FACULTY
- Department
- Department of Pharmacy
- Laboratory
- Cellular Systems Biology
- Field of Study
- Biological Systems
- Degree
- Doctor (Bioscience)
History
Graduate School/University, etc.
Graduated from Department of Biopharmaceutics, Division of Clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University Completed First Term Doctoral Course in Cellular Biology, Division of Biological Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology Completed Second Term Doctoral Course in Cellular Biology, Division of Biological Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology
Why I Became a Researcher
I think there were three things that caused me to become a researcher. The first thing was reading the biography of Marie Curie, which I read for the first time as an elementary school student. After that, I always had “researcher” as one out of many candidates for my future dreams that included being a doctor, veterinarian, or astronaut. The second thing was when I was in junior high school and Dr. Susumu Tonegawa received the Nobel Prize. Until then, I didn't really like the organisms I learned about at school, but I learned from Dr. Tonegawa that there was a discipline called molecular biology in which you work out the mechanisms of life at the molecular level. After that, I thought that I wanted to become a biology researcher. The third thing was when I was in my third year at university. At the time, Dr. Kozo Kaibuchi was at Nara Institute of Science and Technology, and he invited me to see live images of the movement of cultured cells. Seeing the cells move was absolutely moving, and in that moment, I thought, "The cells are alive!" It made me want to know the mechanism of moving cells and I was then determined to a cellular biology researcher. It was an unforgettable encounter.
Research Information
Research Area and Theme
Clarifying the System Control Principles of Cellular Functions
Cellular functions are controlled by the interaction of a number of molecules within a cell. We are aiming to clarify what kind of control principles are being used as a foundation for the “system” composed of these molecular networks to control cellular functions.
Thoughts on Research Theme
Cells are the basic unit of life. By understanding cells, I hope to get closer to answering the big question of "What is life?" Although our body is a collection of many cells, even a single cell can perform a variety of cellular functions, such as moving, changing shape, and dividing. In order to perform these cellular functions, many molecules inside a cell must be properly controlled at the right time and at the right place in the cell. However, a single cell has no brain-like central function, and the mechanism by which numerous molecules are controlled to allow them to work in harmony throughout the cell is not well understood. By investigating the control principles of various cellular functions, I hope to clarify the mechanisms that control molecules to allow them to work in harmony throughout the cell. Even though intracellular molecular networks are complex, I think that the control principles of the systems they compose are common and simple in various cellular functions.
Message to Students
In university, I want you to actively have many good encounters
If you have already found what you want to do, I want you to take on the challenge of doing whatever you can to get closer to that. If you haven't found what you want to do yet, then I want you to encounter the things that you’ll become enthusiastic about while in university. When I was in my third year at university, I didn't know what kind of research I wanted to do. To address that, I contacted research professors at various universities, asked them to visit my laboratory, and then listened to their stories. Thinking about it now, the fact that those busy professors took the time to engage with a university student after being contacted suddenly makes me break out in a cold sweat. But those first-rate professors were very eager to talk to young student like me about their research, and they gave me serious advice on how to become a researcher. There are endlessly growing possibilities for young people in the future. In university, I want you to actively have many good encounters. And it would make me happy if I could be of any help to you. Ritsumeikan University is a university that has a free and at-home atmosphere. I think it has an environment that allows students to challenge various things.