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1919-1 TANCHA, ONNA-SON, KUNIGAMI-GUN, OKINAWA, JAPAN 904-0495
TEL 81-98-966-8711 ( INTERNATIONAL) 098-966-8711 ( WITHIN JAPAN)
WWW.OIST.JP
Faculty 2016
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While knowledge creation remains the defining role of
a research university, the manner in which education and
research are conducted is undergoing major change.
If universities are to retain their central relevance to society,they must adapt their programs to the needs of the 21st
century. Students must be educated to be effective citizens
and leaders in a diverse and highly globalized world.
University administrators and faculty must take leadership
in providing sustainable solutions to planet-threatening
problems such as climate change, the energy supply,
human health, food and water shortages. The engine of
true innovation, basic research with long-term R&D
objectives, is arguably the most powerful tool for solving
these problems.
OIST Graduate University is at the forefront of creating
change in how research and education are practiced. We
hire world-leading faculty and we give them substantial
support and considerable freedom to pursue basic research.
By avoiding traditional administrative and physical bound-
aries, and by creating easy access for people to each
other and to research equipment, we have established a
very open and intimate environment which naturally pro-
motes cross-disciplinary education and research. We are
training a new breed of students and young researchers
to become future leaders in the global world of academia
and/or industry—young talent that is receiving strong
disciplinary training while additionally being exposed to
a truly multidisciplinary experience that challenges them
to bridge the boundaries between the physical and life
sciences. What several years ago was a vision for change
is now a successful reality.
Jonathan Dorfan
Introduction
to the
Graduate
University
and
Faculty
OIST President
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Faculty
Quantum Systems UnitCollective Interactions UnitBrain Mechanisms forBehaviour Unit
Associate Professor
Thomas Busch Assistant Professor
Mahesh Bandi Professor
Gordon Arbuthnott
PhD, The University of Innsbruck
Formerly at Konstanz University,
The University of Innsbruck
Aarhus University, Dublin Institute of
Technology, and University College Cork.
The Quantu m Systems U nit inve sti-
gates theoretical concepts of the
quantum world. Drawing from ultra-
cold atomic gases and other natural
and synthetic quantum systems, theiraim is to devise models that explain
quantum phenomena—such as a
particle being in two places at the
same time—and develop methods to
quantify, control and engineer them.
BEng, University of Madras
MSc, PhD, The University of Pittsburgh
Formerly at The Los Alamos National
Laboratory, Harvard University, and Brown
University
The Collective Interactions Unit is an
experimental group with broad interests
in soft matter physics, applied
mathematics, mechanics, and their
application to biologically inspiredproblems. Unit researchers work in
the general area that concerns
macroscopic, non-relativistic matter
and its interactions. Current interests
include problems related to interfacial
fluid dynamics, granular solids, and
biomechanics of the human foot.
BSc, PhD, The University of Aberdeen
Formerly at The Karolinska Institute,
The University of Aberdeen, The University
of Edinburgh, and The University of Otago
The Brai n Mechanism s for Beh aviour
Unit studies the over- or underpro-
duction of dopamine, a reward chemical
produced by certain neurons in the
brain. Using techniques in physiology,
molecular genetics, and anatomy toinvestigate dopamine’s role in neural
systems, the Unit studies the basic
mechanisms of how animals,
including humans, interact with the
world. The results are relevant to
diseases ranging from addiction to
Parkinson’s.
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ComputationalNeuroscience Unit
Professor
Erik De Schutter
BMed, DMed, HabMed from The
University of Antwerp
Formerly at The University of Antwerp
The Computational Neuroscience Unit
studies how neurons and microcircuits
in the brain operate. Unit researchers
explore the influences of neuronal mor-
phology and excitability on common
neural functions such as synaptic
plasticity and learning, and determinehow molecular mechanisms enable
these functions. Their studies focus
on the cerebellum, as it has a relatively
simple anatomy and the physiology
of its main neurons is well known,
allowing detailed modeling at many
levels of complexity.
FemtosecondSpectroscopy Unit
Assistant Professor
Keshav Dani
BS (Honours), The California Institute
of Technology
MA, PhD, The University of California,
Berkeley
Formerly at The Los Alamos National
Laboratory and The Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory
Using intense, ultrafast laser pulses,
the Femtosecond Spectroscopy Unit
explores the optical properties of
matter. Its members study grapheneand other two-dimensional materials
for their potential in transparent,
flexible electronics; research semi-
conductors for photocatalytic and solar
energy applications; and investigate
applications of ultrafast laser pulses to
biology and medicine.
Fluid Mechanics Unit
Associate Professor
Pinaki Chakraborty
BEng, The National Institute of
Technology, Surat
MS, PhD from The University of Illinois
Formerly at the University of Illinois
The Fluid Mechanics Unit studies how
substances flow, be it the turbulent
churning of typhoons or oil streaming
through a pipeline. The Unit meticu-
lously analyzes motion through soap
films and pipes to learn crucial detailsof how energy disperses in two and
three dimensions. Modeling these
phenomena can help predict motion,
improve our response to adverse
weather conditions, and management
of oil-pipeline networks.
Professor
Eliot Fried
Mathematical Soft Matter Unit
BA (Honors), University of California at
Berkeley
MS, PhD, California Institute of Technology
Formerly at the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign, McGill University, and
The University of Washington
The relatively new but rapidly expanding field of
soft matter focuses on materials whose basic
structural elements consist of many atomic or
molecular subelements. These materials typically
exhibit structure on length scales r anging fromnanoscopic to mesoscopic and, as the name
implies, are relatively easy to deform. Research in
the Mathematical Soft Matter Unit focuses on
fundamental and applied, combining techniques
from statistical and continuum mechanics,
differential geometry, asymptotic analysis,
bifurcation theory, and large-scale scientific
computing. Topics of ongoing interest include
discoidal high-density lipoproteins, perforated lipid
bilayers, suspensions of self-propelled agents like
bacteria, and the contact-line dynamics of sessile
drops undergoing evaporation and condensation.
Biodiversity andBiocomplexity Unit
Assistant Professor
Evan Economo
BSc, the University of Arizona
PhD, The University of Texas
Formerly at The University of Michigan
The Biodiversity and Biocomplexity
Unit explores how ecological and
evolutionary processes generate and
sustain biodiversity. The Unit
integrates theoretical, field, and lab
approaches to investigate how
species evolve, move around, and
adapt to their environments. Projectsfocus on the dynamics of ant
communities in the Pacific islands,
global diversity patterns of all ants,
and macroevolution of the
“hyperdiverse” ant genus Pheidole.
Neural Computation Unit
Professor
Kenji Doya
BS, MS, and PhD from The
University of Tokyo
Formerly at UC San Diego, the Salk
Institute, and the ATR Computational
Neuroscience Laboratories
The Neural Computation Unit develops
algorithms that elucidate the brain’s
mechanisms for robust and flexible
learning. The Unit focuses on how the
brain processes reinforcement
learning, in which a biological orartificial agent learns novel behaviors
in uncertain environments by
exploration and reward feedback.
Top-down computational approaches
are combined with bottom-up
neurobiological approaches to achieve
these goals.
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Genomics and RegulatorySystems Unit
Adjunct Professor
NicholasLuscombe
BA (Honours), MA, The University
of Cambridge
PhD, University College London
Formerly at Yale University, EMBL-European
Bioinformatics Institute and the University
of Cambridge
Currently at University College London,
Cancer Research UK, and OIST
To function normally, organisms must
ensure that genes are switched on
and off at the right times andlocations. Gene expression control is
a complex process that requires the
coordinated action of many regulatory
biological molecules. Defects in the
process can lead to many diseases,
such as cancer. The Genomics and
Regulatory Systems Unit combines
computational and experimental
methods to study principles of gene
regulation during early organismal
development.
Optical Neuroimaging Unit
Assistant Professor
Bernd Kuhn
Diploma, University of Ulm
Dr rer. nat., Technical University of Munich
Formerly at the Max Planck Institute of
Biochemistry, the Max Planck Institute for
Medical Research, and Princeton University
The Optical Neuroimaging Unit
develops novel techniques to
investigate two fundamental questions
in neurobiology: how behavior arises
from cellular activity, and how the
brain processes information. Kuhn,the Unit head, has built two-photon
laser scanning microscopes that
enable him to reconstruct 3D images
of neurons with micron resolution and
to observe neuronal activity, both in
awake mice.
BSc, MSc, Moscow Institute of Physics
and Technology
PhD, Brown University
Formerly at the Institute of Physical and
Chemical Research (RIKEN) and Brown
University
In the nanoscopic world, electrons
can exist in many places at once—a
feature that, if harnessed to encode
data, could revolutionize information
processing. The Quantum DynamicsUnit is exploring the behavior of
complex quantum systems, using high
magnetic fields and ultra-low
temperatures to observe and control
electrons in certain conditions, to find
how to regulate them for applications
in quantum computing.
Associate Professor
DenisKonstantinov
Quantum Dynamics UnitIntegrated Open Systems Unit
Adjunct Professor
Hiroaki Kitano
BA, International Christian University
PhD, Kyoto University
Currently at Sony Computer Science
Laboratories, The Systems Biology Institute,
Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute
and OIST
Healthcare and sustainability are
critical issues in global agenda that
we are facing today. Both deal with
integrated open systems, such as
biological systems and complexsocial systems, including energy and
transportation. They are highly
integrated, yet open-ended complex
systems. The Integrated Open
Systems Unit aims to understand
the fundamental principles which
governopen complex systems, and
apply such knowledge for real world
applications through a series of
global activities, such as the Garuda
Alliance and Sustain able Livi ng.
Information ProcessingBiology Unit
Professor
Ichiro Maruyama
PhD, The University of Tokyo
Formerly at National Institute of Genetics,
MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology,
The Scripps Research Institute,
Molecular Sciences Institute
and Genome Institute of Singapore
All life, from bacteria to humans,
senses and responds to its
environment in various ways. The
Information Processing Biology Unit
explores how sensory organs detect
external information, how neurons commu-
nicate, and how the brain processes
information at the molecular level.
Results of this research can improve
our understanding of the
mechanisms of cognitive diseases in
humans, help in drug design, and
lead to better computers, sensors and
other information processing devices.
Membrane Cooperativity Unit
Professor (Adjunct)
Akihiro Kusumi
B.Sc., Kyoto University
D.Sc., Kyoto University
Formerly at Kyoto University, The Medical
College of Wisconsin,
The University of Tokyo, Nagoya University,
and the ERATO and
ICORP projects of
Japan Science and Technology Agency
Currently at Kyoto University and OIST
The Membrane Cooperativity Unit strives
to understand how cellular plasma
membranes work at very fundamental
levels. For this purpose, the Unit is
dedicated to developing unique
methodologies of single-molecule
observation-manipulation in living cells,
and elucidating the mechanisms for the
plasma membrane organization and
function, enabled by cooperative
interactions of molecules in/on the plasma
membrane, with particular emphases on
signal transduction and neuronal network
formation, by extensively using
single-molecule technologies.
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Marine Biophysics Unit
Assistant Professor
Satoshi Mitarai
BS, MS, Osaka Prefecture University
PhD, The University of Washington
Formerly at The University of California,
Santa Barbara
The Marine Biophysics Unit examines
how ocean currents affect the marine
life of hydrothermal vents and coral reefs
around Okinawa. Using buoy deploy-
ments, population genetics, computer
modeling, remotely and wave-operated
vehicles, and physical oceanographicmeasurements, the Unit is mapping
the Kuroshio current circulation, track-
ing larval dispersal, hunting for the
source of an invasive coral-eating sea
star, and monitoring plankton health.
Physics and Biology Unit
Associate Professor
Jonathan Miller
BS, Yale University
PhD in Biology, The University of
Cambridge (MRC LMB)
PhD in Physics, The California Institute
of Technology
Formerly at Baylor College of Medicine,
Princeton University, NEC Research
Institute, The University of Chicago, and
Bell Laboratories
The Physi cs and Bio logy Uni t
develops physical science based toolsaimed primarily at the study of
biological systems. Major interests
include genome evolution and
population genomics, to obtain new
insight into how genetic variation
couples natural selection and evolution.
Ecology and Evolution Unit
Assistant Professor
AlexanderMikheyev
DevelopmentalNeurobiology Unit
Associate Professor
Ichiro Masai
BSc, MSc, PhD, the University of Tokyo
Formerly at the University of Tokyo,
King’s College London,
and the Institute of Physical and
Chemical Research (RIKEN)
The Developmental Neurobiology Unit
uses the zebrafish as a model system
to study the mechanisms that control
cell development and tissue building.
OIST’s high-capacity aquarium systemhouses some 200,000 fish in 4,800
tanks to maintain mutant and
transgenic lines of zebrafish for projects
that investigate how the vertebrate
retina develops.
BA, Cornell University
MS, The Florida State University
PhD, The University of Texas
Evolution is the unifying principle of life
sciences. Recent technological
advances have revolutionized the way
it is studied, providing new insights
into historical questions. The Ecology
and Evolution Unit utilizes cutting-edge
technology to address a wide range
of research questions. The Unit’sinvestigations have included coevolution
of mutualists, landscape genetics of
adaptation by herbivores to host
plants, genomic changes in little fire
ant castes that influence invasiveness,
coevolution of leaf-cutting ants and
their cultivated fungi, and proteomics
of pit viper venoms. Future projects
will employ massive sequencing of
environmental samples and museum
collections to link major themes in
ecology and evolution.
Light-Matter Interactions Unit
Associate Professor
Síle Nic Chormaic
BSc (Honours), MSc, St. Patrick’s College,
NUI, Ireland
PhD in Physics, The University of Paris XIII
Formerly at The University of Innsbruck,
The University of Melbourne,
Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics,
and University College Cork
Interactions between light and matter
occur all around us, from the lenses in
our eyes to photosynthesis. The
Light-Matter Interactions Unit isolatesand studies small numbers of particles
as small as atoms using optical
nanofibers as an interface tool between
light from lasers and the sample under
investigation. The ultimate goal is to
better understand photons, atoms,
cells, and proteins—the building blocks
of the world.
Energy Materials and SurfaceSciences Unit
Assistant Professor
Yabing Qi
BSc, Nanjing University
MPhil, The Hong Kong University of Science
and Technology
PhD, The University of California, Berkeley
Formerly at Princeton University
The Energ y Material s and Surf ace
Sciences Unit is developing cost-
efficient, large-area solar technology
out of organic materials. These
organic solar cells are lightweight,
flexible, and can be printed roll-to-rolllike newsprint to cover windows,
walls, and many other surfaces. They
also use state-of-the-art ultrahigh
vacuum instruments and a clean-room
device fabrication facility to investigate
properties of individual materials and
their interfaces to optimize the solar
cell’s structure for better performance.
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Plant Epigenetics Unit
Assistant Professor
Hidetoshi Saze
BSc, MSc, Kyoto University
PhD, The University of Basel
Formerly at the National Institute
of Genetics
Genes dictate many aspects of how
living things look and act, but genes are
also controlled. Epigenetics, is the
study of mechanisms that determine
whether a gene is active or not, and
thus whether it has any effect on
an organism. The Plant EpigeneticsUnit studies epigenetic regulation in
Arabidopsis and rice. It is also improving
traits of rice crops by applying
genomic information obtained by high-
throughput sequencing technology.
Marine Genomics Unit
Professor
Noriyuki Satoh
PhD, The University of Tokyo
Formerly at Kyoto University
Sequencing the genomes of the major
marine phyla helps explain relationships
between organisms, both in terms of
large-scale evolution and within their
ecosystems. The Marine Genomics
Unit’s ability to quickly sequence large
genomes has made the lab the first
to decode the genetic sequences
of a coral and a mollusk. The Unit alsohas found evidence of a common
ancestor that links humans to sea stars.
Trans-MembraneTrafficking Unit
Associate Professor
Fadel Samatey
Bacc, Joseph Fourier University
MPhys, Louis Pasteur University
PhD, Joseph Fourier University
Formerly at Osaka University, JST, The High
Energy Accelerator Research Organization,
The National Centre for Scientific Research
and the Institut Laue–Langevin
Despite advances in the tools used to
study how living things work, the
study of cell membranes embedded
with many notoriously difficult-to-characterize proteins, remains very
challenging. Samatey’s Trans-
Membrane Trafficking Unit uses X-ray
crystallography to solve the 3D
structure of membrane proteins of the
flagellar system—which, since they
resemble those that build the “needle
complex” in pathogenic bacteria,
could help treat related infections.
Molecular Genetics Unit
Professor (Visiting, Adjunct)
Daniel Rokhsar
A.B. from Princeton University
M.S., Ph.D. from Cornell University
Formerly at IBM TJ Watson Research
Center
Currently at University of California-Berkeley,
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
US Department of Energy Joint Genome
Institute and OIST
Work in the Molecular Genetics Unit
combines comparative genomics,
population genetic modeling, and
genetic mapping. The Unit uses new
approaches for sequencing and
analyzing genomes to investigate the
evolution of morphological and
functional complexity among related
animals, so as to be able to
illuminate the key transitions in their
evolution. Current focus is on
cephalopods – how their unique
nervous system emerged
independently of vertebrates and the
genomic underpinnings of their
capacity for complex behaviors.
Theory of QuantumMatter Unit
Associate Professor
Nic Shannon
BSc (Honours), The University
of Birmingham
PhD, The University of Warwick
Formerly at The University of Bristol, The
University of Wisconsin-Madison,
The Max Planck Institute for the Physics
of Complex systems and Atomic
Energy and Alternative Energies Commission
(CEA), Saclay
Quantum materials are governed by
how their electrons interact. In metals,such as copper, electrons largely
ignore one another, but in quantum
materials they have a ‘social life’. The
Theory of Quantum Matter Unit’s main
goal is to uncover new laws of physics
that explain interactions of electrons
in groups.
Micro/Bio/Nanofluidics Unit
Professor
Amy Shen
PhD, University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign,
Formerly at Harvard University and the
University of Washington
The Micro/Bio/Nanofluidics Unit focuses
on using complex fluids and complex
flows to create objects with morphology
and structure tailored precisely for
applications in biotechnology,
nanotechnology, and energy. The unit
employs lab-on-a-chip platforms with
analytical capacity to study the physics
of flow, the transport of mass,
momentum, and energy, and reactive
processes at nano- and micron length
scales. Novel device designs have the
potential to significantly enhance
understanding of single-cell behavior,
developmental biology, and
neuroscience. These strategies can be
used to address challenges in drug
screening and the development of
bio- and chemical-sensors for disease,
security, and environmental monitoring.
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Nanoparticles byDesign Unit
Associate Professor
Mukhles Ibrahim Sowwan
BSc, Yarmouk University
MSc from The University of Jordan
PhD, Hebrew University
Formerly at Al-Quds University and
Stanford University
The Nanoparticles by Design Unit has
developed an ultra-high vacuum
system to study and custom-build
nanoparticles. Atoms of up to three
different materials can be sputtered
from the source simultaneously toform nanoclusters, which pass through
a mass filter that selects those in
a certain size range to be deposited
on a solid surface or harvested
for applications such as novel cancer
therapies, drug delivery systems,
infrared detectors, and sensors.
Structural CellularBiology Unit
Professor
Ulf Skoglund
BSc, PhD, Stockholm University
Formerly at the Karolinska Institute,
Stockholm University and Uppsala
University
The Structural Cellular Biology Unit
combines microscopy and computation
to visualize molecules and cellular
structures in 3D. A 300 keV
transmission electron microscope,
Titan Krios, is used to understand the
dynamics of macromolecules in situ
and to investigate how they bind
and interact with each other. This
work has potential for drug delivery, as
it offers molecular details of protein
binding, virus structures, and receptor
interactions in cell membranes.
MathematicalBiology Unit
Associate Professor
Robert Sinclair
BSc (Honours), Monash University
Physik-Diplom, the Freie Universität Berlin
Doktor der Mathematik from ETH Zürich
Formerly at ETH Zürich, The University of
Basel, The Technical University of Denmark,
The University of Melbourne and the
University of the Ryukyus
The Mathematical Biology Unit works
across boundaries, creating new
methods of analysis, even when the
biological questions cannot easily be
expressed mathematically. The Unit
constructs mathematical approaches
to problems in vertebrate evolution,
morphology, neuroscience, microbiology
and virology, usually in collaboration
with other research units.
Quantum WaveMicroscopy Unit
Professor
Tsumoru Shintake
BSc, PhD from Kyushu University
Formerly at The Institute of Physical and
Chemical Research (RIKEN)
The Quantum Wave Microscopy Unit’s
newly assembled, low-energy electron
microscope uses lensless technology
to construct crisp holograms of DNA
and viruses. It is hoped that this
new technology will obviate the need
for time-consuming crystallographic
techniques, and that it will yield single-
molecule images at sub-nanometer
resolution. A very different project,
denominated “Sea Horse”, aims to
generate 1GW of electricity from ocean
currents using 300 huge propellers
tethered to the sea floor in the Kuroshio
Current near Okinawa.
Biological PhysicsTheory Unit
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Greg Stephens
BSc, Ohio University
MSc, Syracuse University
PhD, The University of Maryland
Formerly at Princeton University and
The Los Alamos National Laboratory
Currently at VU University Amsterdam
and OIST
While physicists have long searched
for universal laws that explain the
nature of matter and energy, until
recently the complexity of biological
systems proved daunting. The
Biological Physics Theory Unit
searches for simple, unifying principles
in the brains and behavior of living
systems. Working closely with experi-
mentalists, Unit members combine
quantitative biological measurements
with theoretical ideas drawn from
statistical physics, information theory,
and dynamic systems.
Cellular and MolecularSynaptic Function Unit
Distinguished Professor (Fellow)
Tomoyuki Takahashi
MD, PhD, Tokyo Medical and Dental
University
Formerly at Kyoto University, the University
of Tokyo and Doshisha University
The Cellular and Molecular Synaptic
Function Unit strives to understand
the mechanisms that regulate neuro-
transmitter release at synapses by
studying the calyx of Held, a synapse
large enough to enable simultaneous
measurements of presynaptic and
postsynaptic electrical signals.
Insights into synaptic transmission
should lead to a better understanding
of neuronal communication.
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Neurobiology Research UnitEvolutionary Neurobiology Unit
Professor
Dean of Graduate School
Jeff Wickens
Assistant Professor
Hiroshi Watanabe
BMedSc, MBChB, PhD, The University
of Otago
Formerly at The University of Otago
The goal of the Neurobiology
Research Unit is to understand neural
mechanisms of learning in the brain.
The Unit studies physical changes that
take place in synapses due to learning
experiences, and how these changes
depend on dopamine, a chemical
that plays a key role in motivation. Thisresearch has the forward goal of devel-
oping better treatments for disorders
such as Parkinson’s disease and
attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
B.S., Tokai University
M.S., Ph.D., Tokyo Institute of Technology
Formerly at Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of
Medical Science, Heidelberg Institute of
Zoology and The Centre for Organismal
Studies (COS) at The University of
Heidelberg
Research projects of the Evolutionary
Neurobiology Unit include (1) anatomical
and physiological dissections of nervous
systems of the basal metazoans, mainly ondiffused and regionally condensed nervous
systems of cnidarians, and (2) analysis of
genetic mechanisms underlying
development of the regionalized
(semi-centralized) nervous system of
cnidarians. The unit also carries out (3) a
comprehensive analysis of chemical
neurotransmission among the basal
metazoan lineages. They combine
cutting-edge genetic, neuroscientific and
neuroimaging techniques on cnidarians and
other basal metazoans, and phylogenetic
analysis to reconstruct the early evolutionary
processes of the nervous system.
Formation and Regulationof Neuronal ConnectivityResearch Unit
Visiting Professor
David Van Vactor
BA, The Johns Hopkins University
PhD, the University of California,
Los Angeles
Formerly at The University of California,
Berkeley, Harvard Medical School,
Woods Hole Institute and Cold Spring
Harbor Laboratories
Currently at Harvard Medical School
and OIST
The synapses in our brains communi-
cate via chemical signals billionsof times per second in order to sense
and respond to the world around
us. The Formation and Regulation of
Neuronal Connectivity Research Unit
studies the assembly and mainten-
ance of healthy synapses, using the
fruitfly model to explore the genetics
regulating neural development.
Human DevelopmentalNeurobiology Unit
Professor
Gail Tripp
BSc (Honours), PhD, PGDipClPs,
The University of Otago
Formerly at the University of Otago
The Human Developmental
Neurobiology Unit investigates the
nature, causes and management of
ADHD. Uni t members st udy why
children diagnosed with ADHD
respond differently to reinforcement,
and they work with colleagues
overseas conducting fMRI and drugstudies to explore the disorder’s
underlying neurobiology. The Unit is
also studying the social problem
solving skills of children with ADHD
and developing a skills program for
Japanese parents dealing with ADHD.
Chemistry and ChemicalBioengineering Unit
Associate Professor
Fujie Tanaka
BS, Gifu Pharmaceutical University
PhD, Kyoto University
Formerly at The Scripps Research Institute
The Chemistry and Chemical
Bioengineering Unit develops methods
and strategies for the construction
of organic molecules. The strategies
that this unit investigates include
asymmetric synthetic methods and
organocatalytic methods. The
molecules that this unit designs and
creates include enzyme-like catalysts
and functionalized small molecules.
Studies undertaken by this unit
contribute to the creation of molecules
necessary to elucidate biological
mechanisms and the control of bio-
logical systems.
Molecular Cryo-ElectronMicroscopy Unit
Assistant Professor
Matthias Wolf
MPharm, The University of Innsbruck
PhD, Brandeis University
Formerly at Harvard Medical School,
Children’s Hospital Boston, Brandeis
University and the University of Innsbruck
The Molecul ar Cryo-E lectron
Microscopy Unit investigates the
structure of macromolecular
complexes with an emphasis on
viruses, ion channels and membrane
proteins. The Unit seeks better
understanding of macromolecular
functions that govern important
processes such as infection and
cellular signaling, as well as improve-
ments in specimen preparation and
image processing. In addition, the
Unit explores novel techniques to
obtain a detailed three-dimensional
map of brain tissue at unprecedented
resolutions.
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Bioinspired Soft Matter UnitNucleic Acid Chemistry andEngineering Unit
Other Faculty
Assistant Professor
Ye Zhang Associate Professor (Adjunct)
Yohei Yokobayashi Professor
Executive Vice President for
Sustainable Development of
Okinawa
Robert BaughmanBS, Nankai University
PhD, Hong Kong University of Science and
Technology
Formerly at the University of Turin and Ecole
Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
and Brandeis University
Nature designs materials as hierarchical
architectures with complex composite
structures spanning the nano to
near-macro length scales to create
unique combinations of propertiesthat are often difficult to achieve with
synthetic materials. The task of the
Bioinspired Soft Matter Unit is to
understand such amazing
mechanisms and develop new
man-made materials to mimic the
structure, properties or performance
of natural materials or living matters.
B.Eng., M.Eng., The University of Tokyo
PhD, The Scripps Research Institute
Formerly at the California Institute of
Technology
Currently at the University of
California-Davis and OIST
Nucleic acids DNA and RNA are
fundamental building blocks of life.
These biomolecules display
remarkable chemical functions such
as information storage, catalysis, andmolecular recognition. The Nucleic
Acid Chemistry and Engineering Unit’s
goal is to harness the versatile
chemistry of nucleic acids to design
and engineer functional nucleic acids
(DNA, RNA, and their synthetic
analogs) that operate in test tubes,
devices, and living cells.
BA, New College
MA, PhD, Harvard University
Formerly at Harvard Medical School
and NIH National Institute of
Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Prof. Baughman was a neurobiologist
at Harvard Medical School and
Associate Director in a division of the
National Institute of Neurological
Disorders and Stroke, in the US
National Institutes of Health. In 2007he joined OIST as Vice President and
Executive Director of the OIST
Promotion Corporation, where he
guided OIST’s development from the
arrival of the first staff to full
accreditation as a graduate university
in November 2011. Baughman is
now OIST’s Executive Vice President
for Sustainable Development of
Okinawa.
Neuronal Mechanism forCritical Period Unit
Assistant Professor
Yoko Yazaki-Sugiyama
BSc, Japan Women’s University
MSc, PhD, Sophia University
Formerly at Sophia University, Duke
University and the Institute of Physical
and Chemical Research (RIKEN)
When we are young, our brains adapt
at the whim of our sensory environ-
ments. The Neuronal Mechanism for
Critical Period Unit studies how this
‘critical period’ of malleability in the
young is orchestrated within the brain.Zebra finches, the Unit’s model
organism of choice, learn to sing from
their auditory experiences as young
birds, allowing researchers to explore
what is happening during this
marvelous period.
G0 Cell Unit
Professor
Mitsuhiro Yanagida
DrSci., the University of Tokyo
Formerly at Kyoto University
The G0 Cell Unit investigates molecular
mechanisms of cell regulations in
division, called the vegetative cell cycle,
and arrest, known as the G0 phase,
using post-genomic methods in
combination with genetic approaches.
The Unit is also i nvestigati ng the
health benefits of Okinawan produce
and the origins of Okinawan longevity.
Cell Signal Unit
Professor
Tadashi Yamamoto
BSc, PhD, Osaka University
Formerly at the University of Tokyo and
the National Institutes of Health
Using a mouse model, the Cell Signal
Unit explores the cause of various
diseases that include cancer, neuronal
disorders, immunological diseases,
and diabetes/obesity at the molecular
level. Practically, the Unit studies
biochemical reactions that cells use to
respond to environmental cues withspecial emphasis on mechanisms by
which unneeded RNA copies are
destroyed to silence gene expression.
8/15/2019 Oist Faculty Booklet en 201602
12/12
Design by Sandbox Studio, Chicago
Photography by Vanessa Schipani
Micheal Cooper, Laura Petersen
and Olga Garnova
Media Section, Communication and
Public Relations Division
Distinguished Professor
Sydney Brenner
MSc, MB, BCh (Medicine), The University
of Witwatersrand
DPhil, Exeter College, Oxford University
Formerly MRC Laboratory of Molecular
Biology, MRC Molecular Genetics
Unit, Molecular Sciences Institute and
Salk Institute
Sydney Brenner has led a distinguished
research career in the field of genetics.
In 2002 he was awarded the Nobel
Prize for Physiology or Medicine for hisfounding work in developmental biology.
Brenner served as President of the
OIST Promotion Corporation from 2005–
2011 and his determination and drive
were essential factors in the creation of
the Graduate University. He visits OIST
regularly as a Distinguished Professor.
Distinguished Professor
Hirotaka Sugawara
PhD, The University of Tokyo
Formerly at Institute of Nuclear Studies,
University of Tokyo, The KEK Japanese
National Laboratory for High Energy
Physics, and The Graduate University of
Advanced Studies (Sokendai)
Prof. Sugawara has held academic
positions at Cornell, Berkeley, Tokyo
University of Education, University of
Tokyo, University of Chicago and
University of Hawaii. He was DirectorGeneral of the KEK Japanese National
Laboratory for High Energy Physics
and Executive Director of the
Graduate University of Advanced
Studies (Sokendai). He most recently
served as the Director of the
Washington D.C. office of the
Japanese Society for the Promotion
of Science.
Visiting Professor
Special Advisor to the Dean
David Dorfan
PhD, Columbia University
Formerly at SLAC, The University of
California, Santa Cruz
Prof. Dorfan has had a distinguished
career as a particle physicist. He was
Professor of Physics at the University
of California, Santa Cruz, and was
influential in setting up its highly
regarded Department of Physics,
where he subsequently served three
mandates as Dean and the Chair.Professor Dorfan spends several
months a year teaching at OIST.
Advanced MedicalInstrumentation Unit
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