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Molecular Inflammation and Immunology Lab (Toyama-Sorimachi Lab)
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The lab aims to discover the mechanisms that suppress chronic inflammation and to develop new therapies.
AboutAbout the lab
From the mechanisms that suppress inflammation to new therapies
The Molecular Inflammation and Immunology Lab seeks to find new ways to control chronic inflammation, starting from basic research in immunology.
Chronic inflammation is involved not only in allergies and autoimmune diseases, but also in neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and aging.
The lab analyzes in detail the functions of innate immune cells such as macrophages and neutrophils, which play important roles in inflammation.
The lab searches for candidate molecules that could serve as therapeutic targets to suppress inflammation and promote tissue repair, and works to carry them through to academic drug discovery.
Key terms
- Chronic inflammation
- A condition in which inflammation in the body continues for a long time. It is involved in the development of many diseases
- Innate immune cells
- Cells responsible for the innate immune system, which the body has from birth. Examples include macrophages and neutrophils
- Endolysosome
- A small membrane-bound compartment that transports and breaks down materials taken in from outside the cell. It also serves as a site for relaying signals
NewsLab news
Won the top prize and a special award at the 1st Student Immunology Colloquium
Prof. Toyama-Sorimachi took up the post, and the Molecular Inflammation and Immunology Lab was launched
A novel candidate compound for treating autoimmune diseases was out-licensed to a pharmaceutical company
ResearchResearch themes
Innate immune cells play a central role in chronic inflammation, mediating both inflammation and tissue repair. The lab focuses on the endolysosome, which holds the key to switching between these two functions, with the aim of identifying new therapeutic targets and advancing them to academic drug discovery.
*Illustrative imageIntegration of inflammatory and metabolic signals
The multifunctional amino acid transporter on the endolysosomal membrane of immune cells does more than transport substrates; it also associates with a variety of functional molecules. The lab investigates how inflammatory signals and nutrient and metabolic signals are integrated and regulated at this site.
*Illustrative imageThe endolysosome in disease and aging
The endolysosome acts as a hub that relays and integrates the complex signals found at sites of inflammation. Because perturbing its acidification and trafficking regulation can improve disease pathology, the lab explores the mechanisms by which disease and aging are controlled.
*Illustrative imageExacerbation and control of respiratory infections
The lab studies how respiratory infections become severe and what strategies can suppress them. Besides immunology, the work draws broadly on methods from cell biology, metabolism research, molecular biology, and biochemistry.
*Illustrative imageDrug discovery for intractable inflammatory diseases
Building on therapeutic target candidates found through basic research, the lab aims to create drugs for intractable inflammatory diseases from within academia. It has a track record of out-licensing a candidate compound for treating autoimmune diseases to a pharmaceutical company.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Molecular Inflammation and Immunology Lab consist of faculty members, visiting researchers, specialist academic staff, master's students, undergraduate students, and non-degree research students.As of 2026
- ProfessorNoriko Toyama-SorimachiPublications ↗
- Associate ProfessorDaisuke Kojima
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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: “Macrophage ( )” NIAID / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Integration of inflammatory and metabolic signals: “HeLa cell endocytic pathway labeled for EGFR and transferrin” Matthew R G Russell / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
- The endolysosome in disease and aging: “Lysosomes (NIH BioArt 306)” Courtesy of NIAID Ryan Kissinger / Public domain (cropped)
- Exacerbation and control of respiratory infections: “Neutrophil and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococccus aureus (MRSA) Bacteria” NIAID/NIH / Public domain (cropped)
- Drug discovery for intractable inflammatory diseases: “Drug discovery cycle ru” Ravil Niyazov / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Siomi Lab): “Drosophila melanogaster - side (aka)” André Karwath aka Aka / CC BY-SA 2.5 (cropped)
- Related lab (Takeuchi Lab): “Mouse olfactory bulb @ 20x ( )” Jason Snyder from Washington, DC, United States / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Uemura Lab): “Nanopore Sequencing ( )” National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) from Bethesda, MD, USA / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Kunitomo Lab (Molecular Behavioral Genetics)): “Varbuss” Heiti Paves / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
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