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Pharmacodynamics Lab
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A lab searching for new drugs for intractable diseases, guided by lipid signaling.
AboutAbout the lab
From receptors and signaling to new therapeutic drugs
The Pharmacodynamics Lab studies receptors and intracellular signal transduction to search for therapeutic targets and drug candidates for diseases.
Many drugs in use today act on receptors or block ion channels.
The lab focuses in particular on the pharmacological actions of molecules related to sphingolipids such as sphingosine and ceramide.
It is also working on developing treatments for rare and intractable diseases such as Niemann-Pick disease type C and multiple sclerosis.
Key terms
- Receptor
- A protein located on the cell surface and elsewhere that receives hormones or neurotransmitters and passes the signal on to the cell
- Sphingolipid
- A type of lipid that makes up cell membranes. It includes ceramide and is also involved in signals for cell proliferation and death
- Drug discovery target
- A molecule in the body involved in a disease that a drug is designed to act on
- Prostaglandin
- A lipid-derived substance produced in the body that is involved in inflammation, pain, and the regulation of gastrointestinal function
NewsLab news
A student won an Outstanding Presentation Award at the 27th Applied Pharmacology Symposium
A student won an Outstanding Presentation Award at the Drug Discovery and Medical Pharmacology Symposium 2026 for Next-Generation Young Researchers
A student won an Outstanding Presentation Award at the 154th Kanto Regional Meeting of the Japanese Pharmacological Society
A student won a Student Outstanding Presentation Award at the 146th Annual Meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
A student won an Outstanding Presentation Award at the FY2025 graduation thesis presentation session of the Department of Pharmacy
ResearchResearch themes
The lab analyzes receptors and intracellular signal transduction, aiming to identify combinations of receptors and signals that can serve as drug discovery targets in a variety of diseases, tissues, and cells, and to search for compounds that could become drug candidates. Its research is guided by the roles of sphingolipids and prostaglandins.
*Illustrative imagePharmacological actions of sphingolipids
The lab studies the pharmacological actions of members of the sphingolipid family that also exist in the body, such as sphingosine, ceramide, and their phosphorylated forms. It analyzes their effects on arachidonic acid production and on cell proliferation and cell death, along with the underlying mechanisms.
*Illustrative imageProstaglandins and colon cancer
The lab analyzes signaling by prostaglandins and their receptors, which are involved in the development and progression of cancers such as colon cancer. It also studies the process all the way through to the regulation of oncogene expression.
*Illustrative imageMechanisms regulating gastrointestinal motility
Focusing on gastrointestinal dysfunction, which is common in conditions such as stress and cancer, the lab studies how sphingolipid-related substances and prostaglandins regulate the motility of the large intestine and colon, in order to identify new drug discovery targets and candidate therapeutic molecules.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Pharmacodynamics Lab are the faculty and students in the doctoral, master's, and undergraduate programs.As of 2026
- ProfessorHiroyuki Nakamura
- Assistant ProfessorTakuya Honda
- Assistant ProfessorMiaki Uzu
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: “Fluorescence.microscope2” Bioguy10 / CC0 (cropped)
- Pharmacological actions of sphingolipids: “C2-Ceramide” BQUB19-MJambrina / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Prostaglandins and colon cancer: “Tumour infiltrating lymphocytes in colorectal carcinoma - high mag” Nephron / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Mechanisms regulating gastrointestinal motility: “Digestive system diagram mn” derivative work Elvonudinium / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
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- Related lab (遺伝子創薬学): “MPI-CBG inside of laboratory pl” Pleple2000 / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
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