Visiting Professor Shinya HONDA【Key Words】protein engineering, evolutional molecular engineering, synthetic biology, biologics, therapeutic proteins
The excess of imports over exports of pharmaceutical products exceeds 2 trillion yen in Japan. Thus, most of national medical expenses finally flow abroad. This unfavorable balance of trade in medical economy must be solved so that such an expenditure leads, for example, new capital spending and creates the healthy employment. Therefore, the achievement of the armaceutical products with “Japanese flag”through the domestic innovation in drug development and manufacture,especially for biologics, is demanded among other things. Hence we aim at the construction of fundamental technologies to contribute to innovative development and manufacture for biologics, and push forward a research of protein engineering and synthetic biology with the both theoretical and experimental approaches.
As concrete subjects, we are conducting the following theme:analysis of the molecular evolution of proteins using a cross profiling method that is the computational technique developed by us, development of designing software for an artificial protein based on the energy landscape sampling, synthesis of artificial proteins with novel structure and high function by evolutional molecular engineering method,engineering yeast cells having a synthetic genetic circuit for drug development screening,analysis of the tolerance acquisition mechanism of drug-resistantgenes,development of the pharmacokinetics improvement technology of biologics, stabilization of pharmaceutical protein using post-translation modification mechanism, construction of the library for screening drug-like molecules having a non-immunoglobulin scaffold,and advancement of the quality control technology for biologics using the artificial affinity protein. Through these, we aim at the holistic understanding of biological system in association with evolution and the offer of valuable industrial applied seeds of engineering. We welcome every person who wants to spend his or her student life in the atmosphere of National Institute which is different from that of universities. Please refer to a homepage for the details.
Visiting Professor Katsutaka OISHI
TEL: ＋81-29-861-6053
E-mail: k-ooishi{at}aist.go.jp
Lab HP
【Key Words】Chronobiology, Biological clock, Circadian rhythm, Chrono-nutrition, Sleep
Endogenous oscillators control the variety of physiological and behavioral circadian rhythms of almost all life forms from bacteria to humans. The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)is the master circadian pacemaker that controls most physical circadian rhythms such as sleep/wake cycles,body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, hormonal secretion and metabolism, as well as behavior in mammals. Numerous studies at the molecular level have suggested that the circadian oscillator in the SCN is driven by negative feedback loops consisting of the periodic expression of clock genes. Studies of clock genes in mammals have implied that oscillatory mechanisms function in various peripheral tissues such as the heart,lung,liver,kidney,and circulating blood cells, and that they are entrained to the SCN. Although the peripheral oscillators seem to play an important role in regulating various physiological functions, the circadian oscillatory mechanism in peripheral tissues remains vague. We are trying to understand the circadian
regulation system in the organism at the molecular levels.
Recent studies on the clock genes reveal the relationships between the circadian clock and the appearance or symptom of various diseases. Moreover, increases in the sleep disorders, depression, and the neurosis etc. are also thought to be associated with the circadian clock disturb in the 24 hours society. Development of a novel treatment method through a circadian clock regulation seems to become possible, because strong connections exist between the circadian clock disruption and the metabolic disorders under various diseases. We are aiming to pay attention to not only the contribution to the time-dependent medical treatment and the chronopharmacology fields but also the relationships between the lifestyle (especially, feeding habit and mental stress) and circadian clocks at a molecular level, and to contribute from a preventive viewpoint to the public health medical treatment.
1)Molecular mechanisms of the circadian rhythm generation by the biological clock in culture cells to animals
2)Search for functional molecules that potentially regulate the circadian clock.
3)Relationships between the circadian clock and various diseases such as metabolic diseases (diabetes, obesity, and thrombosis), cancer, sleep disorders, depression, and other mental stress.
Visiting Associate Professor Naohiro NODA
TEL: ＋81-29-861-6039
E-mail: noda-naohiro{at}aist.go.jp
Lab HP
We develop novel bioanalytical technologies for the characterization of nucleic acids and proteins. Further,we are working with biomolecule standard materials and contributing to biotechnology standardization. We aim toward the industrial application of the developed technologies in collaboration with private companies. Our laboratory is an environment where you can experience research work and obtain knowledge regarding industrial applications and standardization techniques.
We welcome students who are interested in the development of bioanalytical technology,international standards for biotechnology, and the unique TA systems in microorganisms. We promise that you will have an excellent experience with us.
