Laboratory of Biochemistry | School of Pharmacy, Aichi Gakuin University

Research Focus

Our laboratory aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in cancer cell malignancy and abnormalities in bone metabolism from a biochemical perspective. In particular, we focus on glycans, which cover the cell surface and are often described as the "face" of the cell; galectins, glycan-binding proteins that recognize glycans; and non-coding RNAs, which function without being translated into proteins. We analyze how these molecules regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, and cell-cell interactions.

Based on the fundamental knowledge obtained through these studies, we also explore small-molecule compounds, nutrients, and endogenous substances that exhibit anticancer activity or regulatory effects on bone metabolism. Through these researches, we seek to generate insights that contribute to understanding disease and creating new therapeutic strategies.

Research achievements and publications by each faculty member are also available through "Information and Research Achievements" in the Members section.

Research Projects

Three approaches to understanding disease mechanisms and discovering new ways to control them.

Roles of Galectins in Cancer and Bone Metabolism

Glycans are important molecules that cover the cell surface and are deeply involved in cell-cell interactions and in how cells recognize their surrounding environment. Galectins are glycan-binding proteins that recognize and bind to glycans, and they are known to participate in a wide range of biological phenomena and diseases, including cancer, immunity, inflammation, and bone metabolism.

Our laboratory focuses especially on galectin-1 and studies its effects on cancer cell proliferation, migration, and cell-cell interactions in the tumor microenvironment. In bone metabolism, the balance between bone resorption by osteoclasts and bone formation by osteoblasts is essential, and disruption of this balance can lead to osteoporosis and frailty. We have shown that galectin-1 suppresses osteoclast differentiation, and we are now working to clarify the molecular mechanisms involved and identify galectin-1 ligands on the osteoclast surface.

Through these studies, we aim to clarify how glycans and galectins regulate cancer malignancy and bone metabolism, and to obtain knowledge that can serve as a foundation for new disease-control strategies.

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Discovery of Cancer Malignancy-Related Molecules through Experiments and Data Analysis

Cancer cells acquire distinct malignant traits by altering intracellular molecules. These include genetic mutations, gene expression, and modifications of nucleic acids and proteins. These changes cause divergence from their normal state.

Our laboratory investigates genes and non-coding RNAs that are aberrantly expressed in cancer cells and patients, and analyzes their roles in cancer biology. In addition to laboratory research, we leverage public datasets and bioinformatics to identify molecules implicated in cancer initiation and progression, subsequently validating their functions experimentally. Certain molecules involved in tumor development and advancement are evolutionarily conserved, and clarifying their functions may illuminate the molecular underpinnings of life.

By examining cancer-associated molecular alterations at functional, expression, and evolutionary levels, we aim to identify pivotal molecules underlying cancer progression, enhance understanding of cancer mechanisms, and uncover novel therapeutic targets.

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Screening for Compounds that Control Cancer and Bone Metabolism

In diseases such as cancer and osteoporosis, abnormalities in cell proliferation, differentiation, cell death, and cell-cell interactions play important roles. Understanding and discovering small-molecule compounds, nutrients, and endogenous substances that regulate these cellular functions is important not only for elucidating disease mechanisms but also as a starting point for developing new therapeutics.

Our laboratory focuses on small-molecule compounds, nutrients, and endogenous substances that exhibit anticancer activity or regulatory effects on bone metabolism, and searches for molecules that control disease-related cellular functions. For candidate molecules, we analyze their effects on cancer cell proliferation, cell death, and the cell cycle, as well as their effects on osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption, while working to clarify their mechanisms of action.

Through these studies, we aim to identify compounds and endogenous substances that control cellular functions involved in cancer and bone metabolism disorders, and to obtain basic knowledge that can contribute to drug discovery and disease treatment.

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