving a poster presentation.

A limited number of contributed speakers will be selected from among the applicants.

There is no participation fee required.

※ Privacy Policy and Confidentiality for the 70th NIBB Conference

Abstract submission:

1. Download an abstract template file from here.

2. Email it to the conference office (nibbconf@nibb.ac.jp). 

Abstract submission deadline: October 5th, 2026

Information on meals during the conference:

During the period of the conference, we will serve meals for all inivted speakers and those who wish.

• 1 mixer dinner on November 9th

• 1 lunch on Novermber 10th

We will be collecting meal fees from general participants. 

Meal fees are to be paid online via credit card.

• Mixer dinner: 6,000 JPY for general, and 3,000 JPY for students

• Lunch: 1,200 JPY

Online payment: please click Here! (powered by Payvent)

Information about poster presentation: 

The details will be announced later.

Science Organizing Committee:

Kenji Takizawa (Astrobiology Center / National Institute for Basic Biology, NINS, JP)

Masahiro Ikoma (Astrobiology Center, NINS, JP)

Teruyuki Hirano (Astrobiology Center, NINS, JP)

Takayuki Kotani (Astrobiology Center, NINS, JP)

Local Organizing Committee Chair:

Kiyoshi Tatematsu (National Institute for Basic Biology, NINS, JP)

How to access

Accommodation list