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Biofunctional Molecule Regulation Lab
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A lab that uncovers the mechanisms of cancer through genome analysis, aiming to develop therapeutic drugs.
AboutAbout the lab
Decoding cancer through genome analysis to lead to therapeutic drugs.
Aiming to eradicate cancer, the Biofunctional Molecule Regulation Lab conducts research to clarify the mechanisms of carcinogenesis through analysis of genome information and to develop new therapeutic drugs.
It finds “cancer-specific molecules,” whose expression is elevated only in cancer cells, and aims to develop therapeutic drugs that target only cancer cells.
Experiments are mainly done with cancer cell lines, but the lab also places weight on data observed in human cancer clinical specimens.
On the lab's website, it is introduced as the “Biofunctional Molecule Regulation Project” of the National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition.
Key terms
- Cancer-specific molecule
- A molecule whose expression is elevated only in cancer cells and is not found in normal cells.
- Next-generation sequencing analysis
- Analysis that can determine DNA base sequences in a short time. Types include whole-genome, whole-exome, and RNA sequencing.
- RNA interference
- A method that uses siRNA or shRNA to suppress the expression of a specific gene.
- Triple-negative breast cancer
- Breast cancer that is negative for all of ER, PgR, and Her2. It has been reported to metastasize easily and to be highly malignant.
ResearchResearch themes
To lead to cancer prevention, early diagnosis, and the development of new treatments, the lab studies genes involved in the onset and progression of cancer and how they function. Its policy is to carry out research that does not stop at basic research but can be returned to patients.
*Illustrative imageCancer research through comprehensive genome analysis
The lab identifies cancer-related genes through comprehensive genome analyses such as polymorphism analysis, gene expression analysis, and next-generation sequencing analysis. It elucidates the functions these genes perform in cancer cells and aims to develop methods of controlling them and treatments.
*Illustrative imageIdentification of cancer-specific molecules
Through collaborative and independent research, the lab has identified many “cancer-specific molecules,” whose expression is elevated only in cancer cells, by analyzing gene expression information from cancer clinical specimens. It has also confirmed that suppressing their expression by RNA interference inhibits the proliferation of cancer cells.
*Illustrative imageAnalysis of the functions of cancer-specific molecules
In breast cancer, the lab studies the mechanism by which BIG3 inactivates the tumor-suppressive function of PHB2, and the roles of the glycosyltransferases GALNT6 and GALNT7. In renal cell carcinoma, it studies the function of DDX31, a nucleolar molecule. It is developing therapeutic drugs that target these molecules and examining the possibility of doing so.
*Illustrative imageSearch for new cancer-related genes
By examining clinical specimens of triple-negative breast cancer with comprehensive gene expression analysis and exome analysis, the lab has identified multiple molecules with elevated expression and genes with somatic mutations. It is also searching for new causative genes of familial breast cancer by next-generation sequencing analysis in collaborative research.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Biofunctional Molecule Regulation Lab consist of a project leader, researchers, trainees, visiting researchers, technical assistants, and administrative assistants.As of 2026
- Project LeaderToyomasa Katagiri
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images.
- Top image: “Illumina Genome Analyzer II System” Jon Callas from San Jose, USA / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Cancer research through comprehensive genome analysis: “Fluorescence microscopy of the oral cancer cells” Korinna / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Identification of cancer-specific molecules: “Breast cancer cell (2)” Unknown photographer / Public domain (cropped)
- Analysis of the functions of cancer-specific molecules: “Invasive Breast Cancer in 3D” Sshah74 / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Search for new cancer-related genes: “Glucose metabolism in triple-negative breast cancer cells” Xiangyu Sun, Mozhi Wang, Mengshen Wang, Xueting Yu, Jingyi Guo, Tie Sun, Xinyan Li, Litong Yao, Haoran Dong and Yingying Xu / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
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