探索全球顶尖大学的研究室——研究领域与主要论文一览无余。
Professor Bong-Kiun Kaang's research lab focuses on the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying learning, memory, and neurodevelopmental disorders. The lab investigates synaptic plasticity, engram cell connectivity, and the role of specific ion channels and cytoskeletal proteins in memory formation and stability. Using innovative techniques such as dual-eGRASP and gene transfer in model systems like Aplysia, the lab explores how neuronal circuits encode and maintain memories, with a particular emphasis on the synaptic engram and its dysfunction in conditions like autism and Parkinson’s disease.
Professor Wonju Jeon's research lab specializes in acoustics and wave control, focusing on innovative metastructures and metamaterials for sound insulation, absorption, and vibration suppression. The lab explores theoretical and experimental approaches to designing lightweight, compact acoustic devices such as metaliners, nonplanar metasurfaces, and acoustic black holes, with applications in noise control and structural dynamics. Key research directions include wave manipulation using subwavelength resonators, flow-robust sound barriers, and advanced integral equation methods for diffraction problems. The lab integrates theoretical modeling, numerical simulation, and experimental validation to address real-world challenges in aerospace, architectural, and mechanical acoustics.
Professor Yeu-Chun Kim's research lab specializes in the development of advanced nanomaterials and stimuli-responsive systems for targeted cancer therapy and controlled drug delivery. The lab focuses on designing smart nanocarriers—such as carbon-based nanostructures, mitochondria-targeting photosensitizers, and ionophore-functionalized polypeptides—that enable precise spatiotemporal control over drug release and therapeutic action. Key research directions include photodynamic therapy, thermally responsive ablation using metallic nanoparticles, and modulation of cellular ion homeostasis to induce cancer cell death. The lab also explores glucose-responsive systems for insulin delivery, highlighting its broad interest in responsive biomaterials for both oncology and metabolic disease applications.
Professor Dong Hyun Sinn's research lab specializes in hepatology and liver disease management, with a strong focus on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk prediction, antiviral therapy optimization in chronic hepatitis B and C, and multidisciplinary team (MDT) approaches to improve outcomes in liver cirrhosis and HCC. The lab investigates treatment thresholds, risk stratification, and the impact of early antiviral therapy in patients who do not meet conventional criteria, particularly in Asian populations. They also explore comorbidities such as NAFLD and sarcopenia, emphasizing early detection and intervention to improve long-term liver health.
Professor Gyuri Kim's research lab focuses on the interplay between skeletal muscle metabolism, aging, and metabolic diseases, with a particular emphasis on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), metabolic syndrome, and cardiometabolic health in middle-aged and older adults. The lab investigates how changes in skeletal muscle mass and body composition influence the development and progression of chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hepatocellular carcinoma, and diastolic dysfunction. Utilizing longitudinal cohort studies and advanced clinical metrics like continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), the lab explores the role of myokines and muscle-derived signaling in systemic metabolic regulation. A key research direction involves identifying modifiable factors—such as muscle mass preservation and statin use—that may mitigate long-term complications in metabolic disease.
Professor Youn Jeong Jang's research lab specializes in developing advanced photoelectrochemical systems for sustainable energy conversion, with a primary focus on artificial photosynthesis, solar fuel production, and electrochemical nitrogen and carbon dioxide reduction. The lab pioneers the design of novel nanostructured semiconductor materials—such as ZnO, ZnTe, CuO, and delafossite-type oxides—engineered through innovative synthesis techniques like hybrid microwave annealing to enhance charge transport, surface reactivity, and catalytic selectivity. Key research directions include tandem photoelectrochemical devices for efficient solar-to-fuel conversion and the development of defect-engineered, N-doped materials for selective CO2-to-CO and N2-to-NH3 transformations under ambient conditions.
Professor Sergei V. Ketov's research lab specializes in theoretical high-energy physics, with a focus on supergravity, inflationary cosmology, and higher-curvature gravity theories. The lab explores the connections between Einstein gravity, f(R) gravity, and supergravity, particularly in the context of chaotic and Starobinsky-type inflation models. A central theme is the construction of viable inflationary models through higher-order curvature invariants (e.g., R², R³) and their embedding into supergravity frameworks, ensuring consistency with observational data. The lab also investigates supersymmetric extensions of nonlinear gauge theories, such as Born–Infeld actions, and their geometric and duality properties in curved superspace.
Professor Kazuo Takayama's research lab specializes in regenerative medicine and stem cell biology, focusing on the directed differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into functional hepatocytes and intestinal epithelial cells for drug development and disease modeling. The lab investigates interindividual differences in drug metabolism using patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), aiming to improve personalized medicine. Additionally, the lab explores vascular and epithelial barrier dysfunction in viral infections, such as SARS-CoV-2, using advanced organ-on-a-chip models. Their work bridges stem cell technology, disease mechanisms, and translational applications in pharmacology and infectious diseases.
Professor Hiroaki Ohno's research lab specializes in the development of innovative transition-metal-catalyzed methodologies for the efficient synthesis of nitrogen-containing heterocycles and complex polycyclic frameworks. The lab focuses on atom-economical and step-economical transformations, particularly using palladium, copper, and gold catalysis to construct C–C and C–N bonds with high regio- and stereoselectivity. Key research directions include cascade cyclizations, C–H functionalization, and the synthesis of medicinally relevant scaffolds such as carbazoles, indoles, and aziridines. The group emphasizes green chemistry principles by minimizing byproducts and enabling one-pot, multi-component reactions.
Professor Ayato Takada's research lab specializes in viral pathogenesis, with a primary focus on filoviruses such as Ebola and Marburg viruses. The lab investigates viral entry mechanisms, including antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), lectin-mediated infection, and the role of host factors like C1q and Fc receptors in disease progression. A key direction involves developing novel virological tools—such as pseudotyped viruses and monoclonal antibodies—for functional analysis and therapeutic development. The lab also explores cross-reactive immune responses, particularly in the context of broadly neutralizing antibodies and their potential for universal influenza and Ebola therapeutics.
Professor Wataru Iwasaki's research lab specializes in computational and evolutionary genomics, with a focus on fish mitochondrial genomes and environmental DNA analysis. The lab develops advanced bioinformatics tools and databases—such as MitoFish, MitoAnnotator, and MiFish—to enable precise annotation of mitogenomes and high-throughput metabarcoding of environmental DNA for ecological and evolutionary studies. Their work bridges genomics, biodiversity conservation, and environmental monitoring, leveraging next-generation sequencing technologies to explore vertebrate evolution and aquatic ecosystem dynamics. The lab also investigates the structural and functional evolution of microbial ion pumps, as seen in their structural characterization of novel rhodopsins like NM-R3.
Professor Masahiro Miyake's research lab specializes in ophthalmic genetics and medical imaging, focusing on the genetic and phenotypic basis of retinal diseases such as pachychoroid neovasculopathy, neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and myopia. The lab employs advanced imaging techniques like OCT-based curvature mapping to quantify posterior eye shape and its association with myopic complications, while also conducting large-scale genetic studies to identify susceptibility genes like WNT7B and GJD2. A key focus is on distinguishing disease subtypes through genetic profiling and applying machine learning to regulatory-approved medical devices for improved diagnostic accuracy.
Professor Mutsuo Yamaya's research lab focuses on respiratory epithelial biology, with a central emphasis on airway ion transport, mucosal immunity, and the pathophysiology of chronic respiratory diseases such as COPD and asthma. The lab investigates epithelial cell models, including primary human tracheobronchial epithelial and submucosal gland cells, to understand airway barrier function, inflammatory responses, and the impact of viral infections. A key direction involves exploring endogenous protective mechanisms, such as heme oxygenase-derived carbon monoxide, and developing novel strategies for preventing and treating respiratory infections and inflammation in aging populations. The lab also examines the role of aspiration and impaired defense mechanisms in pneumonia among the elderly, aiming to identify preventive interventions.
Professor Shigenori Fujikawa's research lab specializes in the design and fabrication of advanced nanomaterials for environmental and energy applications, with a strong focus on gas separation membranes and carbon dioxide capture technologies. The lab develops innovative templating and sol-gel strategies to create ultrathin, free-standing nanomembranes—particularly from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and titania—with exceptional permeance and selectivity for CO₂/N₂ separation. Their work also explores the fundamental surface chemistry of polymers like PDMS, particularly the mechanisms behind hydrophobicity recovery, which is critical for long-term performance in microfluidic and biomedical devices. The lab integrates materials synthesis, surface engineering, and process simulation to advance next-generation membrane technologies for direct air capture and sustainable environmental remediation.
Professor Kimitaka Kawamura's research lab specializes in atmospheric chemistry, with a focus on the sources, distribution, and transformation of organic compounds in the atmosphere. The lab investigates dicarboxylic acids, organic aerosols, and carbonaceous particles in diverse environments—from urban and remote marine regions to high-altitude sites like the Tibetan Plateau and Mount Everest. Using advanced analytical techniques such as capillary gas chromatography and GC/MS, the lab explores the role of anthropogenic emissions, long-range atmospheric transport, and photochemical processes in shaping atmospheric composition. Their work contributes critical insights into air quality, climate change, and the environmental impacts of organic aerosols.
Professor Won-Ki Jeong's research lab specializes in high-performance computing and advanced image analysis for large-scale biomedical and geoscientific data. The lab focuses on developing scalable, GPU-accelerated algorithms for volumetric data processing, particularly in neuroscience and seismic imaging. Key research directions include automated segmentation of neural structures in electron microscopy, optimal path computation in diffusion MRI using Hamilton-Jacobi solvers, and interactive visualization of massive 3D datasets. The lab also pioneers computational methods for fault detection in seismic data using nonlinear filtering and structure tensor analysis.
Professor Chuya Shinzato's research lab specializes in coral genomics and molecular symbiosis, focusing on the evolutionary genomics of scleractinian corals and their interactions with symbiotic algae. The lab employs next-generation sequencing and population genomics to unravel the genetic mechanisms underlying coral resilience, adaptation to environmental stressors such as thermal stress and ocean acidification, and the molecular basis of symbiosis in coral holobionts. Key research directions include comparative genomics across Acropora, Porites, and related genera, as well as population structure and dispersal dynamics in reef-building corals across the Ryukyu Archipelago.
Professor Akifumi Hagiwara's research lab specializes in quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI), focusing on the development and clinical translation of advanced MRI techniques for accurate tissue characterization. The lab pioneers methods for absolute quantification of tissue parameters such as T1, T2, proton density, and myelin content using sequences like MDME and SyMRI, enabling robust, vendor-independent brain relaxometry and volumetry. A key research direction involves validating quantitative MRI biomarkers against histological gold standards and enhancing their sensitivity for early detection of neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis. The lab also emphasizes standardization and reproducibility of quantitative imaging to support precision medicine and clinical decision-making.
Professor Kimihisa Yamamoto's research lab specializes in the design and synthesis of advanced functional materials, with a focus on dendrimer-based nanomaterials and thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters for optoelectronic applications. The lab pioneers the development of solution-processable, non-doped TADF dendrimers for high-efficiency organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), while also advancing the precise synthesis of multimetallic nanoclusters and dendrimer-encapsulated nanoparticles (DENs) for catalytic applications. Their work emphasizes atomic-level control in nanomaterial fabrication, enabling tailored catalytic and optoelectronic properties through molecular engineering. The lab bridges fundamental chemistry with practical device integration, particularly in energy-efficient lighting and sustainable catalysis.
Professor Yu Hoshino's research lab specializes in the design and application of synthetic polymer nanoparticles for biomedical and environmental applications. The lab focuses on developing 'plastic antibodies'—engineered nanoparticles with high affinity and selectivity for target biomolecules, particularly peptide toxins—enabling in vivo neutralization and clearance. A key research direction involves optimizing nanoparticle composition, size, and surface properties to enhance performance in complex biological environments while minimizing toxicity and protein corona interference. The lab also explores stimuli-responsive hydrogel nanoparticles for applications in CO₂ capture and thermoelectric energy conversion.
