Yuichiro Nakajima

Summary

My research interests are to understand how the polarized epithelial architecture is robustly maintained and to illuminate the causes of epithelial diseases by gaining mechanistic insights into the inherent plasticity of epithelial cells. Previously, I showed that the defects in mitotic spindle orientation in epithelia can trigger abnormal Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) and potential tumor formation. I am currently investigating mechanisms of aberrant cellular plasticity, or pathogenic cell-fates by studying EMT, tumorigenesis and regeneration using the Drosophila epithelia as a genetically tractable model. Recently, I started another project to address environmatenal responses, using the hydrozoan jellyfish Cladonema pacificum. The overlapping objectives of my aims address a fundamental question: how does epithelial architecture maintain tissue homeostasis, respond to environmental changes and suppress abnormal cell fate transformation? I am introducing interdisciplinary approaches and elucidate the molecular and cellular machinery underlying these biological phenomena.

Cell Biology Developmental Biology Genetics Marine Biology Zoology

Past or current institution affiliations