生命医科学プログラム

石原康宏_photo
石原 康宏 教授/ ISHIHARA Yasuhiro Professor

PM2.5や農薬など環境中の化学物質の神経系への影響を調べています。特に発達期影響(胎児期に曝露すると成長後に何が起こるか)や疾患との相互作用(曝露により疾患発症率や重篤度が変わるか)について焦点を当てています。

Our research topics are on the effects of environmental chemicals such as pesticides and PM2.5 on the central nervous system (CNS). We focus on an action of the brain immune cell, microglia. We are also interested in the interaction of chemical exposure and CNS disorders like stroke and epilepsy.

keywords:Neurotoxicology, Environmental chemicals, Microglia

  1. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban particle matter exacerbate movement disorder after ischemic stroke via potentiation of neuroinflammation.Particle Fibre Toxicol. 20:6(2023)
  2. Microglial inflammatory reaction regulated by oxidative stress. J Clin Biochem Nutr. 72(1): 23-27(2023)
  3. A CCR5 antagonist, maraviroc, alleviates neural circuit dysfunction and behavioural disorders induced by prenatal valproate exposure. J Neuroinflam. 19:195(2022)
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今村 拓也 教授/ IMAMURA Takuya Professor

タンパク質をコードしないRNA(ノンコーディングRNA)を操り、特定の遺伝子活性化を促すメカニズムとその細胞を超えた効果を明らかにすることで、ヒト脳の特徴を理解するための研究を推進している。

Our Lab aims to understand the epigenetic mechanisms that underlie human brain development. We employ genome-wide analyses, combined with wide variety of functional analyses. We are now focusing on the involvement of long non-coding RNAs in the gene-specific epigenetic regulation that can shape species-dependent cellular networking in the cerebral cortex.

keywords:non-coding RNA, epigenome, DNA methylation/demethylation, gene activation, brain, neural stem cell, human, primate, mouse, rodent, species-specific, biodiversity, adaptation, evolution, bioinformatics

  1. Evolutionary acquisition of promoter-associated non-coding RNA (pancRNA) repertoires diversifies species-dependent gene activation mechanisms in mammals. BMC Genomics, 18:285(2017)
  2. Bidirectional promoters link cAMP signaling with irreversible differentiation through promoter-associated non-coding RNA(pancRNA) expression in PC12 cells. Nucleic Acids Research, 44: 5105(2016)
  3. Gene activation-associated long noncoding RNAs function in mouse preimplantation development. Development, 142: 910(2015)
千原崇裕_photo
千原 崇裕 教授/ CHIHARA Takahiro Professor

ショウジョウバエの遺伝学的手法を活用し、①嗅覚が個体行動・免疫・寿命を制御する仕組み、②睡眠と神経シナプスの関係、③栄養環境による組織サイズ調節機構、④ヒト疾患関連因子の生理機能、を研究しています。

We are studying the following topics by using Drosophila genetic methods. How does the sense of smell control individual behavior, immunity, and longevity? How does sleep regulate synaptic function? What is the mechanism of tissue size control by nutrition? How is the topology of membrane protein regulated?

keywords:Drosophila, olfaction, longevity, aging, innate immunity, behavior, sleep, synapse, tissue size, membrane protein topology

  1. Multiple functions of the ER-resident VAP and its extracellular role in neural development and disease/J Biochem/165/391-400/2019
  2. Dendritic Eph organizes dendrodendritic segregation in discrete olfactory map formation in Drosophila/Genes Dev/31/1054-1065/2017
  3. The Strip-Hippo pathway regulates synaptic terminal formation by modulating actin organization at the Drosophila neuromuscular synapses/Cell Rep/16/2289-2297/2016
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林 利憲 教授/ HAYASHI Toshinori Professor

両生類のイモリは極めて強い再生能力を持ち、体の様々な部位を再生できます。私達はイモリ再生能力を支える原理の解明を目指しています。また、研究者にイベリアトゲイモリを提供するバイオリソースを運営しています。

The amphibian newt has the remarkable ability to regenerate various body parts. Our laboratory aims to elucidate the mechanisms of organ regeneration using newts as experimental model. We are also working on the development and maintenance of a bioresource of the Iberian ribbed newts.

keywords:Newt, Regeneration, Bioresource

  1. A comprehensive reference transcriptome resource for the Iberian ribbed newt Pleurodeles waltl, an emerging model for developmental and regeneration biology/ DNA Res. 217-229(2019)
  2. Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complex allows direct and rapid analysis of coding and noncoding regions of target genes in Pleurodeles waltl development and regeneration/ Dev. Biol. 127-136(2018)
  3. Molecular genetic system for regenerative studies using newts/ Dev. Growth Differ. 229-236( 2013)

 

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上野 勝 准教授/ UENO Masaru Associate Professor

染色体末端テロメアの維持機構を中心に、染色体全体の安定な維持機構、DNA修復機構などの解析とそのがん治療への応用を目指している。最近はライブイメージングによる染色体動態定量解析にも取り組んでいる。

Study about telomere maintenance, chromosome stability, and DNA repair and their application to anti-aging and anti-cancer research. We also take fluorescence live cell imaging and analyze them quantitatively to study the role for dynamics of proteins and chromatin in nuclear function.

keywords:telomere, chromosome stability, DNA repair, anti-aging, anti-cancer, fluorescence live cell imaging, dynamics of proteins, nuclear function

  1. Spindle pole body movement is affected by glucose and ammonium chloride in fission yeast. Biochem Biophys Res Commun.(2019)
  2. A diffusion model for the coordination of DNA replication in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Sci Rep.(2016)
  3. Chromosome passenger complex is required for the survival of cells with ring chromosomes in fission yeast PLoS One.(2018)
奥村美紗子_photo
奥村 美紗子 准教授/ OKUMURA Misako Associate Professor

目を持たない線虫がどのようにを感知しているのか、また光環境が線虫の形態形成行動にどのように影響しているのか、分子メカニズムの解明を目指して研究を行っています。

Although nematodes do not have eyes, worms can detect light and show light avoidance behavior. We try to reveal the molecular and neural mechanisms of how light is detected by the nematode, and how the light environment affects development and behaviors.

keywords:nematode, light, behavior, development, genetics, evolution, phenotypic plasticity, polyphenism

  1.  “Serotonin Drives Predatory Feeding Behavior via Synchronous Feeding Rhythms in the Nematode Pristionchus pacificus” G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics 7:3745-3755(2017)
  2. “ Screening for CRISPR/Cas9-induced mutations using a co-injection marker in the nematode Pristionchus pacificus” Development Genes and Evolution, 230, 257–264(2020)
  3.  “Linking cell surface receptors to microtubules: Tubulin folding cofactor D mediates Dscam functions during neuronal morphogenesis” J Neurosci 35:1979-1990(2015)
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久米 一規 准教授/ KUME Kazunori Associate Professor

真核細胞の機能を保証する細胞構造の制御メカニズムに関する研究を進めている。具体的には、「核サイズを制御する仕組み」と「細胞の形を制御する仕組み」の分子レベルでの解明を目指している。

Study on the control mechanism of intracellular structure that ensures eukaryotic cellular function. Our research is currently focused on nuclear size, establishment and maintenance of cell polarity, and organization of the cytoskeletons such as actin and microtubule. We use fission yeast as a model organism for eukaryotic cells.

keywords:intracellular structure, nuclear size, cell polarity, cytoskeleton, cell growth, organelle size, fission yeast, cell biology

  1. Nuclear membrane protein Lem2 regulates nuclear size through membrane flow. Nat. Commun.(2019)
  2. A systematic genomic screen implicates nucleocytoplasmic transport and membrane growth in nuclear size control. Plos Genet.(2017)
  3. Calcineurin ensures a link between the DNA replication checkpoint and microtubule-dependent polarized growth. Nat. Cell Biol.(2011)
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杉 拓磨 准教授/ SUGI Takuma Associate Professor

生物集団の行動の原理や、行動を支配する脳神経回路の老化機構の研究を行っています。そのため線虫C. エレガンスをモデル動物にした行動実験と、最先端の光技術を用いた顕微鏡開発数理モデリングを駆使し、原子から個体集団レベルまでの全階層を対象にした解析を進めています。

Living things exhibit clever information processing to cope with environmental changes at individual and population level. I seek physical rules governing individual and population level behaviors and neural circuit aging. For this purpose, I have taken interdisciplinary approaches between neuroscience, ethology, engineering and nonlinear physics.

keywords:Biophysics, collective behavior, aging, optics

  1. Regulation of behavioral plasticity by systemic temperature signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans, Nature Neurosci, 2011
  2. C. elegans collectively forms dynamical networks, Nature Commun, 2019
  3. High-throughput optical quantification of mechanosensory habituation reveals neurons encoding memory in Caenorhabditis elegans, PNAS, 2014
岡本和子_photo
岡本 和子 助教/ OKAMOTO Kazuko Assistant Professor

極めて高い再生能力を誇るイモリがもつ、欠損部位を補填するリプログラミング(脱分化)と細胞運命決定が起こるメカニズムを、種々のバイオセンサーを用いて、実時間・実空間で明らかにすることを目指している。

We aim to elucidate the mechanisms of reprogramming (dedifferentiation) and cell fate determination in newts, which have extremely high regenerative capacity to compensate for defective organs. in real time and in real space with a variety of biosensors.

keywords:Newt, Regeneration, Dedifferentiation, Reprogramming, Cell fate determination

  1. Single‐molecule tracking of Nanog and Oct4 in living mouse embryonic stem cells uncovers a feedback mechanism of pluripotency maintenance. EMBO J. e112305(2023)
  2. Single cell analysis reveals a biophysical aspect of collective cell state transition in embryonic stem cell differentiation. Sci Rep 8:11965(2018)
  3. The active stem cell specific expression of sponge Musashi homolog EflMsiA suggests its involvement in maintaining the stem cell state. Mech Dev 129(1-4):24-37(2012)
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下出 紗弓 助教/ SHIMODE Sayumi Assistant Professor

我々のゲノムの中には、「内在性レトロウイルス」と呼ばれるウイルス様配列が潜んでいる。ネコを中心とした哺乳類における内在性レトロウイルスの機能や獲得メカニズムについての研究を行っている。

Part of our genome is composed of sequences with viral origin, namely "endogenous retroviruses( ERVs)".
We are studying the function and acquisition mechanism of ERVs in mammals.

keywords:endogenous retroviruses

  1. Establishment of CRFK cells for vaccine production by inactivating endogenous retrovirus with TALEN technology/Scentific Reports(2022)
  2. Multiple invasions of an infectious retrovirus in cat genomes/Scientific Reports(2015)
  3. Characterization of feline ASCT1 and ASCT2 as RD-114 virus receptor/Journal of General Virology(2013)
鈴木誠_photo
鈴木 誠 助教/ SUZUKI Makoto Assistant Professor

両生類を用いた発生生物学を基盤としつつ細胞生物学、先端ライブイメージング解析を取り入れることで、神経管をはじめとする上皮性器官の形成機構とその破綻により発症するヒト先天異常に関する研究を進めています。

I am studying embryonic development at the cellular and molecular levels. Using amphibians, I analyze the mechanisms of formation of epithelial organs such as the neural tube and human congenital abnormalities caused by its disruption, utilizing cell biology and advanced live imaging techniques.

keywords:embryonic development, amphibian, Xenopus, epithelial morphogenesis, congenital disabilities, live imaging

  1. X-ray micro-computed tomography of Xenopus tadpole reveals changes in brain ventricular morphology during telencephalon regeneration. Dev Growth Differ 65:300–310(2023)
  2. Differential cellular stiffness contributes to tissue elongation on an expanding surface. Front Cell Dev Biol 10:864135(2022)
  3. Distinct intracellular Ca2+ dynamics regulate apical constriction and differentially contribute to neural tube closure. Development 144:1307–1316 (2017)
細羽康介_photo
細羽 康介 助教/ HOSOBA Kosuke Assistant Professor

ゲノム編集技術を用いた疾患のモデルマウスの作製と表現型解析を行っています。将来的にはヒト疾患の病態解明や創薬研究に繋げたいと考えています。

Point mutations in human genome induce genetic disorders. To understand mechanism of human disorders,disease model animals are useful tools. My purpose is establishment of human disease model mice by CRISPR/Cas9 based genome editing technology and analysis of model mice to reveal pathology of human disorder.

keywords:Genome editing, Human mutation, Genetic disorder

  1. Insufficiency of ciliary cholesterol in hereditary Zellweger syndrome/EMBO J 39:e103499/2020
  2. PLK1-mediated phosphorylation of WDR62/MCPH2 ensures proper mitotic spindle orientation/Hum Mol Genet 26:4429-4440/2017
  3. Phosphorylation of myosin II regulatory light chain by ZIP kinase is responsible for cleavage furrow ingression during cell division in mammalian cultured cells/Biochem Biophys Res Commun 459:686-91/2015
湯川格史_photo
湯川 格史 助教/ YUKAWA Masashi Assistant Professor

真核生物のゲノム安定性維持に必要な分裂期制御、特に紡錘体微小管の形成機構に注目し、モデル生物である酵母を用いて研究を行っている。また、得られた知見を応用して、ヒト疾患治療薬の開発にも取り組んでいる。

Our main research interests are the molecular mechanisms of mitotic progression, particularly we focus on the spindle assembly which is required for proper chromosome segregation. For this purpose, we usually use yeast as a model organism. We also aim to apply our findings towards the development of novel anti-cancer drugs.

keywords:mitosis, chromosome segregation, spindle assembly, microtubule, actin, kinesin, myosin, yeast, anti-cancer drug

  1. Escape from mitotic catastrophe by actin-dependent nuclear displacement in fission yeast. iScience, 24:102031.(2021)
  2. How Essential Kinesin-5 Becomes Non-Essential in Fission Yeast: Force Balance and Microtubule Dynamics Matter. Cells, 9:1154.(2020)
  3. Kinesin-6 Klp9 plays motor-dependent and -independent roles in collaboration with Kinesin-5 Cut7 and the microtubule crosslinker Ase1 in fission yeast. Sci Rep, 9:7336.(2019)
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渡邉 朋信 客員教授/WATANABE Tomonobu Visiting Professor

新規先端光学計測技術を開発し、それらを用いて幹細胞に対する放射線被ばく影響に関連する生物学研究に取り組む。研究成果の実用化・産業化にも積極的に取り組んでおり、幅広く融合的/学際的研究を実践している。

The activity is to conduct biological research related to the effect of radiation doses on stem cells using new state-of-the-art optical measurement techniques developed by ourselves. We are also actively involved in the practical application and industrialization of our own research results, and practices a wide range of interdisciplinary research.

keywords:radiation-dose effect, stem cell research, quantitative biology, optical microscopy, spectroscopy, machine learning

  1. Following embryonic stem cells, their differentiated progeny, and cell-state changes during iPS reprogramming by Raman spectroscopy. Anal Chem 92, 14915–14923 (2020)
  2. Linking substrate and nucleus via actin cytoskeleton in pluripotency maintenance of mouse embryonic stem cells. Stem Cell Res. 41,101614 (2019)
  3. Second harmonic generation polarization microscopy as a tool for protein structure analysis. Biophys Physicobiol. 16, 147-157(2019)
HON Chung Chau  客員教授/ Visiting Professor
ホンチュンチョウ_photo

なぜ一部の人々は他の人々よりも特定の疾患(例:心臓病)を発症しやすいのでしょうか?その答えは彼らのゲノムにあります。私たちは個人間の遺伝的変異が異なる細胞タイプでの遺伝子発現に与える影響を研究し、ゲノムと疾患の間の欠けているつながりを理解することを目指しています。

Why are some people more likely to develop certain diseases( e.g. heart disease) than the others? The answer lies in their genomes. We study the effects of genetic variations between individuals on gene expression in different cell-types, aiming to understand missing links between our genomes and diseases.

keywords:single-cell genomics, genetics, transcriptomics, bioinformatics

  1. An atlas of human long non-coding RNAs with accurate 5' ends. Nature 543(7644), 199-204(2017)
  2. Recombination of repeat elements generates somatic complexity in human genome. Cell S0092-8674(22)00784-X (2022)
  3. C1 CAGE detects transcription start sites and enhancer activity at single-cell resolution. Nat Comm 10, 360(2019)


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