Professor SASAKI Takuya

 Life phenomena are supported by a variety of cellular functions, including dynamic morphological changes, motility, and cell adhesion of individual cells, which are the smallest units. A large number of functional molecules are involved in the regulation of these cellular functions, and it is important that each of them is transported to the right place at the right time to fulfill its role. This intracellular vesicular trafficking is known to be used by viruses in emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, and its disruption can lead to cancer, neurological diseases, and aging phenomena. We are focusing on deformation of cell membrane and organelle membranes and cytoskeletal reorganization, which are related to intracellular vesicular trafficking, to understand and overcome cancer, neurological diseases, aging and infectious diseases, which are important issues in recent medical and biological sciences. Recently, we have been working on interdisciplinary research for medicine and photonics in collaboration with researchers specializing in optical science at Institute of Post-LED Photonics, and is seeking new approaches to the field.