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Ushiku Lab
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A lab that uses the eye of a pathologist to uncover how diseases arise, beginning with gastric cancer.
AboutAbout the lab
Creating the next generation of pathology and diagnostic pathology
The Department of Human Pathology and Diagnostic Pathology studies how diseases arise, based on morphological pathology.
Most of the staff and graduate students are pathologists, and the lab carries out research that makes use of their expertise as pathologists.
With gastrointestinal pathology research centered on gastric cancer as its core, the lab studies a wide range of diseases.
While collaborating with labs inside and outside the university, the lab actively adopts new technologies.
Key terms
- Morphological pathology
- The field that seeks to understand diseases by observing changes in the shape of tissues and cells under a microscope
- Pathologist
- A physician who examines tissues and cells taken from patients under a microscope to diagnose disease
- Stratification
- Dividing patients with the same disease into several groups based on differences in their characteristics or clinical course
NewsLab news
Paper on ELOC-mutated renal cell carcinoma published in The American Journal of Surgical Pathology
Paper on the quality of nucleic acids in pathology tissue specimens published in Pathology International
Paper on a new type of cystic tumor of the bile duct published in Pathology International
Paper on immune evasion in AFP-producing gastric cancer published in Virchows Archive
A faculty member received the Japanese Society of Pathology Academic Research Award and Academic Encouragement Award
ResearchResearch themes
Based on morphological pathology, the lab aims to understand how diseases arise and to bring about better medical care through more appropriate diagnosis, stratification, and development of treatments. With gastrointestinal pathology centered on gastric cancer as its core, the lab studies diseases of a variety of organs.
*Illustrative imagePathology of Gastrointestinal Diseases
Gastrointestinal pathology research centered on gastric cancer is the core of the department's research. Projects include gastric cancer with fetal-type characteristics, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated gastric cancer, and genetic abnormalities in early-stage gastric tumors.
*Illustrative imageTumors of the Liver, Biliary Tract, and Pancreas
For tumors of the liver, biliary tract, and pancreas, the lab compares features seen under the microscope with molecular biological properties. The aim is to clarify how cancers develop and to find markers for stratifying patients.
*Illustrative imagePodoplanin and the Promotion of Cancer Metastasis
The lab studies how podoplanin, a membrane protein on the surface of many cancer cells, promotes metastasis through platelet aggregation. It also investigates how podoplanin increases at the invasive front, the leading edge where cancer spreads.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Department of Human Pathology and Diagnostic Pathology consist of faculty, doctoral students, residents in specialty training, library and autopsy staff, technical specialists, academic specialists, technical assistants, secretaries, clinical laboratory technologists from the hospital's Department of Pathology, and administrative assistants.As of 2026
- ProfessorTetsuo UshikuPublications ↗
- Project ProfessorDaizo Koinuma
- Associate ProfessorAya Ushiku
- Associate ProfessorMariko Tanaka
- Project LecturerShuko Kunida
- LecturerHiroyuki Abe
- LecturerMasaki Suzuki
- Assistant ProfessorEiichi Yasunaga
- Assistant ProfessorAkihiko Fukagawa
- Assistant ProfessorYoshitaka Kudo
- Assistant ProfessorAtsuhito Nakayama
- Assistant ProfessorShu Yamamoto
- Project Assistant ProfessorShota Yoshida
- Assistant ProfessorIchita Osawa
- Assistant ProfessorYuya Kishino
- Assistant ProfessorYukio Sotozono
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: “Pathologist with microscope” Bill Branson (Photographer) / Public domain (cropped)
- Pathology of Gastrointestinal Diseases: “Carcinoma Stomach 10x” Calicut Medical College / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Tumors of the Liver, Biliary Tract, and Pancreas: “Cholangiocarcinoma - intermed mag” Nephron / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Podoplanin and the Promotion of Cancer Metastasis: “Platelet Aggregation (NIH BioArt )” Courtesy of NIAID Ryan Kissinger / Public domain (cropped)
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