Health science, lifestyle-related diseases, functional foods, anti-aging, skeletal muscle, healthy life expectancy
I have been actively conducting molecular and cellular biological research on the regulation of cholesterol metabolism. Because many lifestyle-related diseases originate from disrupted lipid metabolism, I am pursuing both fundamental health science research aimed at elucidating the mechanisms underlying metabolic syndrome and obesity, as well as applied research that utilizes the functions of foods to prevent or delay the onset of these conditions.
In recent years, as healthy life expectancy has become increasingly important in our super-aging society, I have also focused on studies that analyze skeletal muscle function—specifically, maintaining muscle mass and performance, which decline with age—in order to extend the period during which individuals can remain physically independent. Since these goals are likely to be achieved through anti-aging effects, I am conducting anti-aging research in parallel.
Furthermore, to directly evaluate the physiological functions of foods in humans, I am developing cutting-edge research using human iPS cells, supported by our laboratory’s original cell culture technologies.
Efforts to promote health by harnessing the functions of foods that we consume daily stand in contrast to pharmaceutical development, which often accelerates the rise in healthcare costs. Instead, such food-based approaches hold the potential to curb the dramatic escalation of medical expenditures and contribute meaningfully to public health.
Educational approach
Cell biology, molecular biology, animals, genes, food industry, pharmaceutical industry
In experimental science, the extent to which one proactively engages in hands-on experiments directly determines the success of research outcomes. I spent four years training in the United States in laboratories led by two Nobel Prize laureates in Physiology or Medicine. Despite their extraordinary scientific achievements, both professors always emphasized that “over 95% of experiments end in failure,” urging us to repeat experiments countless times until robust and reproducible results were obtained.
Following their philosophy, my laboratory maintains an energetic research culture, with intensive schedules that include weekly progress meetings and Saturday seminars. Most students conduct fundamental research in molecular and cellular biology, while some expand their work into applied research analyzing the functional properties of foods.
Having the opportunity to dedicate oneself fully to rigorous academic training at a young age becomes an invaluable foundation for personal and professional growth later in life. Many of our graduates now work in research and development roles in food and pharmaceutical companies, or hold academic research positions at universities and research institutes. Inspired by the strong performance of our alumni, multiple companies regularly request job referrals and recommendations from our laboratory.
Vision for industry-academia collaboration
iPS cells, alternative experimental methods, intestinal organoids, liver organoids, functional food development
In many food industry laboratories today, animal experiments can no longer be conducted due to animal welfare considerations. As a result, there is a strong need for alternative experimental methods to evaluate the physiological functions of food-derived components. To address this challenge, we are developing research platforms based on human iPS cell–derived organoids.
One major limitation of conventional organoid cultures is their extremely high running cost. We have developed an original culture method that reduces these costs to approximately one-hundredth of standard protocols, enabling the introduction of organoid-based assays into food science research—where, unlike pharmaceutical research, highly expensive methods are impractical.
Agricultural products become “food” only when consumed by humans; when administered to animals, they remain “feed.” Therefore, in food science research, it is essential to directly evaluate the effects of food components on human biology. Human iPS cell–derived organoids represent an ideal experimental system for this purpose.
In addition to using small intestinal and liver organoids, we have also established a monolayer culture of small intestinal epithelial cells derived from human iPS cell organoids. This allows us to directly analyze nutrient absorption and translocation across the human intestinal epithelium. By confirming the efficacy of food components using these human-relevant systems, we can more effectively translate findings into human intervention studies.
