Department of Biological Sciences

Laboratory of Plant Growth and Development

Professor

KAKIMOTO, Tatsuo

Plant development relies on coordinated division, differentiation and expansion of cells. In order to understand the underlying mechanisms, we study both inter-cellular communication and cellular events. Plant hormones play pivotal roles in almost all processes of plant development. We have identified biosynthetic enzymes and receptors of cytokinins, and clarified the role of cytokinins in plant development. We are also working on the roles of secretory ...

Laboratory of Plant Cell Biology

Professor

TAKAGI, Shingo

When you study functions of biological systems, you may have two types of questions, namely, ‘Why questions’ that ask the reason and significance of their functions, and ‘How questions’ that ask the mechanism responsible for their functions. Basically, ecologists ask ‘Why questions’ while physiologists ask ‘How questions’. However, scientists in both groups have never been always satisfied with their own ways. To develop the frontiers of ...

Laboratory of Organelle Biology

Associate Professor

Masato NAKAI

We have been studying molecular mechanisms and evolution of chloroplast biogenesis in higher plants and various algae with techniques of biochemistry, genetics, and cell biology. Our current main topics are: i) Elucidation of molecular mechanisms of protein translocation across the envelope membranes of chloroplasts. ii) Molecular evolutionary studies on the chloroplast protein import system. ...

Laboratory of Developmental Biology

Professor

Hiroki NISHIDA

We all have developed from fertilized eggs 100 µm in diameter. Have you thought about how it can be possible? Our laboratory is working on mechanisms how eggs develop into a well organized adult body using micromanipulative and molecular approaches.
　

Laboratory of Cell Biology

Professor

Kenji MATSUNO

1. Left-right asymmetric development in Drosophila: The internal organs of many animals show directional left-right (LR) asymmetry. However, mechanisms of LR asymmetric development remain largely unknown in most animals. Drosophila, ...
2. Mechanisms of Notch signaling: Development and homeostasis require cell-cell interactions in multicellular organisms. Notch is a receptor and transduces cellsignal through a direct cell-cell ...

Laboratory of Biohistory

Professor

Zhi-Hui SU
Chikara HASHIMOTO

BRH performs studies on evolution and development of organisms, and the study of how to spread science throughout society. The following themes are carried out in six research groups.
The staff and other BRH members including Dr. Keiko Nakamura (Director General) and researchers work together in supervising graduate students.

Laboratory of Comparative Neurobiology

Professor

Sakiko SHIGA

[Research Interests]
Animals and plants are organized on a daily and seasonal schedule. By using endogeneous clock system organisms anticipate and prepare for environmental harsh period to change their physiological conditions. We study neuronal mechanisms underlying biological timing system.

Laboratory for Molecular and Developmental Biology

Professor

Takahisa FURUKAWA

Our laboratory studies molecular mechanisms underlying the development and function of the vertebrate central nervous system(CNS) using various research methods of molecular biology, mouse genetics, biochemistry, cell biology and neural physiology. We use the retina as a model system to understand how DNA encodes programs to generate various neurons and glial cells, form precise neuronal circuits, and enable complicated neuronal function. ...

Laboratory for Advanced Brain Functions

Professor

Takatoshi HIKIDA

Our laboratory studies neural circuit mechanisms underlying various advanced brain functions such as cognitive learning and decision making behaviors using molecular techniques for neural circuit specific manipulation. We use several mouse models to reveal molecular pathologies of neuropsychiatric diseases. Especially, we focus on molecular mechanisms of gene-environment interaction in the pathogenesis of mental disorders. We also promote translational research for targeting mental disorders in collaboration with clinical departments and pharmaceutical companies.

Laboratory of Genome Structure and Function

Professor

Chikashi OBUSE

The ability of cells to store, retrieve, and translate the genetic information is essential for making and maintaining living organisms. The genetic information of mammalian cells is preserved in the nucleus, in which DNA together with proteins and RNA form a complex called chromatin. Different types of cells in our body are originated from a one cell embryo. Thus, such different types of cells still possess same genetic information, but their cellular identities are determined by each cell-type specific gene expression. This cell-type specific gene expression is controlled by epigenetic information including DNA methylation, histone post-translational modifications and chromatin structure. ...

Laboratory of Cellular Life Science

Professor

Naotada ISHIHARA

Mitochondrial dynamics: Molecular mechanism and physiological roles of fusion and fission in mammals Mitochondria, double membrane-bound organelles with tubular network structures, are essential for oxidative ATP production and play pivotal roles in regulating calcium homeostasis, ROS production and apoptosis. Mitochondria dynamically change their morphology by frequent fusion and fission, and three types of high molecular-weight GTPase proteins have been identified as core components of the fusion and fission machineries. We have been analyzed their molecular mechanism and the physiological roles in mammals, and found that the regulation of mitochondrial dynamics coupled with ...

Laboratory of Cellular Regulation

Professor

Hiroaki MIKI

Most cancers originate from epithelial cells that normally form tight cell-cell adhesion. Accumulating gene mutations in epithelial cells promote their malignant progression, expanding their territory from the original epithelial tissue to the surrounding tissues and finally metastasizing to other organs via blood vessels. While a number of oncogenes and anti-oncogenes that are involved in the regulation of cell proliferation and survival have been identified, ...

Laboratory of Genome-Chromosome Functions

Professor

Akira SHINOHARA

Homologous recombination, an exchange between DNA strands, plays a role in the maintenance of genome stability and the production of genome diversity. While, in mitosis, it is required for the repair of DNA damage, it is for the segregation of homologous chromosome at meiotic division I. Meiotic recombination is coupled with chromosome morphogenesis. Malfunction of the recombination leads cancer and infertility in human. To reveal molecular mechanism of the recombination, we have been analyzing genes/proteins involved in the process using molecular, genetical and biochemical methods.

Laboratory of Cellular Structure and Function

Professor

Yasushi HIRAOKA

This laboratory is studying functional organization of the cell nucleus using mammalian and fission yeast cells. Toward this end, we have developed the computer-controlled microscope system that is capable of recording living fluorescently-stained cells.
　

Laboratory of RNA biofunction

Professor

Tetsuro HIROSE

Transcriptome analyses in the beginning of the 21st century have revealed that large portions of the eukaryotic genomes produce numerous numbers of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), which expectedly play important regulatory roles in various biological events. Our laboratory aims to elucidate the functions and the underlying new genetic code, thereby reconstructs the basic concept of genome function. Among thousands of ncRNAs in mammalian cells, we particularly focus on “architectural ncRNAs (arcRNAs)”...

Laboratory of Single Molecule Biology

Professor

Masahiro Ueda

Cells are complex but well-organized systems comprising various kinds of biomolecules. Because biomolecules operate stochastically under the strong influence of thermal fluctuations, living cells can be referred to as stochastically-operating biomolecular computation systems. Through the dynamic processes in reaction networks of biomolecules, cells can respond flexibly and adaptively to environmental changes. Recent progress in single molecule imaging techniques has made it possible to monitor directly the stochastic behaviors of biomolecules in living cells, in which the locations, movements, turnovers, and ...

Laboratory of Oncogene Research

Professor

Masato OKADA

[Research Projects]
1) Studies on the roles of proto-oncogene products in the development of multicellular animals.
2) Studies on the roles of Sre family kinases in the metastasis and/or invasion of cancer.
　

Laboratory of Protein Synthesis and Expression

Professor

Junichi TAKAGI

Cellular response to the extracellular environment depends on the “sensing” the extracellular cues by use of the receptor-ligand system. Binding of ligands to the extracellular domain of the receptors transduce signals into cells that initiates various cellular events, ultimately changing the cell fate. Most of the “signal transduction researches” deal with cytoplasmic events such as phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of signaling molecules and subsequent recruitment of adapter molecules, but mechanism for the “signal transmission across the membrane”, the very first step in the signaling pathway is poorly understood. ...

Laboratory for Cell Systems

Professor

Mariko Okada

The aims of the laboratory are to define the general regulatory rules in signal transduction-transcriptional networks in cell determination processes and to apply this knowledge of regulatory principles to the understanding and treatment of human diseases. For this purpose, we perform quantitative measurements of the target biological system using various experimental methods and integrate these heterogeneous data by means of mathematical modeling and informatics. Using those systems biology approaches, we uncovered several unique properties in signal-transcription networks in immune cell development and cancer. ...

Laboratory of Nanobiology

Professor

Yoshie HARADA

Our body is made up of many cells. The proper functioning of each cell allows us to live in good health. Knowing the state inside a cell and knowing what is happening inside a cell is very important for understanding life. Therefore, we are developing methods to measure the environment of the nano region inside the cell using small fluorescent diamond particles, measuring the local temperature inside the cell, and investigating how the temperature change affects the cell function. We also provide a fluorescence microscope that can image protein secretion from individual cells in real time, and are conducting collaborative research with multiple laboratories. ...

Laboratory of Homeostatic Regulation

Professor

Tohru ISHITANI

In our body, cells recognize their position and role and behave accordingly via cell-cell communication. Such behavior supports tissue morphogenesis and homeostasis, while its dysregulation is involved in congenital malformation, cancer, degenerative diseases, and aging. We focus especially on the cell-cell communication and behavior supporting tissue homeostasis and explore unknown molecular systems controlling embryonic development, organogenesis, regeneration, aging, and disease, using in vivo imaging, animal model genetics, molecular and cell biology, and biochemistry techniques.

Laboratory of Cellular and Structural Biology

Professor

Takahide KON

In the cells that make up our bodies, a wide variety of macromolecules including proteins move quickly at the velocity of several meters per second using thermal energy. However, that is not useful for the long-distance transportation to the specific direction in the cells because the direction of the thermal motion is random. For example, in an elongated neuron with the length of 1 m, it will take more than 100 years to transport an average-sized protein from the cell body to the nerve terminal by the thermal motion. Eukaryotic cells manage this problem by establishing intracellular transport systems that powers a wide variety of fundamental biological ...

Laboratory of Protein Crystallography

Professor

Genji KURISU

Three-dimensional protein structure brings us the beautiful structural biology. X-ray crystallography and Cryo-EM is the best method to determine atomic coordinates of protein molecules. The main aim of us is the 3D structure determination of the biological macromolecular assemblies including membrane protein complexes in order to elucidate the molecular mechanism of the highly organized biological processes at atomic level.

Membrane Protein Chemistry Laboratory

Associate Professor

Joji MIMA

Molecular basis of intracellular membrane dynamics: membrane fusion, fission, and deformation.
　

Laboratory of Biomolecular Science and Reaction

Professor

Shun'ichi KURODA

The aims of this laboratory are the analysis of intermolecular reactions found in various biological phenomena, and the development of bio-industrially useful technologies by utilizing these reactions. In particular, we develop an in vivo pinpoint DDS (drug delivery system) nanocarrier (bio-nanocapsule) by mimicking the function of viruses, single cell-related technologies by utilizing an automated single cell analysis and picking up machine, an oriented immobilization technology for various biomolecules, and a bio-missile for selective degradation of pathogenic proteins in vivo. And, the active-site structures and catalytic mechanisms of various enzymes are being investigated by site-directed mutagenesis,...

Laboratory of Computational Biology

Professor

Kenji MIZUGUCHI

We aim to increase our understanding of biological systems and diseases by combiningcomputer science and computational chemistry approaches, with applications to drugdiscovery and other research areas. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is expected to play majorroles in many domains. Recognizing that the availability of a large amount of data in acomputer-friendly format is key to the successful development of AI models, ourresearch is focused on ...

Laboratory for Biomolecular Analysis

Associate Professor

Nobuaki OKUMURA

(1) Metabolism and function of dipeptides in mammals
(2) Proteomic analysis of protein and peptide breakdown
In living cells, there are numerous short peptides such as dipeptides and tripeptides, some of which are produced by protein degradation, while the others synthesized from amino acids by specific enzymatic reactions. Regardless of their route of production, ...

Laboratory of Supramolecular Crystallography

Professor

Atsushi NAKAGAWA

[Current Research Projects]
1) X-ray structure determination of biological macromolecular assemblies and proteins.
2) Development methodologies for X-ray structure determination of biological macromolecular assemblies using synchrotron radiation and X-ray free electron laser.
3) Development of data processing algorithm of diffraction data from micro-crystals.

Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics

Professor

Toshimichi FUJIWARA

Signal transduction and energy conversion play very important roles in the human body. Many these functions are performed by supramolecular systems across biomembranes. These systems are also responsible for forming networks for integrated biological activities. Reports on structures of these systems increase rapidly in number recently. We are elucidating these important functions of proteins on the basis of structures revealed by NMR.

Laboratory of CryoEM Structural Biology

Professor

Takayuki KATO

[Research Interests]
(1) Study of energy conversion mechanism of molecular motor
(2) Structural analysis of olfactory receptors
(3) Study of molecular dynamics by cryo-electron microscope
(4) Development of high-resolution structural analysis method by cryo-electron microscope

Laboratory of Protein Profiling and Functional Proteomics

Professor

Toshifumi TAKAO

Mass spectrometry is well accepted technique for the analyses of chemical structures of biological compounds. In conjunction with accumulating protein and gene sequence databases, we are using state-of-the-art mass spectrometry for large-scale protein identification which is indispensable for proteomics research. We also apply the developed methods to structural analysis of micro quantities of peptides, proteins, and their related substances.

Laboratory of Protein Organic Chemistry

Professor

Hironobu HOJO

[Research interests]
1) Establishment of a method for protein synthesis
2) Chemical synthesis of glycoprotein, modified histone, and membrane protein
hemical methods enable the synthesis of proteins, which can not be prepared by the recombinant method, such as site-specifically labeled, glycosylated and phosphorylated proteins. ...

Laboratory of Biomolecular Informatics

Associate Professor

Hidehiko Inomata
Phng Li-Kun

Developmental processes take place through the exchange of information by cells within the constrained spatial environment of the embryo. In our research we will seek to gain a "understanding" into process of pattern formation via morphogen gradient. Further, we are also working to develop methods for ...(Inomata)
The development of tissues and organs requires a supply of nutrients and oxygen and the removal of metabolic waste. This need is met by the formation of well-patterned networks of perfused blood vessels. The Phng Lab is interested in understanding how blood vessels are shaped and ...(Phng)

Lab. of Interdisciplinary Biology (Plant Science)

Associate Professor

Hirozo OH-OKA

Three important problems of biology are energy transduction, signal transduction and morphogenesis. First, we are studying on molecular mechanisms of motor, pump and switch proteins. Secondly, we are studying on molecular mechanism of photosynthesis that supplies energy for functioning of proteins. Thirdly, we are studying on pattern formation in plant growth.

Lab. of Interdisciplinary Biology (dicyemid mesozoans)

Associate Professor

Hidetaka FURUYA

Dicyemid mesozoans are endoparasites in the cephalopod kidney and have long been known to occupy a phylogenetical position between monocellular protozoans and multicellular metazoans. The dicyemid body consists of only 20 to 40 cells and is organized very simply. Our research fields are traditional taxonomy, molecular phylogeny, morphology, embryology, life history of dicyemids, and their relation to host cephalopods. In addition, phylogeny and development of the host cephalopods, especially cuttlefishes, are investigated.

Lab. of Interdisciplinary Biology (Theoretical Biology)

Associate Professor

Koichi Fujimoto

Living systems are highly complex where huge number of dynamic elements (genes and cells) interact each other to perform various functions. Recent development of highly quantitative experiments has clarified that the structure of the gene networks can affect the spatiotemporal gene expression. However, the structure-function relationship is little examined. By mutual feedback between the experiment and ...

Lab. of Interdisciplinary Biology (Nuclear Function)

Associate Professor

Yumiko KUBOTA

One of most fundamental feature of life is reproduction. All living organisms are made up of a cell or cells and DNA in cell nuclei carries the genetic information of the organisms to construct and maintain them. Therefore, the precise duplication and distribution of DNA to daughter cells during cell division cycle is the basis of keeping an organism alive. The failure of these processes would cause the ...

Lab. of Interdisciplinary Biology (Molecular Genetics)

Associate Professor

Takuro NAKAGAWA

DNA replication is an essential reaction to maintain genetic information. For complete duplication of large and complex genome in eukaryotic cells, DNA replication initiates at large number of sites, called replication origins, on the chromosomes and the initiation process is tightly regulated by progression of cell cycle. We have been interested in how individual replication origin is activated and ...

Laboratory of Polymer Assemblies

Professor

Takahiro SATO

[Research Interests]
The intremolecular attractive force among polymer molecules is necessary to construct polymer assemblies. Different kinds of attractive forces or interactions act among polymer molecules, the solvophobic interaction, electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonding, and so on. Furthermore, the atomic groups, or functional groups, producing the attractive forces are arranged on the polymer chain in different ways. The variety of those polymer chemical structures ...

Laboratory of Macromolecular Structure

Professor

Katsumi IMADA

[Research Area]
Biological process is driven by complex molecular machines composed of biological macromolecules. The flagellum, which is an organelle for bacterial motility, is one of those molecular machines. The flagellum is a huge protein assembly composed of a helical filamentous screw, a molecular universal joint, a highly efficient iondriven motor and a protein export apparatus for self-construction.

Laboratory of Functional Polymer Chemistry

Professor

Hiroyasu YAMAGUCHI

In biological systems, life processes are led by the unique behavior of macromolecules such as proteins and DNA. Molecular recognition by macromolecules plays an important role, for example, in substrate specificity of enzymes and antigen-antibody reactions in human life. Selective molecular recognition among macromolecules is achieved through a large number of weak interactions. ...

Laboratory of Organic Biochemistry

Professor

Yasuhiro FUNAHASHI

[Research Interests] 1) Synthesis of dinuclear and multinuclear metal complexes activating molecules 2) Synthesis of heterometallic multinuclear complexes activating molecules 3) Synthesis of novel metal complexes as a photosensitizer 4) Development of artificial metalloenzymes activating molecules 5) Investigation of relationships between structures and functions of metalloprotein 6) Synthetic and mechanistic study on metal complexes with anticancer activity