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 Hideo Aizaki's research lab specializes in stated preference methods, particularly choice experiments and best-worst scaling, with a focus on their application in consumer behavior, environmental economics, health economics, and food policy. The lab develops R software packages to streamline the design, data preparation, and statistical analysis of stated preference surveys, enhancing accessibility for researchers and educators. A key research direction involves modeling consumer preferences for multi-dimensional attributes such as country of origin in food products, emphasizing methodological innovation and user-friendly tools for non-expert users. The lab also contributes to teaching and dissemination through educational simulations and comprehensive methodological resources in R.
Professor Koichiro Oka's research lab focuses on behavioral and public health sciences, with a strong emphasis on physical activity promotion, health behavior change, and the impact of lifestyle and environmental factors on well-being. The lab investigates the role of pet ownership—particularly dogs—in encouraging physical activity, as well as the effects of societal changes, such as those during the COVID-19 pandemic, on work styles and sedentary behaviors. It also explores theoretical frameworks like the transtheoretical model to understand and support long-term behavior change in middle-aged adults. The research integrates behavioral science with public health policy to develop evidence-based strategies for improving population health.
Professor Tomoaki Ohtsuki's research lab specializes in optical communication systems, with a focus on advanced multiple-access techniques and nonlinear signal processing. The lab investigates optical code-division multiple-access (CDMA) systems, particularly under challenging atmospheric and noise conditions, aiming to enhance system performance through innovative modulation and detection schemes. Key research directions include the analysis of bit-error rate limitations due to scintillation, multi-user interference, and detector noise, as well as the development of robust signal processing algorithms for nonlinear optical networks. The lab also explores the theoretical foundations of piecewise-linear mappings and their applications in designing stable and efficient optical communication systems.
Professor Manabu Hagiwara's research lab specializes in the development and characterization of advanced functional ceramics, with a primary focus on relaxor ferroelectrics and complex perovskite oxides such as (Bi₁/₂K₁/₂)TiO₃ (BKT) and multicomponent solid solutions like 0.6BiFeO₃–0.4(Bi₁/₂K₁/₂)TiO₃. The lab investigates the structure-property relationships governing dielectric, ferroelectric, and piezoelectric behaviors, particularly the influence of grain size, defect engineering, and doping on phase transitions and relaxor dynamics. A key research direction involves understanding and manipulating polar nanoregions and domain structures to enhance performance for high-temperature and high-power applications, including sensors and actuators.
Professor Kohei Nakamura's research lab focuses on molecular oncology and precision medicine, with a particular emphasis on understanding the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying gynecological and gastrointestinal cancers. The lab investigates oncogenic drivers, such as ERBB2 amplification and TP53 mutations, in high-grade serous carcinoma and other malignancies, aiming to improve diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic strategies. Using advanced genomic technologies like next-generation sequencing and functional modeling in immortalized epithelial cells, the lab explores tumorigenesis pathways and tumor heterogeneity to guide personalized treatment approaches. The work also extends to rare gynecologic sarcomas and hereditary cancer syndromes, including Lynch syndrome, to expand the scope of precision oncology.
Professor Jun Yoshinobu's research lab specializes in surface science and heterogeneous catalysis, focusing on the atomic-scale adsorption, reaction mechanisms, and surface dynamics of small molecules on single-crystal and nanostructured surfaces. The lab employs advanced in situ and surface-sensitive techniques such as EELS, LEED, AP-XPS, IRAS, and STM to investigate the electronic and geometric structures of adsorbates and their reactivity on semiconductors (e.g., Si) and transition metal surfaces (e.g., Pt, Cu). Key research directions include surface activation of CO2, CO oxidation on noble metals, and the photochemistry of light hydrocarbons, with a strong emphasis on understanding the role of surface structure, defects, and step edges in catalytic activity and selectivity. The lab also explores the influence of surface mobility and transient adsorption states on reaction pathways, contributing to the rational design of efficient catalysts for energy and environmental applications.
Professor Akira Okada's research lab specializes in biomedical and environmental health sciences, focusing on the physiological and pathological effects of mechanical vibrations and environmental stressors on the human body. Key research directions include the mechanisms of vibration-induced circulatory and neurological disturbances, the role of uremic toxins like D-serine in chronic kidney disease progression, and the impact of noise and vibration on auditory function. The lab integrates clinical, cellular, and animal model studies to understand sensory and systemic responses to physical stressors, contributing to public health and clinical policy in aging societies.
Professor Machel Reid's research lab specializes in natural language processing with a strong focus on low-resource and African language NLP, generative modeling, and empathetic dialogue systems. The lab develops efficient and scalable deep learning architectures—such as parameter-efficient Transformer variants like Subformer—while emphasizing reproducibility and fairness in machine translation benchmarks. Key research directions include emotion-aware conversational AI, definition modeling with structured latent variables, and leveraging parallel and monolingual data for multilingual representation learning.
Professor Jeonghun Baek's research lab specializes in scene text recognition (STR), with a strong focus on advancing robust and generalizable models for challenging text recognition scenarios. The lab explores unified frameworks for fair evaluation of STR models, investigates few-shot and real-data training strategies to reduce reliance on synthetic data, and pioneers novel tasks such as recognizing irregular and truncated texts—especially in artistic or multilingual contexts. The lab also investigates cross-lingual learning to improve performance in low-resource languages, particularly for non-English and complex scripts.
Professor Haruo Kawamoto's research lab specializes in the fundamental chemistry of biomass pyrolysis and gasification, focusing on the molecular-level mechanisms governing the thermal decomposition of lignin and cellulose. The lab investigates reaction pathways, bond cleavage mechanisms, and product selectivity to enable clean and efficient conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into biofuels, biochemicals, and biomaterials. Key research directions include the pyrolysis of model compounds such as levoglucosan and lignin dimers/trimers to understand primary and secondary reactions under controlled conditions. The lab employs experimental and theoretical approaches to elucidate the role of functional groups and substituents in directing reaction mechanisms, such as heterolytic vs. homolytic cleavage of ether linkages.
Professor K. Hagino's research lab specializes in theoretical nuclear physics, focusing on the structure and reactions of exotic, neutron-rich nuclei near the drip line. Key research directions include coupled-channel dynamics in subbarrier fusion, many-body correlations in halo and Borromean nuclei, and the role of continuum states and pairing correlations in weakly bound systems. The lab employs advanced three-body models and microscopic coupled-channels calculations to explore phenomena such as dineutron correlations, surface dominance in neutron pair wave functions, and barrier distributions in heavy-ion reactions.
Professor Yoshinori Yoshida's research lab specializes in cardiovascular disease modeling and regenerative medicine using human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). The lab focuses on understanding the pathophysiology of inherited cardiac arrhythmias, such as long-QT syndrome (LQTS) and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT), by generating patient-specific hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. They employ advanced techniques including genome editing and single-cell electrophysiological analysis to study disease mechanisms and test potential therapies. The lab also explores innovative applications of hiPSC technology in drug screening and educational technology, such as VR-based dental training systems.
Professor Megumu K. Saito's research lab specializes in stem cell biology and disease modeling, with a focus on hematopoietic and neuromuscular disorders. The lab develops advanced in vitro differentiation systems using human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to model human diseases, particularly autoinflammatory syndromes like CAPS and CINCA, as well as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). By establishing serum-free, monolayer differentiation protocols and self-organizing 3D neuromuscular junction (NMJ) models, the lab enables high-fidelity recapitulation of human developmental and pathological processes. The ultimate goal is to identify disease mechanisms and therapeutic candidates through patient-specific stem cell models.
Professor Yasufumi Matsumura's research lab specializes in molecular epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance, with a focus on the global spread of multidrug-resistant *Escherichia coli*, particularly the pandemic ST131 clonal lineage. The lab investigates the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying the emergence and dissemination of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing *E. coli*, including the role of specific sequence types, resistance genes (e.g., *bla*<sub>CTX-M-15</sub>, *bla*<sub>CTX-M-27</sub>), and mobile genetic elements such as IS26 and ISEcp1. They employ whole-genome sequencing and molecular diagnostics to track clonal evolution and guide clinical management of resistant infections. The lab also evaluates the efficacy of alternative antibiotics in treating ESBL-producing bacteremia, contributing to evidence-based antimicrobial therapy.
Professor Masato Katahira's research lab specializes in structural biology and biophysical chemistry, focusing on the conformational dynamics and molecular architecture of nucleic acids, particularly non-canonical DNA and RNA structures such as G-quadruplexes, sheared G:A base pairs, and A-tract DNA duplexes. The lab employs advanced NMR spectroscopy and computational methods to investigate the structural basis of nucleic acid function in gene regulation, telomere maintenance, and ribozyme activity. A key innovation of the lab is pioneering in-cell NMR techniques to observe nucleic acid dynamics directly in living human cells, bridging the gap between in vitro structural studies and in vivo biological function.
Professor Hye-Won Shin's research lab focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying intracellular membrane trafficking, with a particular emphasis on the roles of small GTPases, scaffolding proteins, and lipid-modifying enzymes in subcellular compartment organization and vesicular transport. The lab investigates how Rab and ARF GTPases regulate phosphoinositide dynamics, and how proteins such as liprin-α, KIF1A, and P4-ATPase complexes coordinate synaptic development and membrane trafficking. Key interests include the spatial and temporal control of phosphoinositide signaling, kinesin-mediated transport, and the functional interplay between lipid flippases and their regulatory subunits in cellular homeostasis.
Professor Yan Jun Li's research lab specializes in atomic-scale surface science and nanoscale characterization of functional oxide materials, particularly titanium dioxide (TiO₂). The lab focuses on understanding surface electronic structures, charge states of adsorbates, and dynamic surface reactions using advanced scanning probe microscopy techniques such as noncontact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) and Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). Key research directions include the manipulation of surface charge and bonding at the single-atom level, the role of polarons in surface reactivity, and the atomic-scale identification of defects and adsorbates on metal oxide surfaces. The lab uniquely combines experimental nanoscale measurements with ab initio theoretical modeling to achieve precise control and interpretation of surface processes under ultrahigh vacuum conditions.
Professor Takahiro Sato's research lab specializes in the physical chemistry of macromolecules, with a focus on the structural dynamics and solution behavior of complex polymers and polysaccharides. Key research directions include the conformational analysis of helical polymers—such as xanthan and polysilylenes—using light scattering and scattering techniques, as well as the thermodynamics and kinetics of phase separation in polymer blends. The lab also investigates lyotropic liquid crystalline states in polyisocyanates, combining experimental methods with theoretical modeling to understand self-assembly and interfacial phenomena in soft matter systems.
Professor Hiromasa Takemura's research lab specializes in non-invasive neuroimaging and neuroanatomy, focusing on the structural and functional organization of white matter tracts in the human and primate brain. Using advanced diffusion MRI, tractography, and high-resolution imaging techniques like 3D polarization light imaging (3D-PLI), the lab investigates the connectivity patterns of visual pathways, such as the vertical occipital fasciculus (VOF), and their evolutionary and pathological implications. The lab also explores microstructural changes in white matter due to neurological diseases, combining quantitative MRI methods with functional imaging to link brain structure to perception and disease. Their work bridges the gap between macroscopic tract organization and cellular-level anatomy, contributing to a deeper understanding of primate visual system wiring and its clinical relevance.
Professor Shinji Nishimoto's research lab specializes in computational and systems neuroscience, focusing on how the brain encodes complex sensory information—particularly visual and auditory stimuli—under naturalistic conditions. The lab combines neurophysiological recordings, functional neuroimaging (fMRI), and advanced computational modeling to decode neural representations of motion, emotion, music, and visual features such as orientation and spatial frequency. A central theme is the development and application of novel reverse correlation and spectral analysis techniques to reveal detailed receptive field properties with high resolution. The lab also pioneers the use of naturalistic stimuli and encoding models to overcome limitations in in vivo imaging, enabling comprehensive characterization of neuronal responses despite experimental constraints like photobleaching.
