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Iwasaki Lab
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The lab explores how emerging viruses, especially Lassa virus, multiply and cause disease.
AboutAbout the lab
Taking on the mysteries of emerging viruses, with a focus on Lassa virus
The Emerging Viral Diseases Research Group (Iwasaki Lab) studies emerging viruses, with a focus on Lassa virus.
Lassa virus has a high fatality rate, and there is no established treatment or preventive measure.
Using approaches from virology, immunology, and RNA biology, the lab aims to elucidate how viruses multiply and how they cause disease.
The lab also pursues applied research that uses its findings to develop new diagnostic methods, treatments, and preventive measures.
Key terms
- Lassa virus
- The virus that causes Lassa fever, a lethal hemorrhagic fever. There is no established treatment or preventive measure
- Host factor
- A molecule or mechanism in the infected cell that a virus uses when it multiplies
- BSL-4
- The highest level of containment facility. It is required to handle infectious Lassa virus particles
NewsLab news
View More ↗ResearchResearch themes
Focusing on Lassa virus, the lab aims to elucidate how viruses multiply and how they cause disease. It also pursues applied research that uses its findings to develop new diagnostic methods, treatments, and preventive measures.
*Illustrative imageTranslation Control Independent of Poly(A)
The lab found that the mRNAs of viruses in the family Arenaviridae have no poly(A) tail at the 3' end, and that the 3'-UTR controls translation efficiency. Based on this discovery, it has worked on developing a live attenuated vaccine and built the molecular basis for a new viral vector. It is now investigating the control mechanism in detail using RNA biology methods.
*Illustrative imageHost Factors That Help Viruses Multiply
Viruses cannot multiply using only their own components and require the machinery of the host cell. Using genetic engineering approaches, the lab works on identifying host factors involved in Lassa virus multiplication and analyzing their functions.
*Illustrative imageSearching for Antiviral Drugs Against Lassa Virus
Because Lassa virus must be handled in the highest-level containment facility (BSL-4), the lab carried out compound screening that does not use the virus and found several compounds that strongly inhibit transcription and replication. It is now working to elucidate their mechanism of action and to obtain more potent inhibitors.
*Illustrative imagemRNA Vaccine for Lassa Virus
Virus-specific cytotoxic T cell responses are important for controlling Lassa virus. Because the mRNA vaccines used against COVID-19 also induce T cell responses, the lab is researching and developing a new mRNA vaccine for Lassa virus.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Iwasaki Lab consist of a Project Associate Professor, a Project Assistant Professor, PhD and undergraduate students, technical staff (temporary agency staff), and a secretary.As of 2026
- Project Associate ProfessorMasaharu Iwasaki
- Project Assistant ProfessorMei Hashizume
- Project Assistant ProfessorRyotaro Noda
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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: “Lassa Virus” NIAID / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Translation Control Independent of Poly(A): “Lassa virus virions TEM 8699 lores” Content Providers(s): CDC/ C. S. Goldsmith, D. Auperin Photo Credit: C. S. Goldsmith Copyright Restrictions: None - This image is in the public domain and thus free of any copyright restrictions. As a matter of courtesy we request that the content provider be credited and notified in any public or private usage of this image. / Public domain (cropped)
- Host Factors That Help Viruses Multiply: “Lassa Virus” NIAID / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Searching for Antiviral Drugs Against Lassa Virus: “BSL-4 Data- Hands-On Training ( )” The U.S. Food and Drug Administration / Public domain (cropped)
- mRNA Vaccine for Lassa Virus: “Solo-mrna-vaccine-8” Spencerbdavis / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Pathogenic Bacteria Research Group Abe Lab): “Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) result of Leuconostoc” Ajay Kumar Chaurasiya / CC0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Zoonotic Bacterial Infections Research Group Tsukamoto Lab): “15985 lores” CDC/ Sheila Mitchel / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Drug-Resistant Bacteria Lab): “Proteus mirabilis petri” Dr. John J. Farmer / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Matsura Lab): “Hepatitis C” NIH Image Gallery / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
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