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Ito Lab
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A theoretical lab that studies life phenomena through nonequilibrium physics and information theory.
AboutAbout the lab
Unraveling life through nonequilibrium physics and information.
The Ito Lab conducts theoretical physics research on systems far from equilibrium, such as living phenomena.
At the boundary between nonequilibrium statistical mechanics and information theory, the lab investigates the connections between the thermodynamics of stochastic processes and information theory and information geometry.
The lab is also interested in information processing in biological systems, and has studied signal transduction in E. coli from a thermodynamic perspective.
Its research also covers artificial information processing such as machine learning, and the thermodynamics of macroscopic systems such as chemical reactions and fluids.
Key terms
- Nonequilibrium
- A state that has departed from the settled condition in which temperature and concentration are balanced, and keeps changing continually
- Information thermodynamics
- A field that links thermodynamics and information theory. It studies how the exchange of information changes the flow of heat and energy
- Information geometry
- A mathematical approach that treats a collection of probability distributions like a geometric shape and studies its properties using notions of distance and angle
NewsLab news
A student who did joint research in a university-wide seminar received the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Award (for Excellent Research)
A paper by a lab student was published in Physical Review Research
A PhD student received the Graduate School of Science Research Encouragement Award
A paper by a lab student was published in Physical Review Letters
Research in which Associate Professor Ito participated achieved the fundamental limit on energy cost through optimal transport
ResearchResearch themes
To deal with systems far from equilibrium, as typified by living phenomena, the lab conducts theoretical physics research at the boundary between nonequilibrium statistical mechanics and information theory. It is particularly interested in the connections between the thermodynamics of stochastic processes and information theory and information geometry, as well as in information processing in biological systems.
*Illustrative imageUnderstanding information processing in living phenomena
Living systems are maintained by information processing at many scales, from single molecules to cell populations. The lab aims to build a general theoretical framework for information processing in nonequilibrium phenomena.
*Illustrative imageDeveloping the theory of strongly nonequilibrium systems
In systems that are far from equilibrium, the usual methods of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics sometimes cannot be used. Without limiting itself to a particular type of system, such as quantum systems, chemical reaction systems, or fluid systems, the lab looks for methods and laws that hold broadly.
*Illustrative imageInformation thermodynamics on networks
The lab works on information thermodynamics, where thermodynamics and information theory meet. It has generalized the second law of thermodynamics to autonomous systems with complex interactions, and has examined how measures of information flow affect that law.
*Illustrative imageSignal transduction in E. coli
In E. coli chemotaxis, the lab has studied the dynamics of adaptation through receptor methylation from the viewpoint of the thermodynamic performance of information processing. It investigates the relationship between the robustness of the output against input noise and the flow of information.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Ito Lab are faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and PhD and master's students.As of 2026
- Associate ProfessorSosuke ItoPublications ↗
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RelatedLabs similar to Ito Lab
Takeuchi LabFaculty of Science, Department of PhysicsNonequilibrium statistical mechanics, soft matter, active ma…
Okada LabFaculty of Science, Department of PhysicsBiophysics, cell biology, single-molecule biology
Biological Nonequilibrium Physics LabFaculty of Science, Department of PhysicsBiophysics, nonequilibrium physics, machine learning
Nose LabFaculty of Science, Department of PhysicsBiophysics of the brain and nervous systemThe information on this page is compiled by the LabLog team from the lab's public information and interviews. For corrections or removal requests, please contact LabLog, not the lab.
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: “Belousov Zhabotinsky reaction ( )” Stephen Morris / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Understanding information processing in living phenomena: “Multicolor fluorescence image of living HeLa cells” 8x57is / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Developing the theory of strongly nonequilibrium systems: “Von Karman Vortices of Jeju Island, South Korea (MODIS )” MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC / Public domain (cropped)
- Information thermodynamics on networks: “SocialNetworkAnalysis” Martin Grandjean / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Signal transduction in E. coli: “E coli at 10000x, original” Photo by Eric Erbe, digital colorization by Christopher Pooley, both of USDA, ARS, EMU. / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Takeuchi Lab): “B72Textur” Minutemen / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Okada Lab): “Multicolor fluorescence image of a living HeLa cell” 8x57is / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Biological Nonequilibrium Physics Lab): “Nematic liquid crystal” Ingo Dierking / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Nose Lab): “Drosophila larvae mariometzler” Mario Metzler / CC BY 2.5 (cropped)
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