Research

The islets of Langerhans are clusters of endocrine cells scattered in the pancreas. The β-cell is one of major endocrine cells in islets, which synthesizes and secretes insulin in response to changes in blood glucose level. Diabetes develops when β-cells fail to meet the insulin demand. β-cell failure is associated with loss of mature identity and function of β-cells. To develop therapeutic strategy to prevent progression of β-cell failure, it is required to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that regulate β-cell identity and function.

  Research Interests

  1. Regulation of β-cell identity and function

  2. Regulation of β-cell adaptation

  3. β-cell failure in the pathogenesis of diabetes

  4. Epigenetics in diabetes

Our research focuses on understanding the early changes that occur in the liver and adipose tissue during the onset of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and how these changes influence systemic energy metabolism over time, ultimately driving disease progression. Our goal is to develop technologies for the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases. We study the regulation of energy metabolism by serotonin in the liver and adipose tissue, the mechanisms through which obesity contributes to liver cancer, and mechanisms related to each stage of MASLD.