Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine
Department of Developmental Neuroscience

Osumi Noriko

Professor

Academic and Professional Career
1979-1985 School of Dentistry, Tokyo Medical & Dental University
1985-1989 Graduate School of Dentistry, Tokyo Medical & Dental University
1989-1996 Research Associate, Department of Craniofacial Morphogenesis and Anomalies, Tokyo Medical & Dental University
1996-1998 Associate Professor, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology & Psychiatry
1998- Present position
2006- Special Advisor for Gender Equality (Tohoku University)
2008-2010 Distinguished Professor (Tohoku University)
2018-2024 Vice President (Tohoku University)
2025- Strategic Management Advisor

Award
1985 Nagao Award from School of Dentistry, Tokyo Medical & Dental University (for the top student on graduation)
1992 Hatton Travel Award from International Association for Dental Research for the 70th General Session of the IADR
2006 NISTEP Award from MEXT

Committees (only selected):
President, The Molecular Biology Society of Japan
Organizing member, Japanese Society for Cell Biology
Organizing member, Japanese Neuroscience Society
Editorial Board, Genes to Cells and others
Member, Peer Review Committee for Governmental Grants (MEXT)
Member, Advisory Committee for Life Science (MEXT)
Program Officer, Special Grants for Priority Research (JST)
Member, Committee for National Institute of Genetics
Member, Science Council of Japan
Associate Fellow of TWAS

Publication:

1. A mutation of the Pax-6 gene in rat "small eye" was associated with migration defect of midbrain crest cells. Nat Genet. 3(4), 299-304, 1993. This is the first paper reporting a mutation in Pax6 gene in rat affect migration of specific population of neural crest cells contributing the face.
2. Pax-6 is involved in specification of the hindbrain motor neuron subtype. Development. 124(15), 2961-2972, 1997. This paper has revealed the function of Pax6 in subtype specification of hindbrain neurons.
3. Role of Fabp7, a downstream gene of Pax6, in maintenance of neuroepithelialcells during early embryonic development of the rat cortex. J Neurosci. 25(42), 9752-9761, 2005. This work demonstrates a Pax6-downstream molecule Fabp7 (fatty acid binding protein 7) is essential for maintenance of neural progenitor cells in the developing rat cortex, and has paved a way to our recent research on nutrition in the brain.
4. The neurogenesis-controlling factor, Pax6, inhibits proliferation and promotes maturation in murine astrocytes. J Neurosci. 28(18), 4604-4612, 2008. In this paper covering an issue of J. Neurosci, we report for the first time that Pax6 is important for maturation of astrocytes.
5. Cyclin D2 in the basal process of neural progenitors is linked to non-equivalent cell fates. EMBO J. 31(8), 1879-1892, 2012. In this paper, a novel function of Cyclin D2, a key cell cycle regulator, is identified in the mouse cortical development. This paper is chosen as " Have you seen?" essay for EMBO J, and also mentioned in "Editor's Choice" in Science.

Curriculum Vitae(PDF)

Kikkawa Takako

Senior Lecturer

2004-2008 B.S., Saitama University, Saitama, Japan
2008-2010 M.S., Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
2010-2013 Ph.D., Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
2012-2014 Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
2014- Research Associate, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan

Research:

Regulatory mechanisms of developing cortical formation

Publication:

1. Kikkawa, T. Takahashi, M., *Osumi, N. Electroporation in the rodent embryonic brain using whole embryo culture system. Current Protocols in Neuroscience, 2016, in press.
2. Sakayori, N., Kikkawa, T., Tokuda, H., Kiryu, E., Yoshizaki, K., Kawashima, H., Yamada, T., Arai, H., Kang, JX, Katagiri, H., Shibata, H., Innis, SM., Arita, M., Osumi, N. Maternal dietary imbalance between omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids impairs neocortical development via epoxy metabolites. Stem Cells, 34(2), 470-482, 2016.
3. Takahashi, M., Makino, S., Kikkawa, T., Osumi, N. : Preparation of rat serum suitable for mammalian whole embryo culture. J Vis Exp. 90, e51969, 2014.
4. Kikkawa, T., Obayashi, T., Takahashi, M., Fukuzaki-Dohi, U, Numayama-Tsuruta, K., Osumi, N. : Dmrta1 regulates proneural gene expression downstream of Pax6 in the mammalian telencephalon. Genes Cells. 18(8), 636-649, 2013.
5. Sakayori, N., Kikkawa, T., Osumi, N. : Reduced proliferation and excess astrogenesis of Pax6 heterozygous neural stem/progenitor cells. Neurosci Res. 74(2), 116-120, 2012.

List of Publications from PubMed

Shohei Ochi

Assistant Professor

2009-2013 B.S., Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Japan
2013-2015 M.S., Kyoto University, Graduate school of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
2017-2019 JSPS Research Fellow, Kyoto University, Graduate school of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
2019-2020 Assistant Research Staff, Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
2020.4-9 Research Assistant, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
2020.10- Research Associate, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan

Research:

Mechanism of how sexual difference influence to embryonic cortical development

Publication:

1. 1. Ochi S, Manabe S, Kikkawa T, Ebrahimiazar S, Kimura R, Yoshizaki K, Osumi N.
   A Transcriptomic Dataset of Embryonic Murine Telencephalon. Sci Data. 2024 Jun 5;11(1):586.
2. Ochi S, Manabe S, Kikkawa T, Osumi N.
   Thirty Years' History since the Discovery of Pax6: From Central Nervous System Development to Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 May 30;23(11):6115.
3. Ochi S, Imaizumi Y, Shimojo H, Miyachi H, Kageyama R.
   Oscillatory expression of Hes1 regulates cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation in the embryonic brain. Development. 2020 Feb 26;147(4).
4. Kageyama R, Ochi S, Sueda R, Shimojo H.
   The significance of gene expression dynamics in neural stem cell regulation.
   Proc Jpn Acad Ser B Phys Biol Sci. 2020;96(8):351-363.
5. Taura A, Ohnishi H, Ochi S, Ebisu F, Nakagawa T, Ito J.
   Effects of mouse utricle stromal tissues on hair cell induction from induced pluripotent stem cells. BMC Neurosci. 2014 Nov 6;15:121.

Sharmin Naher

Assistant Professor

2012-2018 B.S., Jashore University of Science & Technology, Jashore, Bangladesh
2019-2021 M.S., Tohoku University, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Sendai, Japan
2021-2024 Ph.D., Tohoku University, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Sendai, Japan

Research:

Molecular mechanisms underlying the embryonic development of the cortex.

Publication:

1. Kikkawa, T, Naher, S, & Osumi, N. Regulation of mRNA Localization and Translation in Brain Development: Implications for the Mechanism Leading to the Brain Evolution and Pathogenesis. In Neocortical Neurogenesis in Development and Evolution. Wiley. 2023, 649-663
2. Nagai M, Iemura K, Kikkawa T, Naher S, Hattori S, Hagihara H, Nagata KI, Anzawa H, Kugisaki R, Wanibuchi H, Abe T, Inoue K, Kinoshita K, Miyakawa T, Osumi N, Tanaka K. Deficiency of CHAMP1, a gene related to intellectual disability, causes impaired neuronal development and a mild behavioural phenotype. Brain Commun. 2022, 4(5):fcac220.
3. Naher, S, Aziz, MA, Akter, MI, Rahman, SM, Sajon, SR, Mazumder K. Anti-diarrheal activity and brine shrimp lethality bioassay of methanolic extract of Cordyline fruticosa (L.) A. Chev. leaves. Clin Phytosci. 2019, 5:15.
4. Naher, S, Aziz, MA, Akter, MI, Rahman, SM, Sajon, SR. Analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-pyretic activities of methanolic extract of Cordyline fruticosa (L.) A. Chev. Leaves. J Res Pharm. 2019, 23(2):198-207.

Jasper Germeraad

Postdoctoral Fellow

2013-2017 BSc., HAN University of Applied Sciences, Nijmegen
2017-2019 Double Degree MSc., Tohoku University, Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
2017-2019 Double Degree MSc., Maastricht University, Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht, The Netherlands
2020-2025 Ph.D., Tohoku University, Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan

Research:

Testicular ageing and cell death

Publication:

1. Germeraad J, Kikkawa T, Osumi N., Vitamin E supplementation prevents ferroptosis in round spermatids of aged mice. BioRxiv., October 2024
2. Germeraad J, Keils L, M De Wit., Future Perspectives: Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease While Sleeping., Radboud Annals of Medical Students (RAMS)., 2017

Sara Ebrahimi Azar

Postdoctoral Fellow

2013-2017 B.S., Alzahra University, Department of Biotechnology, Tehran, Iran
2018-2020 M.S., Tohoku University, Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
2020-2025 Ph.D., Tohoku University, Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan

Research:

Paternal effects on the brain development of fragile X syndrome mouse models.

Publication:

1. Ebrahimiazar, S., Kikkawa, T., Minakuchi, Y., Miyashita, S., Manabe, S., Hoshino, M., Toyoda, A., Osumi, N. “A Transcriptomic Dataset of Embryonic Murine Telencephalon of Fmr1-Deficient Mice”, Sci Data (in press, 2025).
2. Ochi, S., Manabe, S., Kikkawa, T., Ebrahimiazar, S., Kimura, R., Yoshizaki, K., Osumi, N. “A Transcriptomic Dataset of Embryonic Murine Telencephalon”, Sci Data 11, 586 (2024).
3. Sakaji, K., Ebrahimiazar, S., Harigae, Y., Ishibashi, K., Sato, T., Yoshikawa, T., Atsumi, G., Sung, Ch., Saito, M. “MAST4 promotes primary ciliary resorption through phosphorylation of Tctex-1”, Life Science Alliance, 6(11):e202301947 (2023).

Inada Hitoshi

Part-time Lecturer

1996-1999 JSPS Research Fellow, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Kyushu University
1999-2005 Postdoctoral Fellow, Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University
2005-2006 Postdoctoral Fellow, Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience, NIPS
2006-2008 Research Associate, Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience, NIPS
2008-2012 Research Associate, Harvard University
2012-2020 Lecturer, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University
2020-present Specially Appointed Associate Professor, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University

Research:

Neuron - astrocyte interaction

Structural and functional study of fatty-acid binding proteins (FABPs) and TRP channels

Molecular mechanisms and physiological significance of thermosensation

Publication:

1. Inada H, Numayama-Tsuruta K, Mochizuki K, Sasaki-Hoshino M, Osumi N. Pax6-dependent regulation of the rat Fabp7 promoter activity. Genes Cells. 2018 Jul 9. doi: 10.1111/gtc.12623.
2. Garcia-Elias A, Mrkonjic S, Pardo-Pastor C, Inada H, Hellmich UA, Rubio-Moscardó F, Plata C, Gaudet R, Vicente R, Valverde MA. Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-biphosphate-dependent rearrangement of TRPV4 cytosolic tails enables channel activation by physiological stimuli. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Jun 4;110(23):9553-8. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1220231110. Epub 2013 May 20.
3. Inada H, Procko E, Sotomayor M, Gaudet R. Structural and biochemical consequences of disease-causing mutations in the ankyrin repeat domain of the human TRPV4 channel. Biochemistry. 2012 Aug 7;51(31):6195-206. doi: 10.1021/bi300279b. Epub 2012 Jul 25.
   PMID: 22702953 Free PMC article.
4. Landouré G, Zdebik AA, Martinez TL, Burnett BG, Stanescu HC, Inada H, Shi Y, Taye AA, Kong L, Munns CH, Choo SS, Phelps CB, Paudel R, Houlden H, Ludlow CL, Caterina MJ, Gaudet R, Kleta R, Fischbeck KH, Sumner CJ. Mutations in TRPV4 cause Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2C. Nat Genet. 2010 Feb;42(2):170-4. doi: 10.1038/ng.512. Epub 2009 Dec 27.
5. Inada H, Kawabata F, Ishimaru Y, Fushiki T, Matsunami H, Tominaga M. Off-response property of an acid-activated cation channel complex PKD1L3-PKD2L1. EMBO Rep. 2008 Jul;9(7):690-7. doi: 10.1038/embor.2008.89. Epub 2008 Jun 6.

List of Publications from PubMed

Self-introduction:

I'm interested in the relationship between structure and function of biological macromolecules, especially temperature sensitve proteins. I have various backgrounds including molecular biology, behavioral genetics, electrophysiology, biochemistry, and X-ray crystallography. In Osumi lab, I'm working on the research projects for analysis of the neuron - astrocyte interaction in mammalian brain using these backgrounds.

Kentaro Mochizuki

Part-time Lecturer

2002-2006 B.S., Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
2006-2008 M.S., Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
2008-2012 Ph.D., Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
2009-2012 Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
2012-2017 Assistant Professor, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC), Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
2017-present Assistant Professor, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
2012-2017 Assistant Professor, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC), Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
2017-2018 Assistant Professor, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
2018- Senior Researcher/Research Associate, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

Research:

Epigenomic regulation during germline development

Publication:

1. Mochizuki K, Sharif J, Shirane K, Uranishi K, Bogutz AB, Janssen SM, Suzuki A, Okuda A, Koseki H, Lorincz MC. Repression of germline genes by PRC1.6 and SETDB1 in the early embryo precedes DNA methylation-mediated silencing. Nature Communications 12(1):7020, 2021.
2. Yoshizaki K, Kimura R, Kobayashi H, Oki S, Kikkawa T, Mai L, Koike K, Mochizuki K, Inada H, Matsui Y, Kono T, Osumi N. Paternal age affects offspring via an epigenetic mechanism involving REST/NRSF. EMBO Reports 22(2):e51524, 2021.
3. Tatehana M, Kimura R, Mochizuki K, Inada H, Osumi N. Comprehensive histochemical profiles of histone modification in male germline cells during meiosis and spermiogenesis: Comparison of young and aged testes in mice. PLoS ONE 15(4):e0230930, 2020.
4. An Y, Sekinaka T, Tando Y, Okamura D, Tanaka K, Ito-Matsuoka Y, Takehara A, Mochizuki K, Yaegashi N, Matsui Y. Derivation of pluripotent stem cells from nascent undifferentiated teratoma. Developmental Biology 446(1):43-55, 2019.
5. Mochizuki K, Tando Y, Sekinaka T, Otsuka K, Hayashi Y, Kobayashi H, Kamio A, Ito-Matsuoka Y, Takehara A, Kono T, Osumi N, Matsui Y. SETDB1 is essential for mouse primordial germ cell fate determination via ensuring BMP signaling. Development 145(23):dev.164160, 2018.
6. Tatsumi D, Hayashi Y, Endo M, Kobayashi H, Yoshioka T, Kiso K, Kanno S, Nakai Y, Maeda I, Mochizuki K, Tachibana M, Koseki H, Okuda A, Yasui A, Kono K, Matsui Y. DNMTs and SETDB1 function as co-repressors in MAX-mediated repression of germ cell-related genes in mouse embryonic stem cells. PLoS ONE 13(11):e0205969, 2018.
7. Inada H, Numayama-Tsuruta K, Mochizuki K, Sasaki-Hoshino M, Osumi N. Pax6-dependent regulation of the rat Fabp7 promoter activity. Genes to Cells 23(8):702-714, 2018.
8. Mochizuki K, Hayashi Y, Sekinaka T, Otsuka K, Ito-Matsuoka Y, Kobayashi H, Oki S, Takehara A, Kono T, Osumi N, Matsui Y. Repression of somatic genes by selective recruitment of HDAC3 by BLIMP1 is essential for mouse primordial germ cell fate determination. Cell Reports 24(10):2682-2693.e6, 2018.
9. Gu W, Mochizuki K, Otsuka K, Hamada R, Takehara A, Matsui Y. Dnd1-mediated epigenetic control of teratoma formation in mouse. Biology Open 7(1):bio032318, 2018.
10. Aoki N, Mochizuki K, Matsui Y.
    DNA methylation state of 5’-upstream region of Fthl17 regulates its differential expression levels in lung cancer cells and in germ line stem cells.
    PLoS ONE 12(2):e0172219, 2017.
11. Kudo T, Kanetaka H, Mochizuki K, Tominami K, Nunome S, Abe G, Kosukegawa H, Abe T, Mori H, Mori K, Takagi T, Izumi S.
    Induction of Neurite Outgrowth in PC12 Cells treated with Temperature-Controlled Repeated Thermal Stimulation.
    PLoS ONE 10(4):e0124024, 2015.
12. Matsui Y, Mochizuki K.
    A current view of the epigenome in mouse primordial germ cells.
    Molecular Reproduction and Development 81(2):160-170, 2014.
13. Kobayashi H, Sakurai T, Miura F, Imai M, Mochiduki K, Yanagisawa E, Sakashita A, Wakai T, Suzuki Y, Ito T, Matsui Y, Kono T.
    High-resolution DNA methylome analysis of primordial germ cells identifies gender-specific reprogramming in mice.
    Genome Research 23(4):616-627, 2013.
14. Okamura D, Mochizuki K, Taniguchi H, Tokitake Y, Ikeda M, Yamada Y, Tournier C, Yamaguchi S, Tada T, Scholer HR, Matsui Y.
    REST and its downstream molecule Mek5 regulate survival of primordial germ cells.
    Developmental Biology 372(2):190-202, 2012.
15. Mochizuki K, Tachibana M, Saitou M, Tokitake Y, Matsui Y.
    Implication of DNA demethylation and bivalent histone modification for selective gene regulation in mouse primordial germ cells.
    PLoS ONE 7(9):e46036, 2012.
16. Mochizuki K, Matsui Y.
    Epigenetic profiles in primordial germ cells: global modulation and fine tuning of the epigenome for acquisition of totipotency.
    Development, Growth & Differentiation 52(6):517-525, 2010.
17. Higaki S, Mochizuki K, Akashi Y, Yamaha E, Katagiri S, Takahashi Y.
    Cryopreservation of primordial germ cells by rapid cooling of whole zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos.
    Journal of Reproduction and Development 56(2):212-218, 2010.
18. Higaki S, Mochizuki K, Baba H, Akashi Y, Yamaha E, Katagiri S, Takahashi Y.
    Feasibility of cryopreservation of zebrafish (Danio rerio) primordial germ cells by whole embryo freezing.
    The Japanese Journal of Veterinary Research 57(2):119-128, 2009.

List of Publications from PubMed