LAB LOGA page on LabLog, a review site (not the lab's official page)
Metabolic Regulation and Pharmaceutical Sciences Lab
Machine-translated · View original
A lab that studies the metabolism of trace elements and reactive species to contribute to drug discovery.
AboutAbout the lab
Understanding the metabolism of trace elements and reactive species at the molecular level and applying ways to control it to drug discovery
The lab focuses on the roles of trace elements in the body and studies at the molecular level how they protect against reactive oxygen species, which are highly reactive, and toxic substances.
Previous research has shown that abnormal metabolism of trace elements is linked to diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases.
Based on methods from biochemistry and molecular biology, the lab uses genetically modified animals and model cells to conduct research that leads from the identification of disease biomarkers to the development of therapies.
The lab is recruiting undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students who aspire to become researchers.
Key terms
- Trace elements
- Elements that make up less than 1% of the body overall. They play an important role in maintaining whole-body homeostasis.
- Reactive oxygen species
- Highly reactive forms of oxygen generated from part of the oxygen used to produce energy through respiration. They oxidize and denature biomolecules.
- Biomarker
- An indicator in the body that serves as a guide to whether a disease is present and how far it has progressed.
ResearchResearch themes
The lab aims to understand the metabolism of trace elements and reactive species at the molecular level and to apply ways to control it to drug discovery. Based on methods from biochemistry and molecular biology, the lab incorporates genetically modified animals, model cells, and comprehensive analytical approaches into its research.
*Illustrative imageRoles of trace elements and drug discovery
The lab investigates at the molecular level how trace elements, which account for less than 1% of the body overall, maintain whole-body homeostasis, focusing on their protective action against reactive oxygen species and toxic substances. Links to diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases have also become clear.
*Illustrative imageReactive oxygen balance and cellular responses
Reactive oxygen species oxidize and denature biomolecules, but they also act as signaling molecules in cellular responses. Both too much and too little have effects, so the lab studies this balance, as well as the heavy metals, toxic substances, and nutritional deficiencies that disrupt it.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Metabolic Regulation and Pharmaceutical Sciences Lab are faculty members, postdoctoral researchers of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, research assistants, research support staff, doctoral and master's students, and undergraduate students from the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Department of Drug Discovery Science.As of 2025
- ProfessorYoshiro Saito
- Associate ProfessorTakashi Toyama
- Assistant ProfessorKota Noritsugu
VoicesStudent voices
Ratings and reviews reflect the experiences of individual current or former students, not the lab's official views. Whether a lab has reviews, or how many, says nothing about the lab itself.
Students who take part in an interview may receive a thank-you gift worth ¥1,000, regardless of what they say.
Student ratings (0 students)
--
--
--
--
--
--
Student voices answer questions like these
- What's great about this lab?
- What did you learn after joining?
- What's the vibe, and what is the professor like?
- Who is this lab for?
- Where do graduates go?
Your experience can help younger students choose their lab. Your name won't be shown.
Write a lab reviewAnonymous · Your draft is saved if you stopRelatedLabs similar to Metabolic Regulation and Pharmaceutical Sciences Lab
Biological Structural Chemistry LabFaculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Department of Pharmaceutical Drug Discovery SciencesDevelopment of novel spectroscopic methods for observing bio…
Environmentally Harmonious Chemistry LabFaculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Department of Pharmaceutical Drug Discovery SciencesDevelopment of stereoselective conversion reactions of bioma…
Pathophysiological and Molecular Pharmaceutics LabFaculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Department of Pharmaceutical Drug Discovery SciencesMulti-omics research aimed at understanding diseases and pat…The 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: “Biochemistry laboratory at the Cawthron Institute, Nelson, around 1949” not stated / Public domain (cropped)
- Roles of trace elements and drug discovery: “Iodine pills” Mx. Granger / CC0 (cropped)
- Reactive oxygen balance and cellular responses: “Fluoromethylidyne radical spacefill” Jynto (more from this user) / CC0 (cropped)
- Related lab (生物構造化学分野): “Optical microscope for the study of paint fragments” Froselong / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (環境調和化学分野): “BuretteFumeHood” Walkerma / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (病態分子薬学分野): “Ion chromatograph in combination with a mass spectrometer, in CAFIA laboratory, Czech Republic” Sarka Na kopci / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
About LabLog
LabLog is a lab review app for students only. Student members at each university interview students in labs and publish what they say. Student voices can only be read by students who sign up with a university email address. Operated by bestiee Inc.
Learn more about LabLog ↗Search engines and AI may reference the basic lab info and rating summaries on this page and the description of LabLog. Student voices are for student members only. Automated collection by programs (scraping, or input to or training of AI) is prohibited under Article 8 of the Terms of Service. If you need data for research or analysis, please contact us.