Stem Cell Technology

Kojima, Takusari, Shibuya, and Watanabe from our laboratory participated in the 98th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Tissue Culture Association (JTCA), held on August 27–28, 2026, at Hotel New Otani Nagaoka in Niigata, Japan.

The theme of this year’s meeting was “Tissue Culture 5.0: Beyond Mechanization and AI,” highlighting the future of cell and tissue culture in an era of rapidly advancing laboratory automation and artificial intelligence. The meeting featured discussions on how researchers, automated systems, and AI can work together to improve cell culture technologies and advance biomedical research.

They presented their research and actively exchanged ideas with researchers from a wide range of fields. We are also pleased to announce that Kojima received an Excellence Award for his presentation.

Participation in the meeting provided them with a valuable opportunity not only to present their research but also to learn about emerging technologies and perspectives, particularly the growing roles of AI and automation in cell culture.

We would like to congratulate the award recipient and thank everyone who contributed to the productive discussions at the meeting.

We participated in the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 2026 Annual Meeting, held in Motreal, Canada. ISSCR is the world's largest international conference in the field of stem cell research, covering a broad range of topics from basic stem cell biology to regenerative medicine and clinical applications.

PhD student Jo Onozuka presented a poster entitled "Functional Integration of Human iPSC-Derived Cardiomyocytes within a Zebrafish Embryonic Heart".

During the poster session, we engaged in productive discussions with researchers from around the world regarding the functional synchronization between human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes and the zebrafish heart, as well as the potential of this xenograft model as a platform for cardiac regeneration research. In particular, we received valuable feedbacl on future directions, including the long-term ecaluation of graft survival, analysis of electrical coupling, and application of the model to cardiac injury studies. These discussions procided important insights that will contribute to the further development of our research.

The meetign also offered an excellent oppotunity to learn about the latest advances in stem cell research, including cardiac regeneration, organoids, and cell-based therapies, allowing us to gain new perspectives and technical insights that are difficult to obtain through domestic conferences alone.

 

Our laboratory was honed to host Dr. Chinmoy Patra, Swarnav's supervisor, from Agharkar Research Institute on 27. 5. 2026.

During the visit Dr. Patra engaged in discussions with researches and students, exchanged insights on current research topics.

We greatly appreciate Dr. Patra's visit and look forward to strengthening our internatioonal partnership in the future.

A photo from dinner. Back left : Dr. Patra. Front right: Swarnav

We held a welcome party on Friday, April 24.

We welcomed new third-year students Kazuno and Hatano, as well as internatinal students Swarnav and Nhi, joined us.

 

We enjoyed a delicious meal and shared conversations about our reserch and interests, got to know each other better,and spent a relaxed and enjoyable time together.

As March comes to a close, we are proud to announce that Taira Oda, Haruka Sunamura, and Miyu Mori have graduated from the Master's program.

They have spent meaningful and productive time in our laboratory, contributing not only to research but also to the positive atmosphere of our team. Their growth and accomplishments have been truly remarkable, and we are grateful to have had them as members of our lab.

We wholeheartedly congratulate them on their graduation and wish them bright and successful futures ahead.

The other day, we held a farewell party for the graduating students of our laboratory.

Over delicious food, we had a wonderful time sharing memories of our days in the lab and talking about their new adventures starting this spring.

 

We are deeply grateful to the graduates who have supported our laboratory so much. We will miss you, but all the current students and faculty members sincerely wish you the best of luck in your new endeavors!

Congratulations, graduates, and thank you for all your hard work. Please come visit the lab anytime!

From December 3–5, 2025, the 48th Annual Meeting of the Molecular Biology Society of Japan was held at Pacifico Yokohama. Two first-year master’s students from our laboratory, Ryo Kojima and Issa Watanabe, presented their research in the poster session.

Ryo Kojima presented a poster titled “Mimicking Human Gastrulation: Microprint Culture of Human iPS Cells.” Issa Watanabe presented a poster titled “Generation of Transgenic Zebrafish Expressing Human Gap Junction Proteins for Xenotransplantation of Human Cardiomyocytes.”

During the conference, they actively engaged in discussions with many researchers. It was a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas and further strengthen their motivation for future research.

Our student participated in 10th STI-Gigaku 2025 and presented a poster on their current research.

STI-Gigaku is an international conference centered on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), organized by students of Nagaoka University of Technology since 2016. The conference brings together universities and companies from Japan and around the world to discuss global challenges such as energy, climate change, and poverty, with the aim of raising awareness and driving action towards the SDGs.

The poster was highly evaluated, and the student received an award for the presentation.
Through the event, the student engaged in active discussions with researchers and students from various fields and gained valuable feedback and insights.
This achievement represents an important milestone and will further motivate our research activities.

Sunamura attended ZMDD2025: The 11th Zebrafish & Medaka Drug Discovery Meeting and presented a poster. The meeting offered an excellent platform to exchange ideas with experts in fish-based drug discovery technologies and learn about the latest advances in disease modeling and compound screening. The experience strengthened research perspectives and potential collaborative opportunities.

ZMDD focuses on drug discovery and disease modeling using zebrafish and medaka. The meeting brings together academic and industry researchers working on toxicology, pharmacology, imaging technologies, genetic engineering, and compound screening using small fish models.

Takusari participated in the 52nd Chemical and Micro-Nano Systems Society Meeting (CHEMINAS 52) and presented a poster showcasing ongoing research. Through active discussions with researchers and engineers from diverse fields, Takusari gained valuable insights into advanced micro-nano technologies and their applications in life science research. This experience will contribute significantly to future experimental development.

The Chemical and Micro-Nano Systems Society promotes interdisciplinary research integrating chemistry, life sciences, medical engineering, and micro/nano-fabrication technologies. The 52nd meeting featured presentations on microreactor systems, microfluidics, analytical and diagnostic platforms, and micro-nano engineering for biological applications.

Nuttakrit Limjantong participated in the 38th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Alternatives to Animal Experiments and each delivered a poster presentation. They engaged in productive discussions with specialists working on ethical and advanced experimental platforms, gaining valuable feedback that will further enhance the quality of their research.

The Japanese Society for Alternatives to Animal Experiments promotes ethical and scientifically robust research methodologies aligned with the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement). The 38th annual meeting gathered researchers developing innovative non-animal testing systems, including in vitro models, computational approaches, and microphysiological systems.

Onozuka participated in the 65th Niigata Biochemistry Forum and presented a poster on current research activities. The forum provided an excellent opportunity to interact with local biochemists and students, fostering scientific communication skills and strengthening regional research networks.

The Niigata Biochemistry Forum provides a regional platform for biochemists to exchange research results and promote collaboration across institutions in the Niigata area. The forum features poster presentations and lectures spanning diverse areas of biochemistry.

Onozuka and Oda participated in the 97th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Tissue Culture Society and presented posters summarizing their recent findings. They received valuable feedback from experts in tissue culture and biomedical engineering, contributing to the refinement of their research methods and future scientific progress.

The Japanese Tissue Culture Society promotes advances in cell and tissue culture techniques that support biomedical research, regenerative medicine, and drug development. The 97th meeting highlighted cutting-edge technologies in cell culture, imaging, and in vitro modeling.

On July 7th, we hosted a welcome party for exchange students from Chulalongkorn University, one of Thailand’s most prestigious universities. As part of the cultural experience, we introduced them to a unique and fun Japanese summer tradition — Nagashi Somen (flowing noodles)!

 

It was a joyful event not just for the Thai students, but also for the Japanese students who joined in. Despite language and cultural differences, everyone connected naturally, and the atmosphere was filled with smiles and laughter.

 

Events like this remind us of the power of cultural exchange, and we hope to continue building friendships that go beyond borders.

We are delighted to share that our team participated in the The 37th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Alternatives to Animal Experiments, held from Nov 29 to Dec 1 in Utsunomiya, Tochigi. The aim of this conference was to promote and disseminate the 3Rs (Reduction: reduction of the number of animals, Refinement: reduction of suffering of animals, Replacement: substitution of methods with alternatives that do not use animals), which are international principles for appropriate animal experimentation practices, and active discussions were held from various perspectives including research institutions, universities and companies.

During the conference, Jo Onozuka presented his research/work. The feedback and discussions we received were highly valuable and inspiring.

We are delighted to share that our team participated in the Cheminas 50, held from Nov 25 to 28 in Sendai, Miyagi. The conference aims to pioneer new academic and technological fields and create new industries that apply them by integrating academic disciplines that focus on materials and life phenomena, such as chemistry, life sciences, and medicine, with engineering technologies that focus on micro- and nano-scale materials, processing, measurement, control, and system construction.

During the conference, Taira Oda presented his research/work. The feedback and discussions we received were highly valuable and inspiring.

We are delighted to share that our team participated in the Zebrafish & Medaka - Based Drug Discovery Society 2024, held from Nov 18 to 19 in Rakuno Gakuen University in Ebetsu, Hokkaido. The conference featured creative discussions on the current status and challenges of disease modeling, drug discovery research, and toxicity testing using small fish from the perspectives of industry, government agencies, and academia, respectively.

During the conference, Riko Taira presented her research/work. The feedback and discussions we received were highly valuable and inspiring.

We are delighted to share that our team participated in the 10th Kanto-Ban'etsu Forum on Chemical Technology and Bioengineering, held on Nov 17th. The purpose of this conference is to promote mutual exchange among research institutes, higher education institutions (Kosen, Universities, etc.), and companies located in the Kanto-ban-Etsu area, as well as to exchange information on chemical technology.

During the conference, Keita Nakajima, Shota Tsuji and Yuto Takahashi presented their research/work. The feedback and discussions we received were highly valuable and inspiring

On Thursday, November 7, 2024, a student of our laboratory made a presentation at the 9th STI-Gigaku 2024 held at Aore Nagaoka, Nagaoka, Japan.

Shota Tsuji "Development of a new micro-contact printing method using a cutting machine"

Yuto Takahashi "Heterocellular Adhesion System by Zebrafish-Human Chimeric Proteins for Heart Regeneration"

Haruka Kato "Synthesis and characterization of near-IR absorbing d8 transition metal complexes with o-phenylenediamine derivatives for photodynamic therapy"

Taira Oda "Development of microfluidic devices using polystyrene"

Haruka Sunamura "Induction and characterization ofcardiomyocytes derived fromfluorescent reporter human iPS cells"

Jo Onozuka "Synchronization and integration of human cardiomyocytes xenotransplanted into zebrafish"

Hazuki Tsuboi "Mimicking dynamics of human gastrulation: microprint culture of human iPS cells"

Keita Nakajima "Preparation of Organogels Using Biomass Pectin for Application in Lipid-Soluble Drug Delivery Systems"

In addition, Jo Onozuka's “Synchronization and integration of human cardiomyocytes xenotransplanted into zebrafish” received the "Best Research Presentation Award by Sumitomo Riko Company Limited".

Congratulations!

STI-Gigaku is an international conference centered on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), organized by students of Nagaoka University of Technology since 2016. The conference brings together universities and companies from Japan and around the world to discuss global challenges such as energy, climate change, and poverty, with the aim of raising awareness and driving action towards the SDGs.

Takahashi from Gunma Kosen has joined Ohnuma-Lab.

He will work with us from September to February as a NUT and Gunma Kosen reciprocal agreement program student.

As a member of the Zebrafish group, he will study humanization of zebrafish.

We're looking forward to working with you over the next half year!

 

Kosen students have come to open house.

Open House will be held for a week from 9/2 (Mon.) to 9/6 (Fri.).

Two Kosen students will visit our lab and experience experiments of the zebrafish group and the selforganization group.

At the end of the week, they will present what they did during the week.

On July 24th, we held a welcome and farewell party for Thai students.

We enoyed eating sushi,fried chicken, takoyaki,etc!

On June 27th and 28th, at the 96th annual meeting of the Japanese Tissue Culture Association, first-year Master's student Miyu Mori received the English Presentation Award.

Congratulations on your achievement！

Two students from Thailand came to our lab!
Their names are Pasihn Nimmanpipak and Pawaratee Pinprapharkorn.
They will participate in the lab activities from June 6 to July 31.
We will make many good memories with them!

Keita Nakajima's paper "Utilization of Multi-Ionic Interaction of Yumoto Hot Springs for Enhancing the Moisturizing Properties of Hyaluronic Acid Sodium Salt." has been accepted by Polysaccharides.

Furthermore, Miyu Mori's paper "Generation of human induced pluripotent stem cell lines derived from four Rett syndrome patients with MECP2 mutations." has been accepted by Stem Cell Research.

A party was held to celebrate their achievements.

Congratulations!

The papers can be accessed at the following links.

Keita Nakajima, Tu Minh Tran Vo, and Nur Adlin. "Utilization of Multi-Ionic Interaction of Yumoto Hot Springs for Enhancing the Moisturizing Properties of Hyaluronic Acid Sodium Salt. " Polysaccharides 5.2 (2024): 100-111. https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4176/5/2/8

Miyu Mori, et al. "Generation of human induced pluripotent stem cell lines derived from four Rett syndrome patients with MECP2 mutations. " Stem Cell Research 77 (2024): 103432. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1873506124001302

New members has joined our lab: Keita Nakajima (Docter 1st), Raul Emilio Macias Estrada (Master 1st) and Shota tsuji (Bachelor 3rd).

On February 9th and 26th, long-term internship report meetings were held, during which fourth-year undergraduate students (Mori, Sunamura, Onozuka, and Oda) who returned from their long-term internships gave presentations on what they had learned.

We have a new addition to our lab!

His name is "Goma-chan".

Please take care of "Goma-chan" from now on.

We had a Christmas party on December 27th, and everyone enjoyed eating cake together.

Limjanthong N. (D3) presented his work on "Gravity-driven microfluidics assisted with a slow-tilting table" at Cheminas 48.

https://micro-nano.chips.jp/48/

We accept a student from Danang Univ Tech as a Sakura Science Program from 6th to 22th Nov 2023.

https://ssp.jst.go.jp/en/

On 11 (Mon) Sept 2023, we had a farewell party for Takahi, who will take PhD in this September.

We would like to thank her for her guidance.
Thank you for your hard work over the past seven and a half years.

We all wish her continued success in her future endeavors.

The second Open House was held for a week from 9/4 (Mon.) to 9/8 (Fri.).

This time, three Kosen students experienced experiments with zebrafish, planaria, and selforganization group.

At the end of the week, they presented what they had done during the week and produced posters to introduce what regeneration is.

Open House was held for a week from 8/28 (Mon.) to 9/1 (Fri.).

Three Kosen students visited our lab and experienced experiments conducted by the zebrafish, planaria, and microdevice groups.

At the end of the week, they presented what they had done during the week and made posters to introduce planaria.

 

We started a homepage.

Please look forward to the update.