Naoto Yoshida is a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Applied Biosciences at the University of Miyazaki, Japan. With a distinguished career spanning over two decades, his expertise lies in microbiology, biotechnology, and biofunction/bioprocess engineering.

Yoshida is most renowned for discovering the so‑called “Yoshida effect”, a serendipitous physical phenomenon where bacterial cells colliding with nano‑sized, needle‑shaped (acicular) materials under sliding friction form unique fusion bodies known as penetrons. First reported in 2024 in IgMin Research, the phenomenon showcased how art and science intersect—drawing parallels to surrealist expression—and explored applications ranging from detecting asbestos fibers to enabling plasmid‑DNA transformation in bacteria.

Beyond this landmark finding, Yoshida has contributed more than 40 peer‑reviewed articles, with notable work including butanol production and sporulation in Clostridium species, and the isolation of ammonia‑tolerant extremophilic bacteria. His earlier pioneering research at Miyazaki involved heavy‑metal biosorption in E. coli and chitinase purification from Trichoderma viride.

Active in applied biotechnology, Yoshida has advanced methods for mineral–microbe interactions, like biomineralization of magnesium‑calcite crystals via thermophilic bacteria. His multidisciplinary work bridges molecular genetics, microbial physiology, and environmental technology—ranging from gene transformation platforms to novel microbial biosorbents and bio‑deodorization strategies.

At Miyazaki, he continues to lead research initiatives, mentoring students and collaborating globally to apply microbial systems toward sustainable industrial and environmental solutions.

Naoto Yoshida’s research interests lie at the intersection of microbiology, biotechnology, and environmental biosciences. His work focuses on microbial physiology, genetic transformation, and the biochemical mechanisms of extremophilic bacteria. He is particularly renowned for discovering the "Yoshida effect," a novel physical phenomenon involving bacterial fusion via acicular materials, opening new avenues in microbial engineering and environmental diagnostics. Yoshida’s broader interests include biosorption of heavy metals, biodeodorization using microbial consortia, and biofuel production from anaerobic bacteria such as Clostridium species. He also investigates mineral–microbe interactions, especially biomineralization processes involving magnesium and calcite, and their applications in bioremediation. His research integrates bioprocess engineering with applied molecular biology, aiming to develop sustainable solutions for industrial biotechnology, environmental cleanup, and agricultural applications. At the University of Miyazaki, Yoshida leads several interdisciplinary projects combining microbial genomics, enzymology, and nanoscale interactions to advance both theoretical and applied biosciences.