Research Overview

The immune system not only protects our body against infectious diseases and cancers but also causes the rejection of transplanted organs and plays an important role in various lifestyle and age-related diseases.

Our laboratory focuses on T cells—the principal immune cells responsible for combatting cancers and viral infections—and the thymus, the organ that produces them. Listed below are our main areas of research, through which we aim to develop methods to enhance and regulate immune functions.

1. Understanding the mechanisms of thymus development, function, and involution
2. Inducting thymic epithelial cells from iPS cells and restoring thymus function
3. Exploring the causes and mechanisms of human T-cell aging for the development of rejuvenation technologies