Welcome to the Oonuma laboratory!
All the complex structures in our bodies—such as the nervous system, muscles, and internal organs—are derived from just a single fertilized egg. Our laboratory studies the mystery of how the brain and nervous system are formed, using two animal models: the ascidian (sea squirt, tunicate) and the freshwater snail.
The nervous system of ascidians consists of only a few hundred cells, suggesting it is very simple, yet it develops in a way remarkably similar to that of vertebrates, including humans. Freshwater snails also have relatively few nerve cells, but their nervous systems are left-right asymmetric in shape and capable of controlling complex behaviors.
By studying these “simple” animals, we aim to uncover the molecular mechanisms that regulate the development of the brain and the nervous system, and to identify both the shared principles and the diversity of these mechanisms across species.
If you are interested in our research or would like to visit our laboratory, please feel free to contact us at:
koonuma[at]life.shimane-u.ac.jp
News
Dec. 15, 2015 Oonuma received the certificate at the 9th Research Grant Award Ceremony of the Ohsumi Frontier Science Foundation and is sincerely grateful for this prestigious support!
October 8, 2025 Our latest paper has been published in Science Advances! Here!!
October 3, 2025 Oonuma has been awarded the FY2025 Narishige Zoological Science Award. This generous support is sincerely appreciated.
August 13, 2025 Our laboratory website is now live.
April 1, 2025 Our lab is now up and running!