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 Ayumi Taguchi's research lab focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying cervical carcinogenesis, with a particular emphasis on the tumor microenvironment, human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated pathogenesis, and the role of stromal cells such as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). The lab investigates how endogenous fatty acids, especially omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, modulate tumor progression and angiogenesis, utilizing unique animal models like Fat-1 mice. They also employ advanced 3D organoid cultures to model the transformation zone of the uterine cervix, enabling studies on metaplasia, HPV infection, and disease progression. Additionally, the lab explores epigenetic and signaling pathways—such as SIRT1 and TRAIL—involved in endometriosis and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) to identify potential therapeutic targets.
Professor Kazuo Emoto's research lab focuses on the dynamic roles of membrane phospholipids, particularly phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), in cellular processes such as cytokinesis and membrane remodeling. The lab investigates how PE exposure on the cell surface regulates cytoskeletal dynamics and signaling pathways, especially through interactions with specific peptides and lipid-modifying enzymes. A central theme is the molecular mechanism underlying phospholipid transport and distribution, particularly in the context of mitochondrial phospholipid synthesis and cellular stress responses. The lab also explores the broader implications of lipid dynamics in neuronal plasticity and disease.
Professor Yoshikazu Yuki's research lab specializes in mucosal immunology and plant-based vaccine development, focusing on harnessing the common mucosal immune system to induce protective immunity through oral and nasal vaccination. The lab investigates novel mucosal adjuvants, plant-made vaccines—particularly rice-based oral vaccines like MucoRice—and the molecular characterization of milk proteins to improve vaccine efficacy and stability. Key research directions include overcoming post-translational modifications in plant expression systems and advancing cold-chain-free, unpurified oral vaccines for global health applications.
Professor Kazuma Murakami's research lab focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying Alzheimer’s disease, with a central emphasis on the role of amyloid-β (Aβ) oligomers and oxidative stress in neurodegeneration. The lab investigates the structural and functional properties of Aβ peptides—particularly Aβ40 and Aβ42—focusing on conformation-specific toxic oligomers, the influence of post-translational modifications such as methionine oxidation, and the development of conformation-specific antibodies for accurate diagnosis and targeted therapy. Using advanced techniques including solid-state NMR, proline scanning, and in vitro and in vivo disease models, the lab aims to distinguish pathogenic from physiological Aβ conformers to guide safer immunotherapeutic strategies.
Professor Ana Maria Cruz's research lab specializes in the analysis and risk assessment of Natech (natural hazard-triggered technological) disasters, focusing on the intersection of natural hazards—such as earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes—and industrial accidents involving hazardous material releases. The lab investigates the causes, consequences, and mitigation strategies for these complex, cascading events, with particular emphasis on improving emergency preparedness, risk management practices, and regulatory frameworks in industrial facilities. Their work draws on empirical data from major disasters, including the 1999 Turkey earthquake and European floods, to inform evidence-based policy and engineering solutions.
Professor Koichiro Takao's research lab specializes in actinide chemistry, with a strong focus on the fundamental coordination chemistry, speciation, and structural behavior of actinide elements—particularly uranium and neptunium—in various chemical environments. The lab investigates complex formation, speciation in aqueous and ionic liquid systems, and the electronic and molecular structures of actinide complexes using advanced spectroscopic and crystallographic techniques. Their work contributes significantly to understanding nuclear fuel cycles, separation processes, and the development of stable actinide complexes for advanced nuclear technologies.
Professor Ramon Brasser's research lab specializes in solar system dynamics, focusing on the origin and evolution of small bodies such as trans-Neptunian objects, Centaurs, and long-period comets. The lab investigates planetary migration, particularly the giant planet instability and 'jumping Jupiter' scenarios, to explain the dynamical architecture of the outer solar system. Using high-precision numerical simulations, the group explores the origin of the Oort cloud, the role of galactic tides, and the stability of exo-Earth systems. Their work bridges planetary formation, orbital dynamics, and the observational constraints from discovered trans-Neptunian objects and exoplanets.
Professor Keiko Murakami's research lab focuses on the intersection of environmental toxicology, cellular redox biology, and public health, with a particular emphasis on the impact of trace metals like aluminum on mitochondrial function and oxidative stress. The lab investigates the molecular mechanisms of enzyme inactivation under oxidative conditions, such as aconitase in yeast, and explores the biological activities of microbial enzymes—like nattokinase from *Bacillus subtilis*—in relation to human health. Additionally, the lab conducts population-based epidemiological studies on health behavior inequalities, particularly regarding dental care utilization and obesity, highlighting social determinants such as education and income. These diverse yet interconnected research directions reflect a commitment to understanding how biological, environmental, and socioeconomic factors jointly influence chronic disease risk and health disparities.
Professor Shunichi Koshimura's research lab specializes in tsunami hazard assessment and disaster risk reduction, focusing on the integration of numerical modeling, remote sensing, GIS analysis, and post-disaster field surveys. The lab develops quantitative tools such as tsunami fragility functions to estimate structural damage and casualties based on hydrodynamic parameters like inundation depth, current velocity, and force. Their work emphasizes improving tsunami early warning systems, evacuation planning, and post-tsunami impact assessment to support resilient coastal community reconstruction.
Professor Riichiro Saito's research lab specializes in the electronic and vibrational properties of low-dimensional carbon nanostructures, with a focus on carbon nanotubes and fullerenes. The lab investigates the chirality-dependent electronic band structures, van Hove singularities, and Raman spectroscopy responses, using theoretical models such as tight-binding and bond-polarization theories. Their work bridges quantum mechanics and experimental spectroscopy, providing fundamental insights into the behavior of one-dimensional carbon systems and their potential applications in nanoelectronics and optoelectronics.
Professor Takeshi Yasui's research lab specializes in organic synthesis, with a focus on developing novel catalytic methodologies for complex molecule construction. The lab pioneers metal-catalyzed and dual-catalytic transformations—particularly using rhodium, cobalt, and photoredox systems—to enable challenging ring expansions, cycloadditions, and rearrangements with high regio- and enantioselectivity. Key research directions include the design of selective cascade reactions, such as formal 1,8-acyloxy migrations and [2+2+2] cycloadditions, to access polycyclic frameworks with quaternary stereocenters. The lab also explores the structure-property relationships of natural polymers, such as waxy barley starch, linking synthetic methodology with materials functionality.
Professor Noriyuki Watanabe's research lab specializes in advanced materials and biochemical systems, with a focus on thermal management technologies such as loop heat pipes for high-power applications, and molecular mechanisms underlying viral infections—particularly SARS-CoV-2. The lab also conducts cutting-edge analytical chemistry research, developing sensitive detection methods for biologically important molecules like polyamines and amino acid derivatives using electrochemical and chromatographic techniques. These interdisciplinary efforts span energy systems, virology, and analytical biochemistry, emphasizing innovation in both device engineering and molecular diagnostics.
Professor Seiichi Morokuma's research lab focuses on maternal and fetal health, with a strong emphasis on the interplay between maternal behaviors—such as sleep, physical activity, and physiological markers—during pregnancy and their long-term impacts on infant development and health outcomes. The lab investigates biomarkers of inflammation, fetal neurodevelopmental responses, and prenatal factors influencing infant temperament and sleep patterns. Utilizing large-scale cohort studies and advanced data analysis, including deep learning and time-series modeling, the lab aims to identify early predictors of developmental and sleep-related issues in infants. Their work bridges perinatal epidemiology, developmental science, and clinical biomarker research to improve early-life health interventions.
Professor Fabrice Mathevet's research lab specializes in the design and characterization of advanced organic and hybrid materials for optoelectronic and energy-related applications. The lab focuses on molecular engineering of donor-acceptor systems, particularly discotic and columnar architectures, to achieve efficient charge and energy transfer. Key research directions include thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF), exciton-polariton condensation, and the development of hybrid organic-inorganic materials such as POM-based semiconductors. The group combines synthetic chemistry with advanced spectroscopic and scattering techniques to understand and control supramolecular organization and electronic properties at the nanoscale.
Professor Aleksandar Staykov's research lab specializes in theoretical and computational materials science, focusing on the electronic, catalytic, and transport properties of advanced functional materials at the atomic scale. Key research directions include the design and mechanism analysis of heterogeneous and single-molecule catalysts for sustainable energy applications—such as selective hydrogen peroxide synthesis and oxygen reduction—alongside the development of molecular electronic devices based on organic semiconductors and photoswitchable nanowires. The lab employs advanced quantum mechanical methods, including density functional theory (DFT), time-dependent DFT (TDDFT), and non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) formalisms, to model surface reactions, charge transport, and optical switching in nanostructured systems. Their work bridges fundamental surface science with practical applications in energy conversion, nanoelectronics, and materials durability.
Professor Shinya Tanaka's research lab focuses on the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying immune regulation, with a central emphasis on T cell differentiation, B cell tolerance, and the transcriptional control of immune responses. The lab investigates key transcription factors and signaling pathways—such as SOX/POU factors in neural development, Trim33 in TGF-β-mediated T cell fate decisions, and C/EBPα in T follicular helper cell function—that govern immune cell lineage commitment and function. Additionally, the lab explores the role of novel immune regulators like Fcrl5 in breaking B cell anergy and driving autoimmunity, linking molecular mechanisms to systemic autoimmune disease pathogenesis. Their work integrates molecular genetics, immunology, and systems biology to uncover fundamental principles of immune homeostasis and disease.
Professor Tamaki Nakano's research lab specializes in the design and synthesis of functional helical polymers, with a focus on controlling their stereochemistry and conformational behavior. The lab explores the formation of one-handed helical structures through asymmetric and stereospecific polymerization techniques, particularly using chiral initiators and circularly polarized light for helicity induction. Key research directions include the development of π-stacked polymers, such as those derived from dibenzofulvene and fluorene-based monomers, and the investigation of their optical and electronic properties. The lab also employs advanced analytical techniques like X-ray crystallography and NMR to elucidate molecular structures and dynamics.
Professor Guang Li's research lab specializes in self-supervised and weakly supervised representation learning for medical image analysis, with a strong focus on addressing data scarcity and limited annotation in clinical settings. The lab develops advanced deep learning methods—particularly based on siamese networks, triplet networks, and knowledge distillation—for medical image synthesis, disease detection (e.g., COVID-19, gastritis), and model generalization under small-batch training conditions. Key research directions include robust self-supervised representation learning, dataset distillation, and efficient deep learning frameworks tailored for medical imaging applications with minimal human annotation. The lab’s work bridges the gap between theoretical advances in representation learning and practical clinical needs in radiology and diagnostic imaging.
Professor Luqing Lin's research lab specializes in the development of innovative transition-metal-catalyzed and asymmetric transformations for the selective functionalization of C–H bonds and C=C bonds. The lab focuses on designing novel chiral ligands and co-catalysts—particularly chiral carboxylic acids and Cp* transition metal complexes—to enable enantioselective synthesis of complex organic molecules with high efficiency and atom economy. Key research directions include asymmetric C–H activation, redox-economical isomerization, and cascade or iterative catalytic processes such as cross-aldol and radical-based cross-coupling reactions. The lab also explores metal-free and photocatalytic strategies, emphasizing sustainability and functional group tolerance in synthetic methodology.
Professor Junichi Ushiba's research lab specializes in neuroscience and biomedical engineering, focusing on brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) and neurorehabilitation for stroke patients. The lab investigates how motor-related brain signals, particularly scalp electroencephalography (EEG) patterns such as sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) modulation, can be harnessed to promote motor recovery in individuals with severe hemiplegia. A key research direction involves optimizing feedback modalities—such as visual and somatosensory feedback—in BCI systems to enhance functional outcomes. The lab also explores the intrinsic relationship between spontaneous brain activity and sensorimotor network dynamics using multimodal neuroimaging techniques like fMRI and EEG.
