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Molecular Genetics Lab
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A molecular genetics lab that investigates how chromosomes are kept stable.
AboutAbout the lab
Protecting genetic information by uncovering how chromosomes work
The Molecular Genetics Lab studies how chromosomes, which carry genetic information, are kept stable and accurately passed on to daughter cells.
Inside the cell nucleus, DNA binds to histones to form nucleosomes, which are further organized into higher-order chromatin structures.
The lab aims to clarify the molecular mechanisms by which reactions on chromosomes, such as DNA replication, recombination, repair, transcription, and chromatin regulation, work together to maintain chromosome stability.
The lab uses fission yeast and cultured human cells in its research.
Key terms
- Chromatin
- A structure in the cell nucleus formed when DNA binds to proteins such as histones.
- Centromere
- The region of a chromosome where microtubules attach during cell division. It governs the distribution of chromosomes to daughter cells.
- Replication origin
- A site on a chromosome where DNA replication begins. The start of replication is called "firing."
NewsLab news
A doctoral student received the Outstanding Research Award of the Graduate School of Science
A paper on the molecular mechanism of transcription-induced chromosomal aberrations was published in Nucleic Acids Research
A doctoral student received the Excellent Poster Award at the 3R+3C International Symposium
A review article on chromosomal aberrations at centromeres was published in Biomolecules
ResearchResearch themes
The size and shape of chromosomes are kept constant in each species, but chromosomal aberrations can cause cell death and genetic diseases such as cancer. Using fission yeast and cultured human cells, the lab studies how chromosomes are stably maintained, from the perspectives of DNA replication, recombination, repair, transcription, chromosome structure, and chromosome segregation.
*Illustrative imageSuppression of chromosomal aberrations at centromeres
In fission yeast, the lab developed an experimental system to examine the frequency and structure of aberrant chromosomes. The lab hypothesizes that recombination involving Rad51, a homologous recombination factor, suppresses chromosomal aberrations arising through repeated sequences at the centromere, and aims to clarify the mechanism and its significance.
*Illustrative imageRegulatory mechanisms of DNA replication
Chromosomes have many replication origins, but only some of them actually initiate replication. Focusing on the Mcm2-7 helicase, which is a component of replication origins and also the driving force of the replication fork, the lab investigates how DNA replication maintains the genome.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Molecular Genetics Lab consist of faculty, doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students, administrative assistants, and technical assistants.As of 2026
- ProfessorTakuro Nakagawa
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: “Human karyotype (259 30) Karyotype Human 47,XXY (Klinefelter)” Doc. RNDr. Josef Reischig, CSc. / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Suppression of chromosomal aberrations at centromeres: “Simple chromosome illustration” Prateek Pattanaik / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Regulatory mechanisms of DNA replication: “Chromosome Terminology” Christinelmiller / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Chromosome Structure and Function Lab): “Human karyotype (248 27) Human karyotype” Doc. RNDr. Josef Reischig, CSc. / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Genome-Chromosome Function Lab): “Independent assortment” Christinelmiller / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Macromolecular Structural Science Lab): “Flagellar Motor Assembly” PKS615 / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Molecular Developmental Biology Lab): “Confocal Microscope” Mark from Edinburgh, United Kingdom / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
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