JOIN OUR GROUP

Thanks for your interest in the Yamamoto Lab!

We often get questions from students who are curious about what we do, so we’ve put together this message to give you a better idea of our work and our expectations. It’s a bit long, but we strongly encourage you to read it carefully before applying.

Our lab focuses on biomacromolecules such as proteins, DNA/RNA, and glycans (sugar chains). We study what these molecules do in the body, how they are linked to disease, and how they can be characterized and understood at the molecular level. We also work to apply these findings to real-world and industry-relevant problems.

Within ASDRP, our lab is one of the primary groups working in analytical chemistry and materials characterization of large biological molecules. Developing new analytical methods and rigorously evaluating data are central to our work.

Who We Are Looking For

The Yamamoto Lab is a research-intensive environment designed for students who are genuinely curious about science and committed to experimental work. We are looking for students who are hard-working, collaborative, and serious about research- not those seeking a casual experience or social environment. Respect for experimental science, careful data collection, and integrity in analysis are essential.

Strong communication skills matter here. Students are expected to clearly explain their ideas, discuss results with teammates and mentors, and maintain organized written records of their work.

Just as importantly, this lab requires a significant in-person time commitment.

Lab Commitment & Expectations

One unique aspect of our lab is advisor accessibility. Mr. Yamamoto is one of the only ASDRP advisors, alongside Dr. Njoo, who is physically present in the lab nearly every day. He is deeply invested in helping students move their projects forward, troubleshoot experiments, and open up opportunities such as conference presentations and publications. His frequent presence is intentional: it allows students to receive consistent guidance and make real, sustained progress.

However, this level of mentorship is only effective for students who are equally committed.

Because Mr. Yamamoto is in the lab so frequently, he expects students to be present and actively working as well. Students admitted to the lab are expected to come to the laboratory at least 3–4 days per week, commute reliably, and spend enough time at the bench to complete experiments properly. Students who are unable to meet this expectation will not remain in the lab.

This is not meant to be discouraging, it reflects how experimental research works. Many of the materials we use, such as cells and proteins, are time-sensitive. Cells die if neglected, and proteins degrade or lose structure over time. Progress depends on consistent attention and follow-through.

From our experience, students who live more than 10 miles away from ASDRP often struggle to attend regularly. In the summer especially, students who come in frequently advance far more quickly than those who do not. Even daily attendance can feel insufficient when pursuing conference presentations or authorship, as experiments often require long, uninterrupted blocks of time.

What You’ll Be Doing

If you join the lab, the first step is learning. You’ll begin by researching a topic, either assigned or self-directed, by reviewing existing literature, identifying unanswered questions, and understanding the tools used in the field. While some background work can be done at home, discussing ideas with other lab members often leads to deeper insight and stronger projects.

As you develop your own questions or hypotheses, you’ll design and perform experiments to test them. Lab work includes synthesizing chemicals, preparing solutions, working with cells, collecting data, and determining next steps based on your results. This cycle of research, experiment, record, analyze, refine, repeat is the core of our work.

Many students underestimate how long experiments take. Arriving briefly or leaving before completing protocols often leads to unusable results. Meaningful progress requires preparation, patience, and time at the bench.

Final Thoughts

In short, the Yamamoto Lab offers the opportunity to gain deep, hands-on experience in cutting-edge biomolecular and analytical research, with an unusually high level of advisor support. That opportunity comes with high expectations. Students who thrive here are consistent, curious, and committed to showing up.

If this environment excites you and you are ready to dedicate the time required, we would be excited to work with you.