Message
For a period of time after graduating medical school, I mainly examined patients with rheumatism and collagen disease as a physician of internal medicine. Without an understanding of the causes or mechanism of these diseases, I met too many patients who suffered because of a lack of fundamental treatments. This experience made the limits of modern medicine painfully clear, and triggered my decision to go into basic research. After entering graduate school, I knocked at the gate of Dr. Keiji Tanaka (Currently Director General of the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science), and immersed myself in research of the ubiquitin proteasome system during its boom period. I was possessed by the joy of unraveling biological phenomena with my own hands, and this experience ultimately led to my decision to abandon my career as a physician and become a researcher in basic science. Thereafter, I have pursued unraveling basic biological phenomena controlled by protein degradation.
In this age when the applied sciences are extolled, basic research may perhaps be unappealing to young people. However, there can be no developments in clinical medicine without fundamental research, which forms the foundations for understanding diseases. For instance, my current research topic is ubiquitin-proteasome mediated protein degradation, and there was no one who could accurately foresee its importance at the time of its discovery thirty years ago. Yet today, it is becoming clear that the ubiquitin proteasome system is not only necessary for life, but also deeply connected to numerous diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative disease, inflammation and immunological disease, and aging.
While there are still numerous unsolved problems in this research field, the time is ripe for applying the fruits of our research in developing clinical treatments. In addition to continuing my pursuit of fundamental problems, I would like to make an effort to repay my debt to those patients who showed me the importance of research with through firsthand experience.
In this age when the applied sciences are extolled, basic research may perhaps be unappealing to young people. However, there can be no developments in clinical medicine without fundamental research, which forms the foundations for understanding diseases. For instance, my current research topic is ubiquitin-proteasome mediated protein degradation, and there was no one who could accurately foresee its importance at the time of its discovery thirty years ago. Yet today, it is becoming clear that the ubiquitin proteasome system is not only necessary for life, but also deeply connected to numerous diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative disease, inflammation and immunological disease, and aging.
While there are still numerous unsolved problems in this research field, the time is ripe for applying the fruits of our research in developing clinical treatments. In addition to continuing my pursuit of fundamental problems, I would like to make an effort to repay my debt to those patients who showed me the importance of research with through firsthand experience.
Biography
Education and Appointments
| 1994 | B.A. and M.D., Faculty of medicine, The University of Tokyo |
| 1994 | Resident, The University of Tokyo Hospital |
| 1995 | Medical docotor, Japan community health care organization |
| 1996 | Ph.D Candidate in Graduate school of Medicine, The University of tokyo |
| 2000 | Ph.D in Graduate school of Medicine, The University of Tokyo |
| 2000 | Researcher, Japan Science and Technology Agency |
| 2001 | Researcher, The Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science |
| 2003 | Researcher, Japan Science and Technology Agency |
| 2005 | Senior researcher, The Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science |
| 2007 - | Professor and M.D, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical sciences, The University of Tokyo |
Awards and Honors
| 2006 | Tokyo metropolitan organization for medical research researcher award | Unraveling the mechanism of proteasome (protein degradation enzyme) molecular assembly | |
| The molecular biology society of Japan mitsubishi chemical encouragement award | Analysis of the diversity and molecular basis of mammalian proteasomes | ||
| 2007 | Minister of education, culture, sports, science and technology young researcher award in the science and technology field | Research of the mammalian proteasome in the life sciences field | |
| Japanese bochemical society encouragement award | Research of regulation of the adaptive immunity system by the proteasome | ||
| 2009 | 6th Japan society for the promotion of science award | Unraveling the diversity and biological significance of mammalian proteasomes | |
| 2018 | Academic Award of the Mochida Memorial Foundation | Elucidation of molecular diversity and physiological function of the proteasome | |
| 2019 | Academic Award of the Saburo Kakiuchi Memorial | Discovery of the thymoproteasome and its role in thymic selection |
Academic Society
| The pharmaceutical society of Japan | |
| The Japanese biochemical society | |
| The molecular biology society of Japan | |
| Japan society for cell biology |
Staff
| Lecturer | Jun Hamazaki |
| Assistant professor | Shoshiro Hirayama, Yuri Shibata |
| Technician | Kazuko Tanaka |
| Administation | Yumiko Miyamoto |
Students
| PhD candidates | Jun Kishiki, Ayaka Watanabe |
| Men Yusen | |
| Graduates | Hiroaki Iio, Chihiro Ishida, Maki Inami, Sota Hashimoto, Seito Matsui |
| Wang Yi, Fumimaru Ueki, Daiki Sawa, Masaya Suzuki, Yudai Suzuki, Rintaro Sumikama | |
| Under graduates | Atsushi Wakita |
| Kohei Okatani, Kento Kajita, Ayaka Kido, Nanaha Tanimoto, Lie Yuewen |
2023
Staff
| Lecturer | Jun Hamazaki |
| Assistant Professor | Shoshiro Hirayama |
| JSPS Researcher | Megan Lo |
| Researcher | Satoshi Ishiraha, Wang Yang |
| Technician | Kazuko Tanaka |
| Administration | Yumiko Miyamoto |
| PhD candidates | Jun Kishiki, Shota Tomomatsu, Ayaka Watanabe |
| Men Yusen | |
| Graduates | Yuto Ito, Reiko Manabe, Takahiro Yanagawa |
| Hiroaki Iio, Chihiro Ishida, Maki Inami, Sota Hashimoto, Seito Matsui | |
| Under graduates | Fumimaru Ueki, Daiki Sawa, Masaya Suzuki, Rintaro Sumikama, Rei Nakasima, Atsushi Wakita |
| Research student | Wang Yi |
2022
Staff
| Associate Professor | Hideki Yashiroda |
| Assistant Professor | Jun Hamazaki, Shoshiro Hirayama |
| JSPS Researcher | Megan Lo |
| Researcher | Satoshi Ishiraha, Wang Yang |
| Technician | Kazuko Tanaka, Misato Hosaka |
| Administration | Yumiko Miyamoto |
| PhD candidates | Masakazu Kato |
| Kenta Horie | |
| Jun Kishiki, Shota Tomomatsu, Ayaka Watanabe | |
| Men Yusen | |
| Graduates | Yao Zhenyou, Akihiro Kawabe, Kunpei Kobayashi, Shungo Mune |
| Yuto Ito, Reiko Manabe, Takahiro Yanagawa | |
| Under graduates | Hiroko Ueki, Hiroaki Iio, Chihiro Ishida, Maki Inami, Sota Hashimoto, Seito Matsui |
2021
Staff
| Associate Professor | Hideki Yashiroda |
| Assistant Professor | Jun Hamazaki, Shoshiro Hirayama |
| Researcher | Megan Lo |
| Technician | Kazuko Tanaka, Misato Hosaka |
| Administration | Yumiko Miyamoto |
| PhD candidates | Wang Yan, Masakazu Kato, Satoshi Ishihara, Masakazu Kato |
| Kenta Horie | |
| Jun Kishiki, Shota Tomomatsu, Ayaka Watanabe | |
| Graduates | Men Yusen, Ayaka Uera, Itsuki Kominato, Masakazu Shimooka, Anri Nishizawa, Shun Masuta, Madoka Yamamura |
| Cui Mengyuan, Yao Zhenyou, Hiroko Ueki, Michiko Oba, Akihiro Kawabe, Kunpei Kobayashi, Shungo Mune | |
| Under graduates | Yuto Ito, Wakiko Ezaki, Reiko Manabe, Takahiro Yanagawa |
2020
Staff
| Associate Professor | Hideki Yashiroda |
| Assistant Professor | Jun Hamazaki, Shoshiro Hirayama |
| Researcher | Shu Yasuda |
| Technician | Kazuko Tanaka, Misato Hosaka |
| Administration | Yumiko Miyamoto |
| PhD candidates | Zhao Xian, Ryuma Ikeura, Satoshi Ishihara |
| Wang Yan, Masakazu Kato | |
| Kenta Horie | |
| Graduate | Syota Okuno, Takumi Yasukochi, Moe Yoshimoto |
| Cui Mengyuan, Men Yusen, Ayaka Uera, Itsuki Kominato, Masakazu Shimooka, Anri Nishizawa, Shun Masuta, Madoka Yamamura | |
| Under graduate | Ayaka Watanabe |
| Hiroko Ueki, Michiko Oba, Akihiro Kawabe, Kunpei Kobayashi, Shungo Mune |
2019
Staff
| Associate Professor | Hideki Yashiroda |
| Assistant Professor | Jun Hamazaki, Shoshiro Hirayama |
| Technician | Kazuko Tanaka, Misato Hosaka |
| Administration | Yumiko Miyamoto |
| PhD candidates | Yuka Takehara |
| Yoshiyuki Arata, Tomohiro Iriki, Noritaka Ohigasi, Ryo Motosugi | |
| Zhao Xian, Ryuma Ikeura, Satoshi Ishihara, Kana Sakiyama, Kana Takechi | |
| Wang Yang, Masakazu Kato | |
| Graduate | Cui Mengyuan, Dong Yaojia, Yu Zhipeng, Shinpei Ao, Souma Fukushima, Ayumu Fujiwara |
| Syota Okuno, Takumi Yasukochi, Moe Yoshimoto | |
| Under graduate | Ayaka Watanabe |
| Ayaka Uera, Kaori Emoto, Itsuki Kominato, Shun Masta | |
| Research Student | Men Yusen |
2018
Staff
| Associate Professor | Hideki Yashiroda |
| Assistant Professor | Jun Hamazaki, Shoshiro Hirayama |
| Technician | Kazuko Tanaka, Misato Hosaka |
| Administration | Yumiko Miyamoto |
| PhD candidates | Tetsuo Matsuzaki |
| Kazuki Ohtake, Yuka Takehara | |
| Yoshiyuki Arata, Tomohiro Iriki, Noritaka Ohigasi, Ryo Motosugi | |
| Zhao Xian, Ryuma Ikeura, Satoshi Ishihara, Kana Sakiyama, Kana Takechi | |
| Graduate | Wang Yang, Takahiro Ito, Shotaro Matsuura, Kazuki Murata, Izumi Yokomori |
| Cui Mengyuan, Dong Yaojia, Yu Zhipeng, Shinpei Ao, Souma Fukushima, Ayumu Fujiwara | |
| Under graduate | Syota Okuno, Takumi Yasukochi, Moe Yoshimoto, Ayaka Watanabe |
2017
Staff
| Associate Professor | Hideki Yashiroda |
| Assistant Professor | Jun Hamazaki, Shoshiro Hirayama |
| Technician | Kazuko Tanaka |
| Administration | Yumiko Miyamoto |
| PhD candidates | Shun KoizumiTetsuo Matsuzaki |
| Kazuki Ohtake, Yuka Takehara, Eiichi Hashimoto | |
| Zhao Xian, Yoshiyuki Arata, Tomohiro Iriki, Noritaka Ohigasi | |
| Graduate | Cai Xiochen, Ryuma Ikeura, Satoshi Ishihara, Kouhei Takano, Kazuki Murata, Izumi Yokomori |
| Wang Yang, Dong Yaojia, Takahiro Ito, Shotaro Matsuura | |
| Under graduate | Shinpei Ao, Yuriko Ikeda, Nagisa Koizumi, Takeshi Goto |
| Research students | Cui Mengyuan, Yu Zhipeng |
2016
Staff
| Associate Professor | Hideki Yashiroda |
| Assistant Professor | Jun Hamazaki, Shoshiro Hirayama |
| Technician | Kazuko Tanaka |
| Administration | Yumiko Miyamoto |
| PhD candidates | Yuki Ohte, Yasuyuki Sakurai, Kazutaka Sahara |
| Shun Koizumi, Tetsuo Matsuzaki | |
| Zhao Xian, Kazuki Ohtake, Yuka Takehara, Eiichi Hashimoto | |
| Graduate | Tomohiro Iriki, Noritaka Ohigasi, Kohei Magome, Ryo Motosugi |
| Cai Xiochen, Ryuma Ikeura, Satoshi Ishihara, Kouhei Takano, Kazuki Murata, Izumi Yokomori | |
| Under graduate | Takahiro Ito, Shotaro Matsuura, Kouta Iwabuchi |
| Research students | Wang Yan |
2015
Staff
| Associate Professor | Hideki Yashiroda |
| Assistant Professor | Jun Hamazaki, Shoshiro Hirayama |
| Administration | Yumiko Miyamoto |
| PhD candidates | Takuya Tomita |
| Yuki Ohte, Yasuyuki Sakurai, Kazutaka Sahara | |
| Zhao Xian, Shun Koizumi, Tetsuo Matsuzaki | |
| Graduate | Miho Ishizaki, Kazuki Ohtake, Taichi Fujita, Chiho Fujimoto, Taro Irie, Eiichi Hashimoto |
| Tomohiro Iriki, Noritaka Ohigasi, Kohei Magome, Ryo Motosugi | |
| Under graduate | Yuki Hashimoto |
| Ryuma Ikeura, Satoshi Ishihara, Kouhei Takano, Kazuki Murata, Izumi Yokomori | |
| Research students | Cai Xiochen |
2014
Staff
| Associate Professor | Hideki Yashiroda |
| Assistant Professor | Jun Hamazaki, Shoshiro Hirayama |
| Administration | Yumiko Miyamoto |
| PhD candidates |
Hiroyuki Uechi, Ryohei Shirouzu |
| Takuya Tomita | |
| Yuki Ohte, Yasuyuki Sakurai, Kazutaka Sahara | |
| Graduate | Shun Koizumi, Yoshitaro Haruta, Zhao Xian |
| Miho Ishizaki, Kazuki Ohtake, Taichi Fujita, Chiho Fujimoto, Taro Irie, Eiichi Hashimoto | |
| Under graduate |
Tetsuo Matsuzaki |
| Yuki Hasshimoto | |
| Ryo Tamura, Takamichi Hata, Noritaka Ohigasi, Kohei Magome, Ryo Motosugi, Tomohiro Iriki |
2013
Staff
| Associate Professor | Hideki Yashiroda |
| Assistant Professor | Jun Hamazaki, Shoshiro Hirayama |
| Administration | Yumiko Miyamoto |
| PhD candidates | Larissa Kogleck |
| Hiroyuki Uechi, Ryohei Shirouzu | |
| Takuya Tomita | |
| Graduate | Yuki Ohte, Kazutaka Sahara, Haruka Yamamoto, Kaori Yoshida, Wu Wei |
| Shun Koizumi, Yoshitaro Haruta, Zhao Xian | |
| Under graduate |
Airi Hiraku |
| Tetsuo Matsuzaki | |
| Yuki Hasshimoto | |
| Miho Ishizaki, Kazuki Ohtake, Yuki Hashimoto, Taichi Fujita, Chiho Fujimoto, Taro Irie |
2012
Students
| PhD candidates | Minghui Bai |
| Larissa Kogleck | |
| Hiroyuki Uechi, Ryohei Shirouzu | |
| Graduate | Takaya Ishi, Eri Katayama, Takuya Tomita, Haruka Yamamoto, Akihito Fukuda |
| Yuki Ohte, Kazutaka Sahara, Kaori Yoshida, Wu Wei | |
| Under graduate |
Naoyuki Mita |
| Airi Hiraku | |
| Naoyuki Kato, Shun Koizumi, Ken Ong, Yoshitaro Haruta, Tetsuo Matsuzaki |
2011
Students
| PhD candidates | Minghui Bai |
| Larissa Kogleck | |
| Graduate | Takashi Akabane, Yoshiyuki Arata, Hiroyuki Uechi, Akane Kamigaki, Ryohei Shirouzu |
| Takaya Ishi, Eri Katayama, Takuya Tomita, Haruka Yamamoto, Akihito Fukuda | |
| Under graduate |
Naoyuki Mita |
| Yuki Ohte, Kazutaka Sahara, Takumi Tezuka, Airi, Hiraku, Kaori Yoshida |
2010
Students
| PhD candidates | Katsuhiro Sasaki |
| Minghui Bai | |
| Graduate | Yosuke Toda, Tomomi Nakayama |
| Takashi Akabane, Yoshiyuki Arata, Hiroyuki Uechi, Akane Kamigaki, Ryohei Shirouzu, Manabu Hirasawa | |
| Under graduate | Takaya Ishi, Eri Katayama, Takuya Tomita, Haruka Yamamoto, Naoyuki Mita |
2009
Students
| Graduate | Minghui Bai |
| Yosuke Toda, Manabu Hirasawa, Tomomi Nakayama | |
| Under graduate | Takashi Akabane, Yoshiyuki Arata, Hiroyuki Uechi, Akane Kamigaki, Ryohei Shirouzu |
2008
Students
| Graduate | Minghui Bai |
| Under graduate | Yosuke Toda, Tomomi Nakayama |
