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Q＆A

What is your hot research topic?

It is becoming evident that polyploid cells, which were previously thought to have simply doubled in cell scale, including their genome, exhibit distinct gene expression patterns and characteristics compared to diploid cells. We are focusing on the possibility that these alterations associated with polyploidy play roles in the development of various diseases including cancer and serve as therapeutic targets.

Have you had any breakthroughs or significant research progress in the recent years?

By establishing a mouse model capable of tracking polyploid cell proliferation in vivo, we demonstrated the involvement of polyploid hepatocytes in liver regeneration and carcinogenesis, as well as elucidated the unique phenomenon that ploidy can be reduced in somatic cells (Cell Stem Cell. 2020, 26:34-47; Nat Commun. 2021, 12:646). We also revealed that polyploid cancers represent a distinct subgroup of human liver cancers with high malignant properties (Br J Cancer. 2023, 129:1251-1260) and developed a model using AI to assess the ploidy of cancers and predict their prognosis.

What kind of background do your lab members have？

While many members primarily focus on cancer research, we also have a keen interest in studying tissue damages and regeneration.

Do you collaborate with other institutions and universities?

We actively collaborate with various institutions such as Kyoto University, Kobe University, Kyushu University, National Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Osaka International Cancer Institute, and others.

What kind of careers do your Lab's alumni go on to?

Members of the team I led in my previous lab include individuals now engaged in research at universities and others employed by pharmaceutical companies.

How do you develop your research?

We aim to unravel many mysteries about ploidy and to develop novel cancer treatment strategies targeting polyploid cells and ploidy alterations.