Professor (Emeritus) Kohji Fukunaga
Ph.D. (Medicine)
Dr. Kohji Fukunaga graduated from the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University in 1980, and was employed as an assistant professor at the same university's Faculty of Medicine, receiving his M.D. in 1985, He became a lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, Kumamoto University in 1990, an assistant professor in 1993, and a professor at the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University in 2002. He discovered CaM kinase II (CaMKII) in 1982, and his research achievements include the role of CaMKII in abnormal spine formation in mental retardation, regulation of dopamine D2 receptor function by fatty acid-binding protein (FABP), and clarification of the pathogenic mechanism of Lewy body disease by FABP. In addition to neuroscience, he has also been involved in the research of CaMKII. In addition to neuroscience, he also contributed to drug discovery science by developing therapeutic seeds for Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body disease targeting CaMKII and FABP. Dr. Kato has also made significant contributions to pharmacology in Japan through his long service as editor-in-chief and board member of JPS, an English journal. He has commercialized the results of his research and is now active in the drug discovery business.
Researchmap: https://researchmap.jp/kojifukunaga
Awards and honours: The 8th Japanese Pharmacological Society Academic Encouragement Award, Kumamoto Medical Society Encouragement Award, Journal of Pharmacological Sciences Editor-in-Chief, Japanese Pharmacological Society Director, Japanese Pharmacological Society Director, Japanese Society of Brain Science Director, Japan NO Society Director, 47th President of the Japanese Pharmacological Society, Guest Editor of International Journal of Molecular Sciences, etc.
Professor (Associate) Ichiro Kawahata
Ph.D. (Science), Ph.D. (Pharmaceutical Science)
Dr. Ichiro Kawahata graduated from the Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology in 2009, and joined the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University as an Assistant Professor in 2010, followed by a position as a Specially Appointed Associate Professor at the same university before assuming his current position at the Department of Advanced Brain Drug Discovery in 2020. His research interests include elucidating the mechanism of dopamine neuroselective loss of tyrosine hydroxylase, which is essential for dopamine biosynthesis, and exploring new drug targets by elucidating the fatty acid-binding protein-dependent pathophysiology of α-synucleinopathy. He is also working to elucidate the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies, and to apply his research to the prevention and treatment of these diseases. Furthermore, based on the elucidation of the pathology of Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and multiple system atrophy, and Alzheimer's disease, he has developed a disease stratification technique that is essential for screening patients for treatment, and established a very early distinguishing technique for α-synucleinopathy, which is necessary for personalized medicine and early treatment enrollment. Based on these achievements, we are now working toward the realization of a society with healthy brains and longevity from each step of diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.
Researchmap: https://researchmap.jp/ichiro_kawahata
Awards and honours: The 36th Japanese Pharmacological Society Academic Encouragement Award, The 46th Japan Brain Science Society Encouragement Award, JSNP Excellent Presentation Award for AsCNP 2021, 17th Intelligent Cosmos Encouragement Award, APSBMS Outstanding Research Award, Japanese Pharmacological Society Academic Councilor, Young Councilor of Division of Pharmacology & Drug Therapeutics of The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, Guest Editor of Frontiers in Neuroscience, etc.