LAB LOGA page on LabLog, a review site (not the lab's official page)
Bannai Lab
Machine-translated · View original
The lab reads the workings of the brain from the behavior of molecules.
AboutAbout the lab
Even as its parts are replaced, the brain remains the brain
The Bannai Lab aims to elucidate how the brain works and how neurological diseases develop, using nanoscale biological information on the structure, function, and dynamics of the protein molecules that make up living organisms.
The brain, which processes enormous amounts of information, is often compared to a computer, but a major difference is that the proteins and lipids that make up the brain are constantly replaced throughout life.
The lab asks how the brain's structure is maintained while its components are replaced, and how it can still carry out higher functions such as memory, learning, and thought.
Under the banner of "nanoscale biology," the lab aims to connect biology, semiconductor nanotechnology, medicine, and informatics.
Key terms
- Single-molecule imaging
- An observation method in which molecules are made to glow one at a time so that their movements inside living cells can be tracked
- Synapse
- The junction where neurons pass information to each other. It is the basis of memory and learning
- Quantum dot
- A semiconductor particle a few nanometers across. It glows brightly for a long time in a color that depends on its size, so it can be used to label molecules
NewsLab news
A master's student won a Gold Medal in the poster awards of Special Exercise A in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Bioscience
A master's student won an Excellent Presentation Award at the early-career researchers' session (Wakate Dojo) of Neuro2026
A master's student won the Best Oral Presentation Award at the 204th Annual Meeting of the Franco-Japanese Society of Biology
Master's and doctoral students won CSH Fellowships at a Cold Spring Harbor Asia conference
A master's student won a Student Excellent Presentation Award at the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan's PH Symposium
ResearchResearch themes
By "observing" the structure, function, and dynamics of protein molecules in living cells, the lab aims to elucidate the mechanisms of memory and learning and the pathology of neurological diseases such as epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease. Its research rests on three pillars: physiological research, pathological research, and development of new technologies.
*Illustrative imagePhysiological research
How are synapses, the basis of memory and learning, formed, maintained, and regulated? To understand the molecular mechanisms, the lab visualizes how synaptic molecules move and where they accumulate inside living neurons.
*Illustrative imagePathological research
To clarify the mechanisms by which neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease develop, the lab examines how pathological tau, amyloid β, and α-synuclein affect the structure and function of synapses.
*Illustrative imageDevelopment of new technologies
To visualize and manipulate biomolecules in living cells, the lab develops new experimental tools based on the latest findings in biophysics. Examples include developing probes that make denatured tau visible and establishing methods to analyze large volumes of single-molecule movement data with machine learning.
MembersFaculty
The Bannai Lab consists of faculty members, research assistants, and doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students.As of 2026
- ProfessorHiroko Bannai
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 Bannai Lab
Takamatsu LabSchool of Advanced Science and Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering and BioscienceLiving systems, nonlinear science
Kiga LabSchool of Advanced Science and Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering and BioscienceSynthetic biology
Okano LabSchool of Advanced Science and Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering and BioscienceMolecular cell biology, magnetoreception
Iwasaki LabSchool of Advanced Science and Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering and BioscienceCellular molecular networks and chronobiologyThe 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: “Synapsin and CamK2 positive neurons” ManuelSchottdorf / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Physiological research: “Нейрон коры с множеством дендритных шипиков” Sergb95 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Pathological research: “Histopathology of amyloid plaque in Alzheimer's disease” Mikael Häggström, M.D. / CC0 (cropped)
- Development of new technologies: “EFluor Nanocrystal Vials” Travis.jennings / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Takamatsu Lab): “Dictyostelium Late Aggregation 1” Bruno in Columbus / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Kiga Lab): “Block tower on narrow base” Reseletti / CC0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Okano Lab): “Plastic-compass” Evan-Amos / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Iwasaki Lab): “Cyanobacteria 029” Lamiot / CC BY-SA 3.0 (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.