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Suzuki Lab
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The lab explores life phenomena and the mechanisms of disease through the chemical modifications that RNA undergoes.
AboutAbout the lab
Exploring the mechanisms of life through RNA modifications.
The Suzuki Lab focuses on the chemical modifications that RNA undergoes and studies the roles of RNA in a wide range of life phenomena.
RNA is subject to many kinds of modifications after it is synthesized, so its functions can no longer be explained by genome sequence information alone.
Abnormalities in RNA modifications can cause human diseases, and the concept of "RNA modopathy," proposed by the lab, is becoming established.
Combining molecular biology, biochemistry, and analytical chemistry, the lab also develops its own devices for isolating RNA and its own mass spectrometry techniques.
Key terms
- RNA modification
- A chemical change, such as the addition of a methyl group, made to part of an RNA after it has been synthesized. Modifications influence how the RNA functions.
- tRNA
- An RNA that reads the genetic code in mRNA and carries the corresponding amino acid to the site of protein synthesis.
- Epitranscriptome
- The full picture of the modifications on RNAs in a cell. It changes depending on the state and stage of the cell.
NewsLab news
A doctoral student received the Outstanding Oral Presentation Award at the Yeast Genetics Forum
Published findings showing that tRNA precursors sense growth temperature
A doctoral student received a Poster Presentation Award at the RNA Society Annual Meeting
Published findings on "desulfurated" modifications of tRNA
Published findings showing that the RNA backbone is methylated under hypoxic conditions
ResearchResearch themes
Fine-tuning of gene expression gives rise to higher-order life phenomena, and its breakdown causes a variety of diseases. Using approaches from molecular biology, biochemistry, molecular genetics, analytical chemistry, and cell biology, the lab aims to clarify the functions of RNAs involved in diverse life phenomena.
*Illustrative imageThe Functions and Significance of RNA Modifications
Using techniques for isolating trace amounts of RNA from cells and highly sensitive mass spectrometry, the lab discovers new RNA modifications and investigates their functions. It explores how modifications are produced and what they mean for living organisms.
*Illustrative imageDecoding the Genetic Code and Protein Synthesis
tRNAs, which read the code in mRNA, carry diverse modifications that tightly control this decoding. The lab discovers new tRNA modifications involved in decoding the genetic code and investigates their roles and the mechanisms that maintain translational accuracy.
*Illustrative imageUnderstanding the Full Picture of RNA Modifications
The lab devises new chemical biology methods for detecting modifications such as inosine and combines them with next-generation sequencing analysis to explore epitranscriptome information.
*Illustrative imageMechanisms of RNA Modopathy
The lab has shown that mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, a genetic disease, is caused by defects in tRNA modifications. It investigates how abnormal modifications cause disease, using patient cells, knockout mice, and other models.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Suzuki Lab consist of faculty, project researchers, academic specialists, technical staff, and research assistants, a research promotion staff member who also serves as secretary, students in the doctoral, master's, and undergraduate programs, and research students.As of 2026
- ProfessorTsutomu SuzukiPublications ↗
- LecturerAsuteka Nagao
- Assistant ProfessorTakayuki OhiraPublications ↗
- Assistant ProfessorKensuke IshiguroPublications ↗
- Project Assistant ProfessorShinichiro AkichikaPublications ↗
VoicesStudent voices
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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: “3d tRNA” Vossman / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- The Functions and Significance of RNA Modifications: “Mass Spectrometry Machine (NIH BioArt 286)” Courtesy of NIAID Ryan Kissinger / Public domain (cropped)
- Decoding the Genetic Code and Protein Synthesis: “Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase in complex with cognate tRNA” Oleksandr V. Savytskyi, Yaroslav V. Katrich / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Understanding the Full Picture of RNA Modifications: “Cluster Generation” DMLapato / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Mechanisms of RNA Modopathy: “Mitochondria, mammalian lung - TEM” Louisa Howard / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Sando Lab): “Robot arm handles an assay plate” National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Neuronal Cell Biology Lab (Hirabayashi Lab)): “Нейрон коры с множеством дендритных шипиков” Sergb95 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Tsumoto Lab): “Antibody IgG2” TimVickers at English Wikipedia / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Osawa Lab): “Breast cancer cell (2)” National Cancer Institute
（撮影者不明） / Public domain (cropped)
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