Research Activities
Research Activities
Principal Investigators
Dept. of Cell Growth and Differentiation
Kenji Osafune (Deputy Director & Professor)
Kenji Osafune M.D., Ph.D.
Research Overview
Our laboratory focuses on the in vitro generation of kidney, pancreas, and liver tissues from human iPS cells for regenerative therapies, such as cell therapy and organ transplantation, and the development of new drugs to treat intractable disorders, such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), diabetes mellitus, and liver cirrhosis. We are investigating induction methods to differentiate iPS cells into kidney, pancreatic, and hepatic lineage cells and reconstruct organs using induced cells. Through these works, we aim to advance research in the following areas:
- The elucidation of the development, proliferation, and differentiation mechanisms of the human kidney, pancreas, and liver
- The development of cell transplantation therapies for CKD, type 1 diabetes, and liver cirrhosis
- The reconstruction of organs for transplantation (kidney, pancreas, and liver)
- The creation of disease models for polycystic kidney disease, diabetes, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and other intractable kidney, pancreas, and liver disorders
- The development of novel therapeutic drugs using these disease models