ABOUT
Shaping of living organisms is important for both basic research and medical treatment, because it is involved in various biological phenomena such as the development and disease of the human body. In particular, understanding the multicellular dynamics that form the basis of living organisms and manipulating them in vitro and in vivo is important for cancer treatment and regenerative medicine in the future. However, various interactions between many cells accompany with shaping the body, and it is difficult to understand the mechanisms only by the methodologies of molecular and experimental biology. Therefore, our laboratory is aiming for a new understanding of the shaping of living organisms by a research approach that combines mechanics-based quantitative simulations and stem cell culture experiments.

Multi-cellular dynamics in embryogenesis and cancer diseases

Multi-cellular movements are found in various phenomena such as embryogenesis, cancer diseases, wound healing, and metabolism. While key genes and proteins differ by phenomenon, multicellular movements commonly follow mechanics. What are the mechanics that govern multicellular movement?

New approaches combining biology, physics, and engineering

In the shaping of living organisms, individual cells interact in a multimordal way. To understand the complex phenomenon, we combine stem cell organoid experiments reproducing 3D structures of embryonic tissues in vitro, mechanics-based simulations predicting 3D cell dynamics, and so on.

Comprehensive understanding across moleculer, cellular and tissue scales

Our approach integrates microscopic behaviors found at the molecular and cellular levels to predict the macroscopic shaping at the tissue and organ levels. In the bottom-up manner, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of multicellular system across a wide range of scales as a single system.

AFFILIATION

Okuda Lab belongs to three departments: WPI Nano Life Science Institute / Sapiens Life Sciences, Evolution and Medicine Research Center / Division of Nano Life Science, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, Kanazawa University.