Profile of Departments

Department of Biotechnology

We collaborate over a wide range of research areas, including regenerative medicine, biomedical engineering, and molecular medicine engineering, to discover innovative technologies using biotechnological methods.

  • 1. Monkey undifferentiated iPS cells
  • 2. Artificial joint containing carbon nanotubes
  • 3. Anti-metastatic cells (yellow and red) that target cancer precursor (green) in the lung

Researchers List

Head of the Department of Biotechnology
Academic Assembly Professor (Institute of Medicine), Ph. D. in Medicine
Research Professor
Full-time Contributor
Yuji Shiba
Career
2007 Ph.D. Graduate School of Medicine, Shinshu University
1998 M.D. School of Medicine, Shinshu University
2011 Assistant Professor, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shinshu University
2013 Senior Assistant Professor, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shinshu University
2014 Senior Assistant Professor, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Cutting Edge Research, Shinshu University
2016 Associate Professor, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Cutting Edge Research, Shinshu University
2017 Professor, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Cutting Edge Research, Shinshu University
Research Field
Cardiac regeneration, Stem cell biology
Research Theme
Stem cell therapy for cardiac repair
Message
Our goal is to understand the mechanisms underlying organ failure caused by aging or disease and provide new treatments with emerging biotechnology and bioengineering. We welcome people of all skills and abilities to join our team!
Director of the Institute for Biomedical Sciences
Academic Assembly Professor (Institute of Health Sciences)
Ph. D. in Medicine
Research Professor
Full-time Contributor
Naoto Saito
Research Field
Orthopedic surgery, Rehabilitation medicine, Bone metabolism, Medical and biological engineering, Biomaterial, Nano-biotechnology
Research Theme
Application of nano-carbons for biomaterials
Safety evaluation of nano-carbons
Scaffold materials for bone tissue regeneration
Development of novel artificial joint and spinal fusion implant
Academic Assembly Professor (Institute of Medicine)
Ph. D. in Medicine
Research Professor
Full-time Contributor
Sachie Hiratsuka
Research Field
Tumorigenesis, Tumor metastasis
Research Theme
A primary tumor prepares the preferable microenvironment in the secondary organ before metastasis. We are trying to establish of diagnosis and therapy for early metastasis, especially focusing on the pre-metastatic phase.
Professor (fixed-term)
Ph. D. in Engineering
Saito Unit
Full-time Contributor
Naoyuki Nishimura
Research Field
Biomaterial, Interface chemistry
Research Theme
Research and development related to materials used for implantable medical devices
Academic Assembly Associate Professor (Institute of Medicine)
Ph. D. in Medicine
Saito Unit
Full-time Contributor
Hisao Haniu
Research Field
Biotechnology and Biomaterials, Nanobioscience, Risk sciences of radiation and chemicals, Environmental impact assessment
Research Theme
Safety evaluation and basic science of carbon nanotube and other nanomaterials for medical application.
Development of evaluation methods using proteomic technique for personalized safety.
Academic Assembly Associate Professor (Institute of Medicine)
Ph. D. in Science
Hiratsuka Unit
Full-time Contributor
Takeshi Tomita
Research Field
Biochemistry, Protein structure and function
Research Theme
Molecular mechanisms of inflammatory responses controlled by zinc finger proteins
Functional analysis of Non-histone chromatin proteins
Structure and function of serum amyloid proteins
Academic Assembly Senior Assistant Professor (Institute of Medicine)
Ph. D. in Science
Shiba Unit
Full-time Contributor
Daihachiro Tomotsune
Research Field
Anatomy, Embryology, Molecular Biology, Epigenetics
Research Theme
Stability and variability of differentiation state in human pluripotent stem cells
Academic Assembly Senior Assistant Professor (Institute of Medicine)
Ph. D. in Medicine
Shiba Unit
Full-time Contributor
Shin Kadota
Research Field
Stem cell biology, Cardiology
Research Theme
Development of the cardiac regenerative therapy using pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (PSC-CMs), Search for novel factors to enhance maturation of PSC-CMs, Development of the biopacemaker using PSC-CMs
Academic Assembly Assistant Professor (Institute of Medicine)
Ph. D. in Science
Hiratsuka Unit
Full-time Contributor
Masayoshi Kato
Research Field
Cell biology and Molecular biology
Research Theme
Questing of the signal transduction controlling actin cytoskeletal reorganization.
The study is performed focusing on the signal transduction regulating cell movements such as migration, fusion, adhesion, vesicle transport, chemotaxis, and invasion of cancer cell.
Academic Assembly Assistant Professor (Institute of Medicine)
Ph. D. in Science
Hiratsuka Unit
Full-time Contributor
Chifumi Fujii
Research Field
Biochemistry, Molecular Oncology
Research Theme
The roles of inflammation and microenvironment in cancer progression
Study on the novel therapeutic approach to cancer with inflammasome inhibitors
Specially Appointed Professor
Ph. D. in Medicine
Saito Unit
Part-time Contributor
Keiichi Higuchi
Research Field
Aging Biology (Aging and Anti-aging Research)
Research Theme
Biomedical Research on Aging and Age-related Diseases
1. Amyloidosis
2. Anti-aging treatment
3. Senescence Accelerated Mouse (SAM)
Academic Assembly Professor (Institute of Medicine)
Ph. D. in Medicine
Shiba Unit
Part-time Contributor
Ken-ichi Ito
Research Field
1) Analysis of mechanisms of drug resistance in cancer therapy
2) Research on mechanisms of progression of thyroid cancer
Research Theme
1) We are analyzing the resistance mechanism of various antitumor drugs used for breast cancer in an experimental system using cultured cells.
2) We are continuing research using clinical specimens and cultured cells in order to elucidate the pathogenesis of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.
Academic Assembly Professor (Institute of Medicine)
Ph. D. in Medicine
Hiratsuka Unit
Part-time Contributor
Hiroshi Kurita
Research Field
Dentistry and Oral Surgery, Oral Science, Oral Oncology, Oral Rehabilitation
Research Theme
Biomaker in Oral Cancer, Vital staining, Relationship between Dental/Oral condition and systemic diseases, Development of dental implant/medical devices
Academic Assembly Professor
(Institute of Medicine)
Ph. D. in Medicine
Shiba Unit
Part-time Contributor
Koichiro Kuwahara
Research Field
Cardiology, cardiovascular medicine, Cardiovascular endocrinology and metabolism
Research Theme
?Elucidation of molecular mechanisms and identification of diagnostic and therapeutic targets of cardiovascular diseases
?Elucidation of molecular mechanisms and identification of diagnostic and therapeutic targets of heart failure
?Elucidating contribution of endocrine and metabolic disorders to the development of cardiovascular diseases
Academic Assembly Professor (Institute of Medicine)
Ph. D. in Medicine
Saito Unit
Part-time Contributor
Yozo Nakazawa
Research Field
Gene and cell therapy (CAR T cell therapy)
Research Theme
We have been developing T cells engineered to express chimeric antigen receptors for cancer immunotherapy.
Academic Assembly Professor (Institute of Humanities)
Ph. D. in Medicine
Saito Unit
Part-time Contributor
Takeshi Uemura
Research Field
Molecular Brain Science
Research Theme
Study on molecular mechanisms of functional brain circuits formation underling higher brain functions and pathophysiology of mental and neurological diseases caused by defects in these mechanisms.
Home Page
http://www.shinshu-u.ac.jp/faculty/medicine/chair/i-2seiri/uemura.html
Academic Assembly Associate Professor (Institute of Textile science and Technoogy)
Ph. D. in Engineering
Saito Unit
Part-time Contributor
Seiji Takashima
Research Field
Stem Cell Biology, Reproductive Biology, Experimental Medicine
Research Theme
Molecular mechanism of spermatogonial stem cell self-renewal and differentiation
Molecular mechanism of male infertility
Academic Assembly Senior Assistant Professor (Institute of Medicine)
Ph. D. in Medicine
Shiba Unit
Part-time Contributor
Fengming Yue
Research Field
Regenerative Medicine, Stem cell biology, Histology, Anatomy
Research Theme
Intractable disease research using patient-derived iPS cells
Comprehensive profiling and therapeutic application of cancer stem cells created by reprogramming technology
University of California, Davis, USA
Aiming Yu
Research Field
Pharmacology, RNA therapy, DM/PK/PD
Research Theme
Prof. Yu’s research interests include RNA technologies and therapy, anticancer pharmacology, and therapeutics. Large efforts are devoted to the development of novel RNA bioengineering technologies and RNA-based therapies.
Home Page
https://health.ucdavis.edu/biochem/faculty/yu/
University of Trieste, Italy
Gabriele Stocco
Research Field
Pediatric pharmacology and precision therapy
Research Theme
Translational studies on therapy personalization of drugs used in chronic and oncologic pediatric diseases, in particular inflammatory bowel disease, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, nephrotic syndrome and juvenile arthritis.
Home Page
https://dsv.units.it/en/research/researchareas/researchgroups/18217