Group Director    Shin-Ichi Nishikawa M.D., Ph.D

After graduation of Kyoto University Medical School (1973), spent 7 years as the chest physician. Started research of the basic science in the laboratory of Klaus Rajewsky, Germany (1981).Since then involved in the stem cell research at the Chest Disease Research Institute, KyotoUniv. (1983-1987), Dept. Morphogenesis, Kumamoto University Medical School (-1993), Dept. Molecular Genetics, Kyoto University Medical School (-2002), and the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology (-present).

 

Research Projects

Stem cells are one of the attractive sources for tissue regeneration. Recent technical advance to induce pluripotent stem cells from adult human somatic cells further prompted the research for guided differentiation of stem cells into specific cell lineages which can contribute to organ regeneration.

Our research goal is to understand the mechanism of cell differentiation from pluripotent stem cells such as ES cells or iPS cells and the way how 'tissue -specific' stem cells are miantained as quiescent but expanded and recruited for tissue repair when necessary. We will study the in vitro differentiation of ES and iPS cells into mesodermal- hematopoietic or endothelial-cells and endodermal cells to utilize pluripotent stem cells for regeneration. As a model for tissue-specific stem cell system we will focus on melanocyte stem cell system especially aiming for the in vitro recaptulation of stem cell quiescence, proliferation and differentiation processes.

Research Subjects

・Guided differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into mesodermal and endodermal cells

・Factors required for the maintanance, proliferation and differentiation of stem cells

・Investigation of the epigenetic changes controlling differentiation, reprogramming and tumorgenesis