ABOUT US
MESSAGE FROM LAB HEAD
PROF. ITSUKI AJIOKA
We value not only academic diversity but also diversity of nationality and culture.
With an emphasis on flexible and innovative thinking, we advance our research and development activities.
Sixteen years have passed since the establishment of our laboratory. Looking back, many of our current research projects have evolved into co-creative collaborations with researchers from diverse fields. Working together with experts of various backgrounds has broadened my own perspective and made research even more enjoyable. We welcome colleagues who can embrace differences in expertise and values as strengths, and who are eager to take on research and development challenges together with us in an open and collaborative spirit.
Since the launch of this project in 2009,
we have worked to uncover part of the brain’s intrinsic regenerative potential
and to develop technologies that can activate this latent ability.
We established our laboratory in November 2009 at the former Tokyo Medical and Dental University’s Center for Brain Integration Research, and for more than fifteen years have pursued research aimed at regenerating the injured brain, including in conditions such as ischemic stroke. Although it has long been believed that the injured brain lacks regenerative capacity, our scientific studies have revealed aspects of its inherent regenerative potential, and our engineering approaches have led to technologies designed to harness this potential.
Over the years, through collaborations with exceptional researchers, we have demonstrated in rodent models the concept of regenerating injured brain tissue using artificial scaffolds. These achievements have been realized through established research methodologies grounded in the fields of science and engineering.
OUR NEXT STEP
Looking ahead, we will take on new and innovative approaches to create novel drug modalities and to advance the development of groundbreaking technologies essential for regenerative medicine and drug discovery in cancer and other fields.
There are differing opinions about whether a small university laboratory should aim for practical application. Some argue that universities should focus on basic research and leave practical development to industry, and others believe that small laboratories should set goals appropriate to their scale. While we acknowledge these perspectives, it is also true that academic research is sometimes viewed as being disconnected from societal needs.
For this reason, our laboratory is committed to engaging directly with society and to pursuing our goals earnestly through four foundational domains: Science, Engineering, Medicine, and Enterprise. By grounding our work in these disciplines, we strive to advance research and achieve outcomes that can benefit society.
We remain dedicated to learning sincerely and working wholeheartedly across these four domains —science, engineering, medicine, and enterprise— to achieve our mission.
MEMBERS
Principal Investigator (PI)
Itsuki Ajioka (Professor, since Nov. 2009)
E-mail: iajioka.cbir(at)tmd.ac.jp / TEL: +81-3-5803-4972
Staff
Chikako Hara (Project Lecturer, since Sep. 2020)
Technical Staff
Naoya Kawada (TechnoPro R&D / Collaborative Researcher, since Apr. 2024)
Mariko Iijima (TechnoPro R&D / Collaborative Researcher, since Apr. 2025)
Administrative Assistant
Masako Nishijima (since Nov. 2023)
Undergraduate Student
Fūya Kawahara (Project Semester Student, since Jun. 2025)
Alumni
Student
Ryota Isshiki (School of Medicine, TMDU, Jun. 2020 – Nov. 2020)
Student
Mari Fujimori (School of Medicine, TMDU, Jun. 2020 – Nov. 2020)
Student
Rintarō Tsurita (School of Medicine, TMDU, Jun. 2021 – Nov. 2021)
Student
Kōta Higashikawa (School of Medicine, TMDU, Jun. 2022 – Nov. 2022)
CONTACTS
JOIN OUR LAB
We are currently accepting graduate students from the Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Science and Technology, Tokyo (Doctoral Course, Department of Medical and Dental Sciences and Master's Course, Department of Medical, Dental, Biomedical, Health, and Data Science . We welcome inquiries from those interested in joining our research activities.
INQUIRIES
For inquiries regarding the laboratory or our research activities, please contact us by email.