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 Etsuro Hatano's research lab specializes in molecular mechanisms of liver cell death and injury, with a primary focus on apoptosis and necroptosis in hepatocytes. The lab investigates key signaling pathways involving tumor necrosis factor receptor 1, Fas, and downstream effectors such as RIPK1/RIPK3, NF-κB, and Akt, particularly in the context of acute and chronic liver diseases. Their work also explores the role of cellular stress responses, including mitochondrial permeability transition, in liver injury and regeneration. The lab integrates in vitro models using primary hepatocytes with translational insights into clinical conditions such as hepatotoxicity, liver failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Professor Koya Hida's research lab specializes in minimally invasive colorectal surgery, with a focus on optimizing surgical outcomes and patient quality of life. The lab investigates intraoperative management strategies, such as fluid administration rates, to reduce complications in laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery. It also explores the impact of surgical techniques—like lateral total mesorectal excision—on long-term functional outcomes, particularly sexual function. The lab's work bridges surgical innovation with patient-centered outcomes, emphasizing evidence-based improvements in laparoscopic techniques for advanced colorectal cancer.
Professor Takashi Ichii's research lab specializes in advanced atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques, particularly frequency modulation AFM (FM-AFM) and Kelvin probe force microscopy (KFM), to investigate interfacial structures at the nanoscale. The lab focuses on probing complex liquid-solid and polymer-solid interfaces, including ionic liquids, water-in-salt electrolytes, self-assembled monolayers, and viscoelastic polymers like PDMS. By employing high-Q quartz tuning fork (qPlus) sensors, the lab achieves atomic-resolution imaging and quantitative nanomechanical and nanoelectrical characterization in challenging environments such as highly viscous or concentrated electrolytes. Their work provides fundamental insights into solvation structures, interfacial dynamics, and surface potential variations critical for energy storage and nanomaterials applications.
Professor Tetsuo Sakka's research lab specializes in laser-material interactions, particularly focusing on laser ablation phenomena at solid-liquid interfaces. The lab investigates the spectroscopic characteristics of laser-produced plasmas, with an emphasis on understanding the dynamics of ablated species, their chemical reactions with surrounding liquids, and the resulting emission spectra. Key research directions include time-resolved emission spectroscopy, plasma diagnostics using radiative transfer modeling, and the development of in situ analytical techniques for elemental analysis in liquid environments. The lab also explores the role of laser pulse duration in controlling spectral line profiles and plasma properties for improved analytical sensitivity and accuracy.
Professor Mayank Dixit's research lab specializes in polymer physics and molecular dynamics, focusing on the structure-property relationships in natural and synthetic polymers, particularly cis-1,4-polyisoprene in natural rubber. The lab employs advanced computational techniques such as molecular dynamics simulations, free energy perturbation, and 2D NMR to investigate terminal group effects, hydrophobic interactions, and solvation phenomena in complex systems. Key research directions include understanding the role of end groups in enhancing mechanical properties of natural rubber and probing ion-solvent interactions in mixed solvents. The lab also explores the thermodynamics of hydrophobic association and pore formation in lipid bilayers, contributing to fundamental insights in soft matter and biophysical chemistry.
Professor Masahisa Wada's research lab specializes in the structural characterization and physicochemical behavior of cellulose and chitin allomorphs, with a focus on their crystal structures, hydrogen bonding networks, and thermal properties. The lab employs advanced X-ray and neutron diffraction techniques—particularly synchrotron and fiber diffraction—to investigate polymorphic transitions, such as the conversion of cellulose I to III(I) and IV(I), and to elucidate the role of solvents like ammonia and glycerol in stabilizing intermediate phases. A key research direction involves measuring thermal expansion coefficients in the lateral direction of biopolymer crystals, revealing anisotropic behaviors critical for understanding structural stability under thermal stress. The lab also explores the formation and structure of transient ammonia-cellulose complexes, providing fundamental insights into the mechanisms of cellulose transformation.
Professor Bapan Adak's research lab specializes in the development of sustainable, high-performance functional materials for next-generation wearable electronics and green energy applications. The lab focuses on designing advanced nanocomposites using renewable biopolymers like cellulose and nanocellulose, combined with 2D nanomaterials such as MXenes and graphene oxide, to enable flexible, conductive, and multifunctional platforms. Key research directions include the fabrication of eco-friendly conductive films, MXene-based hybrid materials for energy storage and sensing, and solvent-free or green processing techniques for scalable production.
Professor Yujiro Hirose's research lab focuses on microbial pathogenesis, particularly the molecular mechanisms underlying the virulence and environmental adaptation of *Streptococcus pyogenes* and *Streptococcus pneumoniae*. The lab employs high-throughput 'omics' technologies—such as RNA-sequencing and systems biology approaches—to dissect transcriptional regulatory networks and host-pathogen interactions in infectious diseases. A central theme is understanding how bacterial gene expression reprogramming contributes to survival under host stress conditions and to disease progression, including necrotizing fasciitis and meningitis. The lab also explores the therapeutic potential of stem cells, such as dental pulp stem cells, in tissue repair.
Professor Nobuyuki Takakura's research lab focuses on the tumor microenvironment, particularly the roles of stromal cells such as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and vascular-resident progenitor endothelial cells in tumor progression and angiogenesis. The lab investigates how microenvironmental cues—such as hypoxia and nutrient stress—influence cell behavior, with a strong emphasis on CD44 expression in CAFs and the contribution of PDGFRα-expressing cells during development. Additionally, the lab explores the link between lymphatic and vascular function and metabolic disorders, proposing novel therapeutic strategies targeting angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in cancer and obesity. Their work integrates developmental biology, cancer biology, and vascular physiology to uncover new targets for disease intervention.
Professor Takuya Kiyokawa's research lab specializes in robotics and automation for sustainable industrial systems, with a focus on waste sorting, robotic manipulation, and automated assembly planning. The lab develops advanced vision systems, deep learning-based annotation techniques, and intelligent planning algorithms to reduce human labor in recycling and manufacturing. Key research directions include end-to-end automation of object recognition and manipulation under real-world conditions—such as dirty, deformed, or wet surfaces—and the creation of efficient, constraint-aware assembly sequences using 3D CAD models and multiobjective optimization.
Professor Yoshinori Oie's research lab specializes in regenerative ophthalmology, focusing on innovative cell-based therapies and advanced imaging techniques for corneal diseases. The lab develops xenogeneic feeder-free culture systems using dermal fibroblasts and pharmaceutical agents to enable safe ocular surface reconstruction, particularly for limbal stem cell deficiency. It also pioneers objective, quantitative grading systems for Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) and leverages OCT angiography (OCTA) to visualize corneal neovascularization with high precision. The lab's work aims to overcome limitations of traditional corneal transplantation, such as donor shortages and immune rejection, through stem cell biology and tissue engineering approaches.
Professor Masataka Kakoi's research lab specializes in strongly correlated electron systems, with a focus on unconventional superconductivity and electronic order in nickelate oxides. The lab employs advanced theoretical and numerical methods—such as density-matrix renormalization group (DMRG) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques—to investigate quantum phases, including spin-orbit coupling effects, Hund's metallicity, and interorbital pairing mechanisms. A central theme is understanding the interplay between electronic correlations, lattice structure, and emergent phenomena in layered oxides under pressure or doping.
Professor Jeong-Won Choi's research lab specializes in advanced solid-state welding technologies, with a primary focus on linear friction welding (LFW) and friction stir welding (FSW) of lightweight and dissimilar structural materials such as titanium alloys, aluminum alloys, and fiber-reinforced composites. The lab investigates the interplay between processing parameters—such as applied pressure, frequency, and interfacial temperature—and the resulting microstructure evolution, including dynamic recrystallization and grain refinement, to achieve high-strength, defect-free joints. A key research direction is the suppression of softening zones in precipitation-strengthened aluminum alloys and the development of sound dissimilar joints, particularly between titanium and composites, through surface modification and process optimization.
Professor Makoto Fujii's research lab focuses on cellular signaling and membrane dynamics, particularly the molecular mechanisms underlying endocytosis and phosphoinositide metabolism in immune and neuronal cells. The lab investigates small GTPase regulation in macropinocytosis, the synthesis and function of inositol polyphosphates, and the role of signaling proteins like PRIP in neurotransmitter receptor trafficking. Their work bridges cell biology, immunology, and neuroscience, with implications for inflammatory diseases and neurological disorders.
Professor Yuya Kajikawa's research lab specializes in sustainability science and citation network analysis, focusing on the academic landscape, research trends, and knowledge diffusion in science and technology. The lab investigates the structural and topological properties of scientific citation networks using machine learning and network analysis to predict citation behavior and identify key research clusters. It also explores materials science, particularly the texture and preferred orientation control in sputter-deposited nitride films and CVD-grown silicon carbide, linking material growth mechanisms to experimental and numerical modeling. The lab bridges social science and materials science by integrating data-driven approaches to understand innovation dynamics and sustainability research.
Professor Youmi Ma's research lab specializes in natural language processing, with a focus on document-level relation extraction, named entity and relation extraction, and the interpretability of large language models. The lab develops innovative methods that leverage structured representations—such as table-based modeling and attention mechanisms—to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and interpretability of NLP systems. Key research directions include memory-efficient evidence retrieval, joint entity-relation extraction, and the systematic utilization of attention heads for enhanced model performance and explainability.
Professor Masayuki Kano's research lab specializes in geophysical modeling and observational analysis of slow earthquakes, aseismic slip, and their relationships with large interplate earthquakes in subduction zones. The lab focuses on understanding the spatiotemporal evolution of slow slip events (SSEs) and deep low-frequency tremors using advanced data assimilation techniques, particularly adjoint methods, to optimize frictional parameters and improve earthquake prediction models. Their work integrates geodetic data (e.g., GNSS) with seismic and geophysical observations to reveal the heterogeneous strength and slip behavior in transitional and locked zones of subduction interfaces in Japan, especially in the Nankai and Ryukyu Trench regions. The lab also investigates the dynamic triggering mechanisms between afterslip, tremors, and subsequent earthquakes, aiming to enhance our understanding of fault zone rheology and seismic hazard assessment.
Professor Y. Saito's research lab specializes in computational materials science and thin film physics, focusing on microstructural evolution in metals and magnetic multilayers. The lab employs advanced simulation techniques—particularly Monte Carlo methods—to study grain growth, phase transformations, and nucleation in steels, while also investigating the role of interface chemistry and disorder in giant magnetoresistance effects. Experimental work complements simulations, with a strong emphasis on ion beam sputtering to tailor nanostructure and magnetic properties in Co/Cu and FeCo/Cu multilayers. The lab's work bridges fundamental understanding of interfacial phenomena with practical applications in magnetic materials and advanced steels.
Professor Fumio Ogawa's research lab specializes in the development and characterization of advanced metal matrix composites, with a primary focus on aluminum-based composites reinforced with carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and vapor-grown carbon fibers (VGCF). The lab investigates innovative fabrication techniques such as in situ chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using iodine-assisted aluminum transport to achieve strong interfacial bonding and uniform coating, aiming to enhance mechanical and thermal properties. Additionally, the lab conducts high-cycle multiaxial fatigue testing using custom-designed high-frequency testing machines to evaluate the durability of structural materials under complex loading conditions. A key research direction involves the nonlinear viscoelastic behavior of polymer matrices, particularly vinylester resins, with advanced constitutive modeling that accounts for permanent deformation.
Professor Chika Tada's research lab specializes in microbial biotechnology and anaerobic digestion, focusing on the enzymatic degradation of recalcitrant lignocellulosic biomass and the enhancement of methane production. The lab investigates key hydrolytic enzymes such as endoglucanases and xylanases in rumen microbial systems to improve biomass conversion efficiency. It also explores the surface engineering of microbial carriers to optimize adhesion and activity of methanogenic archaea, particularly *Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus*, for efficient anaerobic wastewater treatment and bioenergy recovery. The overarching goal is to develop sustainable bioprocesses for renewable energy production from organic waste.
