Biofunctional Science

Introduction

Elucidating life functions and creating new things

Elucidating life functions and creating new things

Life is full of surprises. From a single cell, a wide variety of cells differentiate and intertwine with each other to create the body, which shows homeostasis in the face of slight environmental changes and changes itself in response to major changes in the environment. How on earth can we understand such an amazing mechanism of life? 

Our understanding of the genome, the totality of genetic information encoded in the coiled DNA, is progressing. The genome is labeled with which genes to use, and various cells are produced by “epigenetics,” a system of switches that turns gene expression on and off. It has been shown that information about our experiences, diet, and upbringing is stored in our genes through “epigenetics”. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells), which opened the door to regenerative medicine, are created by erasing cell differentiation genetic memory. 

By studying epigenetics, we try to create a basis for genomic regulation to modify genetic memory to treat diseases and improve the body. As part of this effort, we develop epigenome manipulation technologies and utilize the powerful tools of next-generation sequencing to challenge new possibilities for disease treatment and health promotion that have never been seen before. 

Furthermore, we conduct neuroscience research related to learning, memory, stress, anxiety, and fear, as well as developing new treatments for psychiatric disorders. To elucidate the mechanisms of memory and emotional functions including stress, we aim to explain the causal relationship between higher brain functions and specific neural circuit activities by using optogenetics, fiber photometry, patch clamp technique, the DREADD system, conditional gene knockdown, microdialysis, fluorescent in situ hybridization, and animal behavior analysis.

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