KATO Lab

KATO Lab

Professor (PI)

Hideaki KATO

2005 - 2009 
B.S., Biophysics and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, The University of Tokyo
2009 - 2014 
Ph.D., Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry, Graduate school of science, The University of Tokyo (Osamu Nureki lab)
2014 - 2019 
Postdoctoral fellow, Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, School of Medicine, Stanford University (Brian Kobilka lab)
2019 - 2024 
Associate professor, Department of Life Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo
2024 - present 
Professor, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST), The University of Tokyo

Grants and Fellowships:
2011 - 2014  Japan Society of Promotion for Sciences (JSPS), Research Fellowship for Young Scientists (DC1)
2014 - 2016  Japan Society of Promotion for Sciences (JSPS), Postdoctoral Fellowships for Research Abroad
2016 - 2017  The Uehara Memorial Foundation, Research fellowship
2017 - 2021  Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), PRESTO
2019 - 2020  The University of Tokyo Excellent Young Researchers
2019 - 2021  Japan Society of Promotion for Sciences (JSPS), Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
2021 - 2027  Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), FOREST
2022 - 2026  Japan Society of Promotion for Sciences (JSPS), Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
2022 - 2024  Japan Society of Promotion for Sciences (JSPS), Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
2023 - 2028  Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), CREST
and others.

Awards:
2008  Elite Science Student Abroad Program (ESSVAP), Faculty of Science, Dean’s Award
2012  Young Scientist Award from Protein Science Society of Japan
2012  The Merck Award for Young Biochemistry Researcher
2012  The JSPS Ikushi Prize
2014  The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Science Research Award
2014  The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Science President's Award
2015  Young Scientist Award of the Biophysics Society of Japan
2016  SPRUC2016 Young Scientist Award
2016  Inoue Research Award for Young Scientists
2019  MEXT NISTEP Selection "The Researchers with Nice Step"
2020  The Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology The Young Scientists’ Prize
2020  The Frontier Salon Nagase Prize, Special Prize
2020  The Shimadzu Prize for Young Scientists
2024  Kobe Prize Young Investigator Award
2024  IUPAB Young Investigator Prize

Assistant Professor

Masahiro FUKUDA

Masahiro received his undergraduate and Ph.D. degrees in Biophysics and Biochemistry at the University of Tokyo. During his graduate studies in the laboratory of Osamu Nureki, Masahiro elucidated the molecular mechanism of nitrate recognition and transport by nitrate/nitrite antiporter NarK. After a short assistant professor at Keio University, he joined the Kato lab in 2019. In Kato lab, Masahiro is interested in the structure-function relationship of GPCR and G protein signaling molecules.

Postdoctoral fellow, Research fellow (PD) of JSPS

Suhyang KIM

Suhyang received her Ph.D. degrees at Kyoto University. During her graduate studies, Suhyang studied the photochemical properties of Photoactive Yellow Protein (PYP). As a postdoc, she is interested in the strucure-function relationship of broad photoreceptors including PYP and rhodopsins.

Postdoctoral fellow

Kazuhiro KOBAYASHI

Kazuhiro received his undergraduate and Ph.D. degrees in Biophysics and Biochemistry at the University of Tokyo. During his graduate studies, he studied structures and dynamics of class B GPCRs. In Kato lab, Kazuhiro expands his interests to broader membrane proteins and develops novel structural, biological, and medical technologies.

Postdoctoral fellow, Research fellow (PD) of JSPS

Kouki KAWAKAMI

Kouki received his Ph.D. degree at Tohoku University. During his graduate studies, he studied GPCR functions using multiple cell-based assays. In Kato lab, Kouki expands his expertise to structural biology and sheds light on the new aspects of GPCR signalings.

Postdoctoral fellow

Huang YICHEN

Huang received his Ph.D. from Fudan University, where he studied the structure-function relationship of magnesium transporters. At the Kato lab, Huang is expanding his expertise to include cryo-electron microscopy, exploring receptor proteins that respond to various physicochemical stimuli.

Postdoctoral fellow

Seiya TAJIMA

Seiya obtained his M.S. degree at Yokohama National University, where he analyzed the fine structure of the Schiff base region of schizorhodopsin using NMR. Now in the Kato lab, he is studying newly discovered channel-type rhodopsin family proteins using cryo-EM.

Graduate Student (SPRING GX fellow / Research Fellowship (DC) of JSPS)

Mai KUGAWA

Mai received her B.Sc. at Yokohama City University. In the Kato lab, she is interested in exploring GPCRs and GPCR-like proteins.

Graduate Student (Research Fellowship (DC) of JSPS)

Asato KOJIMA

Asato received his bachelor's degree at UTokyo. As a grad. student, he wants to explore both GPCR and microbial rhodopsin fields.

Graduate Student (SPRING GX fellow / Research Fellowship (DC) of JSPS)

Ayami FUKUNAGA

Ayami received her bachelor's degree at Gakushuin University. As a grad. student, she is interested in the structure and pharmacology of GPCRs.

Graduate Student (WINGS-LST fellow)

Kosuke KUDO

Kosuke received his bachelor's degree at UTokyo, and he is interested in the evolution of GPCR and G-protein signalings.

Graduate Student (SPRING GX fellow)

Seiwa NAKAMURA

Seiwa received his bachelor's degree at Chiba University. As a grad. student, he wants to study both animal and microbial rhodopsins.

Graduate Student (WINGS-ABC fellow / Research Fellowship (DC) of JSPS)

Yuka TAKENO

Yuka received her bachelor's degree at Osaka Prefecture Univ., and she is interested in the development and application of novel optogenetics tools.

Graduate Student (SPRING-GX fellow)

Takafumi KUNO

Takafumi received his master's degree at Kyoto Univ., and he is interested in the structure-function relationship of microbial rhodopsins.

Graduate Student (WINGS-ABC fellow)

Yuzhong GU

Yuzhong received his bachelor's degree at Fudan Univ (Ichikawa lab).

Graduate Student

Jie MA

Jie received her bachelor's degree at Fudan Univ (Hattori lab).

Graduate Student (WINGS-ABC fellow)

Tomohiro NARITA

Tomohiro received his bachelor's degree at Tohoku University. As a grad. student, he is interested in the complexity of diverse GPCR signalings.

Graduate Student

Yuki Oheda

Yuki received his bachelor's degree at Science Tokyo. As a grad. student, he is interested in the AIxBio related to GPCR.

Graduate Student

Maya TAKEHARA

Maya received her bachelor's degree at Japan Women's University. As a grad. student, she is interested in the dynamics of microbial rhodopsins.

Graduate Student

Aoi MATSUSHITA

Aoi received her bachelor's degree at Osaka Prefecture Univ., and she is interested in the structure-funciton relationship of GPCRs.

Research Staff

Hisako IKEDA

Research Staff

Akiko Oosakaya

Lab Manager

Kumika HASEGAWA

We are currently looking for highly motivated graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
Background in protein engineering, computational biology, and/or electrophysiology is recommended.
If you are interested in joining our lab, please send your CV, a brief description of your scientific interests,
and name of 1-3 references to Hideaki (c-hekato[at]g.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp).

University TOkyo Logo

map 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguroku, Tokyo, RCAST, Building-4, Room 212, 215

tell 03-5452-5117


mail c-hekato[at]g.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp

kakenhi

sakigake