LAB LOGA page on LabLog, a review site (not the lab's official page)
Emoto Lab
Machine-translated · View original
The lab explores how genes and environment remodel brain circuits to generate individuality and behavior.
AboutAbout the lab
Exploring the brain networks that give rise to individuality
The Emoto Lab studies how the brain is customized by the combination of genes and environment, with the aim of elucidating the mechanisms underlying human individuality and psychiatric disorders.
The lab focuses on how neural networks are rewired in response to external information, and on neurogenesis, the generation of new neurons.
Another goal is to clarify the brain mechanisms that flexibly change instinctive behaviors depending on states such as fear and hunger.
The lab mainly uses Drosophila and mice as model organisms.
Key terms
- Neuron
- A nerve cell. It receives information as electrical signals and passes it on to other cells.
- Neurogenesis
- The generation of new neurons in the brain.
- Instinctive behavior
- Behaviors that animals are born with, such as eating, fleeing, and mating.
- Neurogenetics
- A research approach that manipulates genes to examine how neurons and the brain function, and to clarify their links to behavior.
NewsLab news
Paper on the mechanism of "fragmented sleep" in Drosophila larvae published in eLife
A student received the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Science Research Encouragement Award for FY2025
ResearchResearch themes
The lab studies how genetic information and external input remodel neural circuits in the brain, and how the brain generates behavioral flexibility. Using Drosophila and mice, it aims to understand these processes at the levels of molecules, neurons, and circuits.
*Illustrative imageBrain circuits reshaped by experience
Neural circuits in the newborn brain contain many broken or crossed connections. In response to external input, necessary circuits are strengthened and unnecessary ones are removed as the brain matures. The lab investigates the mechanisms of this circuit remodeling in Drosophila and mice.
*Illustrative imageHow fear is expressed
Animals that feel fear show several responses at once, such as fleeing, a pounding heart, and heightened sensitivity to noise. Using a Drosophila model that shows these responses, the lab takes on the question "Do we flee because we are afraid, or are we afraid because we flee?" with neurogenetics.
*Illustrative imageHow pain is felt and escaped
Using Drosophila and mice, the lab investigates how sensitivity to pain is determined during development, how pain gives rise to anxiety and fear, and which neural circuits convert pain into appropriate escape behavior.
*Illustrative imageBrain disease, aging, and evolution
Using disease model mice and other systems, the lab investigates how abnormalities in brain function lead to the symptoms of disease. It focuses especially on neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and ADHD, and is also exploring research from the perspectives of brain aging and evolution.
MembersFaculty
The Emoto Lab's members include faculty, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, visiting researchers, and technical staff.As of 2026
- ProfessorKazuo EmotoPublications ↗
- Associate ProfessorMasato TsujiPublications ↗
- Project Assistant ProfessorKotaro FurusawaPublications ↗
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 Emoto Lab
Hayashi LabFaculty of Science, Department of Biological SciencesElucidating why animals sleep: its significance and evolutio…
Plant Evolutionary Ecology LabFaculty of Science, Department of Biological SciencesMolecular-level elucidation of plant diversity; reconstructi…
Human Evolutionary Biomechanics Lab (Ogihara Lab)Faculty of Science, Department of Biological SciencesExploring the evolution of human body structure and motor fu…
Genetics Lab (Ohtani Lab)Faculty of Science, Department of Biological SciencesPlant molecular genetics, RNA biology, and cell wall biologyThe 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: “Drosophila melanogaster Proboscis” Sanjay Acharya / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Brain circuits reshaped by experience: “Neuron Heart” Piku4chemia / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- How fear is expressed: “Drosophila melanogaster 53362116” Alexis / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- How pain is felt and escaped: “Drosophila larvae mariometzler” Mario Metzler / CC BY 2.5 (cropped)
- Brain disease, aging, and evolution: “Lab mouse mg 3263” Rama / CC BY-SA 2.0 fr (cropped)
- Related lab (Hayashi Lab): “Sleeping cat curled up” Matthew Paul Argall / CC0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Plant Evolutionary Ecology Lab): “P1000491 Petunia axillaris (Solanaceae) Flower” Magnus Manske / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Human Evolutionary Biomechanics Lab (Ogihara Lab)): “Biomechanics lab with force plate” Apfriesen / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Genetics Lab (Ohtani Lab)): “Arabidopsis thaliana kz07” Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz / 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.