Professor, Division of Advanced Therapeutics for Metabolic Diseases, Center for Translational and Advanced Animal Research Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine
Position
Deputy Director of the GCOE program
Education and Career
Graduated from University of Tokyo, Faculty of Medicine, 1987
Associate professor, Tohoku University Hospital, Miyagi 2001
Research Project
I have consistently proceeded the study about diabetes and obesity as impaired conditions of glucose and energy metabolism. Recently, we discovered the involvement of several neuronal mechanisms in inter-organ metabolic communication. 1) Afferent signals from adipose tissue modulate food intake (Cell Metab 2006). 2) A neuronal relay system from the liver regulates systemic energy expenditure (Science 2006). 3) Another neuronal relay system from the liver regulates pancreatic beta cell mass and insulin secretion (Science 2008). These results indicated for the first time that the nervous systems, including both central and peripheral nerves, are involved in systemic homeostasis of glucose and energy metabolism and we have proposed the important role of the brain as a conductor coordinating metabolism among a variety of peripheral organs, that is ‘METABOLIC HARMONY’ (Circ. Res. 2007 review). These neuronal pathways are novel and potential targets for treatments of diabetes and obesity.
