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Yanagisawa-Funato Lab
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A lab that approaches the mysteries of sleep through mouse genes.
AboutAbout the lab
Studying sleep in mice to solve the mysteries of sleep
The Yanagisawa-Funato Lab uses mice to study the mysteries of sleep, such as why sleep is necessary in the first place.
The lab uses forward genetics: it examines the sleep of mice with randomly induced mutations and identifies the causative genes in pedigrees in which sleep abnormalities are inherited.
So far, the lab has discovered new sleep-regulating molecules such as SIK3 and NALCN.
The lab also puts effort into research that can be applied from basic science to the clinic.
Key terms
- Orexin
- A peptide in the brain that is essential for sleep and wakefulness. A deficiency of it causes sleep disorders
- Narcolepsy
- A sleep disorder caused by a deficiency of orexin
- Forward genetics
- An approach that identifies causative genes starting from heritable phenotypes
- In vivo imaging
- A method for observing the activity of neurons in naturally sleeping mice as it actually occurs
NewsLab news
Prof. Masashi Yanagisawa received the Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award
The Breakthrough Prize award ceremony for Institute Director Masashi Yanagisawa and colleagues was held
ResearchResearch themes
In sleep research, it is known that orexin is essential for sleep and wakefulness, and that a deficiency of it causes narcolepsy, a sleep disorder. Going beyond this, the lab investigates the mechanisms of sleep and wakefulness in mice using a broad range of approaches, including genetics and physiology.
*Illustrative imageForward genetics of sleep in mice
The nature of sleep and the structure of the brain differ greatly between mammals and other animals. To obtain findings that also relate to human sleep, the lab conducts forward genetics research using mice. The lab says this is an unprecedented approach worldwide.
*Illustrative imageMouse pedigrees with sleep abnormalities and new molecules
From mice with randomly induced mutations, the lab has established pedigrees showing sleep abnormalities, called Sleepy, Sleepy2, Dreamless, and Drowsy. By studying these, it has found new sleep-regulating molecules such as SIK3, NALCN, and CACNA1A.
*Illustrative imageElucidating the mechanisms that regulate sleep
Using the molecules it has found as a starting point, the lab investigates the molecular pathways of sleep regulation, how neural circuits operate, and the relationship between sleep and mood, memory, energy metabolism, and aging. Its experiments also include in vivo imaging to observe the activity of neurons in naturally sleeping mice.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Yanagisawa-Funato Lab consist of faculty members, researchers and staff, secretaries, and doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students.As of 2026
- ProfessorMasashi Yanagisawa
- ProfessorHiromasa Funato
- Assistant ProfessorTomoyuki Fujiyama
- Assistant ProfessorChika Miyoshi
- Assistant ProfessorDeependra Kumar
- Assistant ProfessorTomohiro Kitazono
- Assistant ProfessorMahesh Kaushik
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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: “Mother and newborn sleeping on a bamboo bed near a campfire in a house in Don Det Laos” Basile Morin / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Forward genetics of sleep in mice: “Supine cat sleeping on the back on a bamboo and wicker armchair in Don Det Laos” Basile Morin / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Mouse pedigrees with sleep abnormalities and new molecules: “Genetics Laboratory UMAR Puerto Escondido” Aldo Tadeo Suárez Guido / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Elucidating the mechanisms that regulate sleep: “Neuron Heart” Piku4chemia / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS) Greene-Vogt Lab): “Unbonnetalectrodes” Simon Fraser University - Communications & Marketing / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS) Abe Lab): “International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine, Jan 06, 2017” Keiina / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS) Toda Lab): “Drosophila vials” J. Albert Vallunen (albval) / CC BY-SA 2.5 (cropped)
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