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 Kosuke Heki's research lab specializes in geodesy and geodynamics, focusing on the integration of Global Positioning System (GPS) data to study crustal deformation, plate tectonics, and seismic/ionospheric coupling. The lab investigates long-term tectonic processes, such as plate convergence and strain accumulation, particularly in eastern Asia, with a strong emphasis on the Amurian Plate's motion relative to surrounding plates. A key research direction involves detecting and analyzing ionospheric disturbances—both preseismic and coseismic—triggered by large earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, using high-precision GPS observations. The lab also explores the role of surface loads, such as snow and ice, in modulating ground deformation and geodetic signals.
Professor Hyotcherl Ihee's research lab specializes in ultrafast structural dynamics, focusing on the real-time observation of transient molecular structures in chemical and biological reactions. Using advanced time-resolved X-ray and electron diffraction techniques—such as ultrafast electron diffraction (UED), time-resolved Laue crystallography, and liquid-phase X-ray diffraction—the lab investigates reaction mechanisms in complex systems, including gas-phase reactions, protein photocycles, and solution-phase dynamics. The lab's work bridges fundamental chemistry and structural biology by capturing fleeting intermediates with high temporal and spatial resolution, offering direct insights into reaction pathways and stereochemical control.
Professor Hee-Sun Kim's research lab focuses on neuroinflammation, neurodegenerative diseases, and neuroprotection, with a particular emphasis on identifying and characterizing natural compounds that modulate microglial activation, oxidative stress, and cell death pathways such as necroptosis. The lab investigates the molecular mechanisms of ginsenosides, saponin metabolites, and other phytochemicals in astrocytes and microglial cells to develop potential therapeutic strategies for Parkinson’s disease, brain tumors, and other central nervous system disorders. Key research directions include the regulation of MMP-9, Nrf2-mediated antioxidant responses, and RIPK1 signaling in neuroinflammatory conditions.
Professor Chiyoung Cha's research lab focuses on digital health interventions, mental health support through technology, and culturally informed healthcare practices. The lab investigates the impact of artificial intelligence chatbots on emotional expression and mental well-being, particularly in relation to depression and mood regulation across cultures. It also explores health behaviors and support systems among specific populations, such as nursing professionals, female university students, and migrant women, with an emphasis on social media and mobile-based interventions. Additionally, the lab examines organizational culture and workplace well-being in healthcare settings.
Professor Jumpei Ueda's research lab specializes in the development and fundamental investigation of rare-earth-doped phosphors and scintillators, with a focus on garnet-based materials for solid-state lighting and radiation detection. The lab explores advanced concepts such as quantum cutting, persistent luminescence, and conduction band engineering to enhance energy transfer, charge trapping, and thermal stability in phosphors. Key research directions include optimizing luminescence efficiency, extending persistent luminescence duration through deeper trap engineering, and understanding the mechanisms of thermal quenching and photoionization in rare-earth doped oxides. The work bridges materials chemistry, solid-state physics, and optoelectronic applications, particularly in white LEDs and next-generation lighting technologies.
Professor Sungho Won's research lab specializes in statistical genetics and bioinformatics, focusing on identifying genetic factors underlying complex diseases such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and asthma, particularly in underrepresented populations like those of African ancestry. The lab develops advanced statistical and computational methods for genome-wide association studies, including innovative approaches to p-value combination, family-based designs, and integration of multi-omics data such as microbiota-derived extracellular vesicles. A key emphasis is on improving the power and robustness of genetic analyses while accounting for population structure and trait heterogeneity. The lab also explores the role of the human microbiome and host-microbe interactions in disease pathogenesis, particularly in metabolic and respiratory disorders.
Professor Byung Do Chung's research lab specializes in intelligent supply chain systems, smart manufacturing, and sustainable production technologies. The lab focuses on integrating advanced digital technologies—such as cloud-based systems, IoT, and 3D printing—into dynamic, personalized supply chain operations. Key research directions include optimizing supply chain cost and performance under uncertainty, enhancing energy efficiency and sustainability in smart production, and leveraging data-driven models for dynamic pricing and demand learning.
Professor Antonio K.W. Lau's research lab focuses on innovation management, supply chain integration, and sustainable manufacturing, with a strong emphasis on how organizational processes such as supplier and customer integration, modular product design, and green innovation influence product performance and business sustainability. The lab investigates the interplay between technological innovation, operational practices, and environmental responsibility, particularly in manufacturing and emerging markets like China and Hong Kong. It also explores digital financial inclusion, especially mobile money adoption, through the lenses of trust, risk perception, and institutional reliability. The lab employs advanced quantitative methods, including structural equation modeling and partial least squares, to derive actionable insights for industry and policy.
Professor Yuki Fujimoto's research lab specializes in theoretical high-energy and nuclear physics, focusing on the equation of state of dense matter in neutron stars. The lab explores strongly correlated quantum chromodynamics (QCD) at high densities using effective field theories, lattice QCD insights, and advanced machine learning techniques. Key research directions include phase transitions in neutron star cores—particularly the hadron-quark matter crossover—rotational effects on deconfinement and chiral symmetry, and the development of data-driven methods to reconstruct the equation of state from observational data. The lab uniquely combines fundamental many-body theory with cutting-edge computational tools such as deep neural networks and variational methods.
Professor Susumu Uchiyama's research lab specializes in advanced biomaterials and biopharmaceutical development, focusing on protein stability in drug delivery systems and the structural characterization of viral vectors. The lab investigates how materials such as polymers and glass syringes influence protein aggregation, particularly in therapeutic monoclonal antibodies and fusion proteins, while also exploring innovative purification techniques for viral vector products. A key research direction involves developing analytical methods—such as multiwavelength sedimentation velocity analytical ultracentrifugation—to precisely characterize complex viral vector preparations, including empty and intermediate particles. The lab also contributes to fundamental cell biology through proteomic analysis of metaphase chromosomes, revealing key structural proteins involved in chromatin condensation.
Professor Takanori Ito's research lab focuses on liver disease mechanisms and regenerative therapies, with a strong emphasis on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), acute and chronic liver failure, and liver fibrosis. The lab investigates the pathophysiology of viral and non-viral liver diseases—particularly NAFLD and ALD—while exploring novel regenerative approaches using stem cell-derived factors, such as SHED-conditioned medium, to treat acute liver injury. A key focus is identifying bioactive molecules, including MCP-1 and sSiglec-9, that mediate tissue repair and modulate immune responses in liver disease. The lab also evaluates clinical biomarkers like FIB-4 and ALBI scores to improve prognosis prediction in chronic liver diseases.
Professor Jun-ya Hasegawa's research lab specializes in computational and physical organic chemistry, with a focus on the electronic structures and photophysical properties of porphyrin and chlorin-based macrocycles. The lab investigates the design and mechanism of bifunctional metalloporphyrin catalysts for sustainable transformations, particularly the cycloaddition of CO₂ to epoxides and copolymerization of epoxides with CO₂ to produce biodegradable polycarbonates. Advanced quantum chemical methods, especially the SAC-CI (symmetry-adapted cluster/configuration interaction) approach, are employed to understand excited-state behavior in natural and synthetic chromophores, including fluorescent proteins and photosynthetic reaction centers. The lab also explores novel photoinduced catalytic reactions, such as light-driven enantioselective acylations, using DFT and excited-state dynamics analysis.
Professor Yasuhiro Oba's research lab specializes in astrochemistry and prebiotic chemistry, focusing on the formation and detection of biologically relevant molecules under astrophysical conditions. The lab investigates the synthesis of nucleobases, amino acids, and other nitrogen-containing heterocycles in interstellar ice analogues and extraterrestrial materials such as carbonaceous meteorites and asteroidal samples. Using advanced in situ spectroscopic techniques and low-temperature experiments, the lab explores reaction pathways involving simple molecules like H₂O, CO, NH₃, and CH₃OH under conditions simulating molecular clouds and star-forming regions. Their work bridges laboratory astrophysics with planetary science, contributing critical insights into the origins of life's molecular building blocks in space.
Professor Jun Soo Kwon's research lab focuses on the neurobiological underpinnings of schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), with a particular emphasis on brain circuitry, neurodevelopmental abnormalities, and cognitive deficits. The lab investigates abnormalities in cortical oscillations, such as gamma-band activity and midline structure development, as well as disruptions in corticostriatal-limbic circuits linked to symptom formation. A key focus is also on improving physical health outcomes in schizophrenia, including weight management programs for patients on antipsychotic medication. The lab integrates neuroimaging, EEG, and clinical assessments to understand both the neural mechanisms and holistic well-being of psychiatric patients.
Professor Seung Hee Yang's research lab focuses on the immunological and molecular mechanisms underlying kidney injury, with a particular emphasis on the roles of inflammatory signaling pathways, T cell subsets (especially Th17 cells), and innate immune cells such as NKT cells in acute and chronic kidney diseases. The lab investigates key mediators like STAT3, TNF receptors, and bilirubin in the context of ischemia-reperfusion injury, glomerulonephritis, and fibrosis, aiming to identify novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for progressive kidney disease. Their work integrates preclinical models with human tissue analysis and translational approaches to bridge basic discoveries to clinical applications.
Professor Donghyun Kim's research lab specializes in advanced imaging technologies and nanoscale optical sensing, with a strong focus on 3D face recognition using deep learning, stereoscopic visual fatigue assessment, and plasmon-enhanced super-resolution microscopy. The lab develops innovative computational and optical methods to improve biomedical imaging, including in utero fetal brain imaging and nanoscale biosensing using surface plasmon resonance. Key research directions include deep learning for 3D biometrics, visual fatigue metrics for 3D displays, and plasmonic nanostructures for high-resolution and sensitive optical detection.
Professor Jie Su's research lab focuses on ecological restoration, particularly mangrove ecosystem recovery, and integrates landscape ecology, geographic information systems (GIS), and sustainability science to develop science-based strategies for coastal zone management. The lab emphasizes species-specific and connectivity-driven restoration planning, especially in vulnerable coastal regions like Southeast China’s Xiamen Bay. It also investigates the role of nature-based solutions in climate change adaptation, including coastal defense and low-carbon development in tourism, with a strong focus on socio-ecological systems in ethnic and developing regions of China.
Professor Munetaka Akita's research lab specializes in organometallic chemistry, with a focus on the synthesis and reactivity of metal complexes featuring π-conjugated carbon ligands, such as polyynyl and alkynyl species. The lab investigates fundamental transformations of C2 and C2H units in multimetallic systems, modeling surface-bound intermediates in catalytic CO hydrogenation. Key interests include molecular electronics, photochromic metal complexes, and the development of stimuli-responsive systems with tunable photophysical and redox properties. The group also explores regioselective alkyne dimerization and the structural diversity of polynuclear complexes with extended π-conjugated bridges.
Professor Yong P. Chen's research lab specializes in nanoscale thermal transport, topological quantum materials, and advanced 2D materials for next-generation electronic and spintronic devices. The lab investigates thermal properties of graphene and related nanomaterials, explores spintronic phenomena in topological insulators, and develops high-performance thermal interface materials based on few-layer graphene. Their work bridges fundamental physics with practical applications in energy efficiency, thermal management, and quantum electronics.
Professor Yukihiro Yokoyama's research lab specializes in hepato-biliary surgery and liver physiology, with a strong focus on optimizing liver function and surgical outcomes in patients undergoing major hepatectomy. The lab investigates preoperative assessment tools such as ICGK-F to predict post-hepatectomy liver failure and mortality, particularly in complex cases involving extrahepatic bile duct resection. It also explores hemodynamic and biochemical mechanisms underlying portal hypertension, including the role of thromboxane A2 in liver injury models. Additionally, the lab contributes to improving diagnostic accuracy for rare conditions like obturator hernia through advanced imaging techniques such as pelvic CT.
