Strategic Professional Development Program for Young Researchers
Top Runner Development Program Engaging Universities,
National Labs, and Companies
Strategic Professional Development Program for Young Researchers
Top Runner Development Program Engaging Universities,
National Labs, and Companies
Assistant Professor
International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (IIIS)
University of Tsukuba
Oct, 2018 - Present
Assistant Professor, WPI-IIIS, Yanagisawa/Funato Lab, Univ of Tsukuba
Apr, 2014 - Sep, 2018
Researcher, WPI-IIIS, Yanagisawa/Funato Lab, Univ of Tsukuba
Apr, 2015 - Mar, 2018
Research Fellowship (PD), JSPS
Sep, 2013 - Mar, 2014
Researcher, Mol Behav Neurosci, Univ of Tsukuba
Apr, 2012 - Aug, 2013
Postdoc, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology & Psychiatry
I am interested in developmental neuroscience and sleep biology (2018, Cell Reports; 2022, Front in Behav Neurosci). By the remarkable recent progress in genome editing technologies including CRISPR and functional molecular delivery techniques using viral vectors, we have discovered novel sleep-related genes and studied how intracellular signaling pathway changes neural activities and governs sleep/wake regulation in the brain (2016, nature; 2018, nature; 2018, PNAS; 2021, Journal of Neuroscience; 2022, nature). If we can completely clarify "blueprint for brain assembly," the function and structure of the brain as well as the gene expression plan, cell differentiation, and the construction of functional units, it would even be possible to give new brain functions that modern species do not have, and to artificially enhance brain functions. In the future, we may be able to safely manipulate sleep quality and sleepiness. I believe that the neurodevelopmental approach is very compatible with the elucidation of the pathogenic mechanisms of neurological and psychiatric disorders, so I hope to be able to report discoveries that will enable us to give back to our social life in addition to commitment to biology.
One of the goals of my research is to identify the role that the development of nervous system plays in innate behavior including sexual and parental behaviors, and sleep/wakefulness regulation. Innovations in biology are closely related to the technological advances in various different fields. I would like to contribute to social health and basic science by promoting transborder research using resources provided by TRiSTAR.
FUJIYAMA, Tomoyuki, TRiSTAR Fellow (1st-term)