On April 1, 2026, I assumed the position of professor at the Institute of Laboratory Animals, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University. It is a great honor to lead this historic institute.
I graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture at Kyoto University in 2008 and continued my studies at the Graduate School of Medicine, where I joined the Institute of Laboratory Animals. Under the supervision of Professor Tadao Serikawa, I studied colorectal cancer using Apc-mutant rat models and developed a strong foundation in genetics and laboratory animal science. During the final stage of my PhD studies, I encountered the emerging CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technology, which profoundly influenced my research direction. After receiving my PhD, I remained at the institute as a postdoctoral researcher and worked on establishing genome editing technologies in rats.
In 2015, I joined the National Institute of Genetics as an assistant professor in the laboratory of Dr. Koide, where I worked on genome editing across diverse mouse strains. In 2017, I moved to the laboratory of Professor Mashimo at Osaka University, and in 2019 our group relocated to the Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo. During this period, I worked on the development and application of genome engineering technologies, including the type I CRISPR-Cas3 system. From 2020 to 2021, I was a visiting researcher in the laboratory of Professor Jacob Corn at ETH Zurich, where I participated in collaborative research on DNA repair mechanisms and CRISPR screening.
The Institute of Laboratory Animals at Kyoto University manages one of the largest animal research facilities in Japan and serves as the core institute of the National Bioresource Project for the Rat (NBRP-Rat). Building on this strong foundation, my goal is to further develop the institute as a global center of excellence in laboratory animal science while providing robust and user-friendly research support. Our research program focuses on three major directions. First, we develop genome-humanized animal models by replacing large genomic regions with their human counterparts, enabling more faithful modeling of human diseases and supporting the development of nucleic acid therapeutics and gene therapies. Second, we pursue the development of next-generation genome engineering technologies, including improved CRISPR-Cas3 systems capable of precise and large-scale genome modification. Third, we aim to understand genome editing mechanisms in vivo by integrating spatial single-cell analysis and single-molecule imaging, with the goal of establishing more efficient and reproducible genome engineering approaches.
A piece of advice from my mentor, Professor Serikawa, has remained with me: always keep the big picture in mind. Guided by this principle, I hope to pursue ambitious long-term research goals while fostering an environment where students and young researchers can develop their ideas and thrive. I look forward to contributing to the continued development of the institute and supporting the next generation of scientists.
AloJapan.com