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Functional Pathology Lab
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The lab studies the molecular basis of dementia and Parkinson's disease with the aim of leading to drug discovery.
AboutAbout the lab
From basic disease research to discoveries that lead to treatments
The lab studies the pathology of neuropsychiatric diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, autism, and Parkinson's disease.
Using biochemistry and molecular biology, the lab investigates what happens at the molecular and cellular levels, using both cultured cells and animal models.
From this work, the lab aims to identify new drug targets and publish findings that lead to the development of therapeutics.
The lab also pursues collaborative research with researchers in organic chemistry, structural biology, and clinical medicine, as well as with pharmaceutical companies.
Key terms
- Aβ (amyloid β)
- A protein that is the main component of senile plaques. It is produced when its precursor, APP, is cleaved.
- γ-secretase
- An enzyme that cleaves APP to produce Aβ. It cuts sequences located within the membrane.
- Microglia
- Cells that carry out immune functions in the brain. They respond to changes in their surrounding environment.
NewsLab news
A graduate student received the Young Investigator Encouragement Award at the Japanese Society of Pathological Proteases
A paper from a collaborative study on the structure of tau filaments was published
A graduate student received the Excellent Presentation Award at an international conference
A paper on the NF-κB pathway and Aβ degradation was published
A paper from a collaborative study on microglial function was published
ResearchResearch themes
The lab's basic direction is to elucidate the molecular and cellular pathology of neuropsychiatric diseases and to explore ways to intervene in it. The main subjects are Alzheimer's disease, autism, and Parkinson's disease, and the research themes are closely interrelated.
*Illustrative imageAβ metabolism and its regulation
Aβ, the main component of senile plaques, is produced when its precursor protein, APP, is cleaved by β- and γ-secretases. The lab investigates how to regulate γ-secretase activity, as well as the function of KLK7, a degrading enzyme released by astrocytes.
*Illustrative imageCells after Aβ accumulation
Aβ accumulation begins 10 to 20 years or more before disease onset. The lab studies the changes that occur in neurons, glial cells, and the vascular system after aggregated proteins accumulate, treating them as "cellular pathology," together with the mechanisms by which blood biomarkers are produced.
*Illustrative imageHow amyloid forms and how to control it
A pathology shared by many neurodegenerative diseases is the accumulation of amyloid, in which proteins assemble into fibrils. The lab elucidates the mechanisms of its formation and its spread between cells at the molecular level, and is also pursuing control through oxygen modification in collaboration with an organic synthetic chemistry lab.
*Illustrative imagePathological functions of microglia
It has become clear that polymorphisms in genes that act specifically in microglia, such as TREM2, are associated with the risk of developing disease. The lab investigates their function through in vivo analysis using disease model mice and imaging with light and electron microscopy.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Functional Pathology Lab consist of faculty, secretaries, specialist academic staff, researchers, doctoral and master's students, undergraduates, and research students.As of 2026
- ProfessorTaisuke TomitaPublications ↗
- Associate ProfessorYukiko Hori
- Assistant ProfessorSho TakatoriPublications ↗
- Assistant ProfessorTaeko KimuraPublications ↗
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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. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Histopathology of amyloid plaque in Alzheimer's disease” Mikael Häggström, M.D. / CC0 (cropped)
- Aβ metabolism and its regulation: “5a63” Opabinia regalis / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Cells after Aβ accumulation: “The Galaxy Within” Dchordpdx / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- How amyloid forms and how to control it: “Amyloid beta fibrils” Boku wa Kage / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Pathological functions of microglia: “Fluorescently Labeled Microglia in a Coronal Brain Section from a C57 Mouse” Syed07 / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (分子腫瘍薬学教室): “Acute Myeloid Leukemia (M2 type)” Makysm / CC0 (cropped)
- Related lab (薬品作用学教室): “Cultured Rat Hippocampal Neuron ( )” ZEISS Microscopy from Germany / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (臨床薬
物動態学教室): “UTokyo Hospital South” Tokyo538 / CC0 (cropped) - Related lab (分子薬
物動態学教室): “Medicine Drug Pills on Plate” epSos .de / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
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