东京大学、京都大学、大阪大学等日本QS前10名大学的研究室信息。
Professor Kobayashi Makoto's research lab focuses on ecosystem dynamics in forested environments, particularly the interplay between plant-soil interactions, succession processes, and the impacts of global change factors such as climate change and fire regimes. The lab investigates key drivers of community assembly, including plant dispersal, nutrient cycling (especially nitrogen and phosphorus), and the long-term role of fire-derived charcoal in shaping soil fertility and vegetation recovery. A central theme is understanding how abiotic changes—such as altered winter climates or increased forest fires—affect ecosystem functions and species composition in boreal, temperate, and montane forests.
Professor Ryo Yamaguchi's research lab focuses on evolutionary biology and population genomics, with a particular emphasis on the mechanisms driving speciation, especially in the context of geographic isolation, genetic incompatibility, and historical population dynamics. The lab employs theoretical and computational models—such as Fisher's geometric model and stochastic simulations—to explore how genetic divergence accumulates under varying ecological and demographic conditions, including postglacial range expansions and recurrent migration. A key focus is understanding how historical processes like allele surfing and population expansion shape patterns of reproductive isolation and fitness in hybrid zones. The lab also investigates macroevolutionary patterns, particularly the role of intermediate dispersal ability in promoting high species diversity in insular systems.
Professor Takuya Masuda's research lab specializes in in situ electrochemical characterization techniques, focusing on the dynamic behavior of materials at electrified interfaces. The lab investigates catalytic materials—particularly platinum and ceria-based systems—for fuel cell applications, aiming to understand and enhance oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity through advanced X-ray spectroscopy and surface analysis. A key research direction involves probing the electronic and chemical changes in nanomaterials under operational electrochemical conditions, including the role of oxide supports and ionomer interactions in electrochemical devices. The lab also develops and applies innovative in situ analytical methods such as electrochemical XAFS, XPS, and EQCM to study interfacial processes with atomic-scale resolution.
Professor Kosei Aikawa's research lab specializes in mineral processing and hydrometallurgy, focusing on the efficient recovery and separation of valuable metals from complex sulfide ores and secondary resources. The lab investigates advanced flotation techniques to selectively recover chalcopyrite and galena while depressing sphalerite and other gangue minerals, particularly in the presence of problematic soluble compounds like anglesite. A key research direction involves the use of chemical pretreatments—such as EDTA leaching and cementation with zero-valent metals—to mitigate metal activation effects and enable selective metal recovery. The lab also explores the application of electron-mediating metal oxides in selective metal recovery processes, especially in ammoniacal thiosulfate systems for gold and copper. These efforts are aligned with sustainable resource management and the development of circular economy solutions in mining and urban mining.
Professor Katsuhisa Sakaguchi's research lab specializes in advanced bioengineering with a focus on tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The lab develops innovative scaffold-free and perfusion-based systems to enhance nutrient delivery and vascularization in three-dimensional tissues, enabling long-term viability and function. Key research directions include cell sheet technology for cardiac and muscle tissue engineering, organ-on-a-chip platforms using microfluidic systems, and the production of cultured meat through bioprinting-free, scalable tissue fabrication. The lab emphasizes sustainable, animal-free biomanufacturing and the creation of physiologically relevant tissue models for medical and industrial applications.
Professor Jun Okui's research lab specializes in clinical oncology and health outcomes research, with a primary focus on identifying and validating surrogate endpoints in cancer trials. The lab investigates the relationship between intermediate clinical outcomes—such as pathological complete response (pCR), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and progression-free survival (PFS)—and overall survival (OS) in resectable and advanced gastrointestinal cancers, including esophageal and gastric cancers. By developing and applying novel statistical methods, such as inverse probability of censoring weighting (IPCW) estimators for tied categorical data, the lab aims to improve the efficiency and design of clinical trials. The ultimate goal is to accelerate the development of perioperative and combination therapies by enabling shorter follow-up periods without compromising the validity of efficacy assessment.
Professor Tomohiko Ohwada's research lab specializes in physical organic chemistry and medicinal chemistry, with a strong focus on the electronic and structural factors governing reactivity and basicity in nitrogen-containing heterocycles. The lab investigates the mechanisms of N-NO bond cleavage in N-nitrosamines, the stereochemical control in Friedel-Crafts-type reactions, and the intrinsic origins of basicity in cyclic amines such as aziridines and pyrrolidines. Additionally, the lab develops functional polymeric materials, including fluorescent thermometers with high temperature resolution through suppression of intermolecular aggregation.
Professor Masahiro Yamamoto's research lab specializes in mathematical analysis of inverse problems, particularly in the context of partial differential equations (PDEs) and their applications in engineering and physics. The lab focuses on developing theoretical and numerical methods for solving ill-posed problems, including coefficient identification in parabolic and hyperbolic equations, Cauchy problems for elliptic equations, and stability analysis using Carleman estimates and regularization techniques. A central theme is the application of advanced analytical tools—such as boundary control theory, Volterra integral equations, and Tikhonov regularization—to ensure robust and stable reconstructions of unknown parameters or initial conditions from limited observations. The lab also explores the interplay between mathematical modeling and real-world applications in heat transfer, structural health monitoring, and industrial product evaluation.
Professor Shigeo Okabe's research lab specializes in cellular and molecular neuroscience, focusing on the structural and dynamic organization of synaptic components in neurons. Key research directions include the regulation of synaptic plasticity through NMDA receptor subunit composition, the cytoskeletal dynamics of growth cones and neurites, and the trafficking and turnover of postsynaptic proteins such as PSD-95 and Homer. The lab employs advanced imaging techniques—such as time-lapse fluorescence microscopy, immunoelectron microscopy, and live-cell imaging with fluorescently labeled proteins—to dissect the mechanisms underlying synapse formation, maturation, and plasticity at the subcellular level.
Professor D.K. Inaoka's research lab focuses on mitochondrial bioenergetics and electron transport chain enzymes in parasitic protists, particularly those involved in anaerobic energy metabolism. The lab investigates key metabolic pathways such as the NADH-fumarate reductase system, dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHOD), and malate:quinone oxidoreductase (MQO) as potential chemotherapeutic targets in parasitic diseases like schistosomiasis, malaria, and coccidiosis. Using structural biology, enzymology, and chemical biology approaches, the lab identifies and characterizes selective inhibitors of these parasite-specific enzymes to develop novel anti-parasitic drugs.
Professor Mutsuhiro Takekawa's research lab focuses on cellular stress responses, particularly the molecular mechanisms underlying stress signaling pathways such as the MAPK cascade and stress granule dynamics. The lab investigates how cells sense and transduce environmental stresses—like oxidative stress, ER stress, and DNA damage—into intracellular signals that determine cell fate decisions between survival and apoptosis. Key areas of interest include the redox regulation of signaling molecules such as MTK1 (MEKK4), the role of post-translational modifications like O-GlcNAcylation in stress response, and the pathophysiology of stress-related diseases such as hypereosinophilic syndrome. The lab also develops innovative biochemical methods for detecting and quantifying protein modifications, including lectin-based separation techniques for O-GlcNAcylated proteins.
Professor Philip Taranto's research lab specializes in the foundational and operational aspects of quantum thermodynamics and non-Markovian dynamics in open quantum systems. The lab explores the interplay between information, complexity, and thermodynamic resources—particularly in the context of quantum state preparation, memory effects, and finite-time control. Central themes include the role of measurement instruments in defining memory structure, the thermodynamic cost of information processing, and the development of efficient quantum control protocols under resource constraints. The lab bridges quantum foundations with practical quantum technologies, focusing on how memory and control can be harnessed as resources in near-term quantum devices.
Professor Shimpei Kato's research lab specializes in advanced neuroimaging and biomedical image analysis, focusing on quantitative MRI techniques such as 3D-QALAS and NODDI to decode microstructural changes in the brain. The lab develops and applies innovative image reconstruction methods—like compressed sensing and computer-aided detection—to enhance diagnostic accuracy and efficiency in neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis and brain metastases. A key research direction involves leveraging high-resolution, multiparametric imaging to uncover the underlying pathology of neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation, with translational applications in preclinical lymphatic imaging and clinical radiology.
Professor Yuji Teramura's research lab specializes in advanced biomaterials and surface engineering for regenerative medicine, with a primary focus on improving cell transplantation outcomes. The lab develops innovative surface modification techniques—such as PEG-lipid conjugation and DNA-mediated microencapsulation—to enhance the biocompatibility, survival, and function of transplanted cells, particularly islets for type I diabetes. Key research directions include reducing immune rejection and inflammation through functional coatings with fibrinolytic enzymes or anticoagulants, and creating smart bioartificial pancreas systems using stimuli-responsive polymers and biomolecular recognition. The lab’s work bridges materials science, cell biology, and clinical applications to advance regenerative therapies.
Professor Tatsushi Toda's research lab focuses on the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative and neuromuscular disorders, with a particular emphasis on Parkinson’s disease, Fukuyama-type congenital muscular dystrophy (FCMD), and multiple system atrophy (MSA). The lab investigates disease-associated gene variants, such as BDNF and fukutin, to uncover pathogenic pathways and founder effects in specific populations. A key direction involves elucidating early pathological events—particularly alpha-synuclein oligomerization—in neurodegenerative diseases to identify potential therapeutic targets. The lab also contributes to global genetic diagnostics by identifying novel disease-causing mutations beyond Japanese populations.
Professor Tatsuya Matsushima's research lab specializes in developing data-driven and reinforcement learning-based methods for robotic systems, with a strong emphasis on real-world deployment challenges. The lab focuses on improving deployment efficiency in reinforcement learning by minimizing the number of policy deployments, enhancing safety in meta-learning for visual imitation, and enabling robust adaptation to complex, unstructured environments such as homes. Their work integrates machine learning with robotics to create service robots capable of handling diverse, edge-case scenarios through learned, rather than hand-coded, behaviors.
Professor Makoto Ikeya's research lab focuses on developmental biology and regenerative medicine, with a central emphasis on signaling pathways governing embryonic patterning and tissue differentiation. The lab investigates key molecules such as Wnts, Bmp antagonists (e.g., Cv2/Bmper), and receptors like ACVR1 in skeletal development and fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP). Utilizing genetic models, high-throughput screening, and stem cell differentiation systems, the lab aims to uncover molecular mechanisms underlying cartilage and bone formation, with translational applications in regenerative therapies.
Professor Koji Hashimoto's research lab specializes in theoretical high-energy physics and quantum field theory, with a strong focus on holography, black hole physics, and strongly correlated systems. The lab explores the AdS/CFT correspondence to model quantum gravity, black hole thermodynamics, and quantum complexity, particularly through lattice gauge theories and deep learning frameworks. Key interests include baryon spectroscopy, glueball decays, cosmic strings, and the emergence of bulk geometry from boundary quantum systems.
Professor Kenta Terai's research lab specializes in developing advanced biosensors and molecular imaging techniques to study dynamic cellular processes in living systems. The lab focuses on understanding metabolic regulation, DNA damage response, and vascular development using genetically encoded FRET biosensors and live imaging in transgenic models. Key research directions include real-time monitoring of signaling molecules like AMPK and calcium, elucidating mechanisms of cell cycle checkpoint control, and uncovering novel regulators of vascular remodeling. The lab integrates molecular biology, live-cell imaging, and genetic models to explore fundamental biological processes with implications for disease mechanisms and therapeutic interventions.
Professor Hiroyuki Asakura's research lab specializes in advanced X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) techniques, particularly operando XANES and EXAFS, to investigate the electronic and local structural properties of transition metal catalysts and rare earth compounds under realistic reaction conditions. The lab focuses on understanding dynamic surface and electronic behaviors during catalytic reactions, such as those in three-way catalysts, with an emphasis on oxidation states, d-orbital splitting, and metal-support interactions. Their work combines experimental XAS with theoretical calculations to elucidate the relationship between local atomic structure and catalytic performance.
