The Henry Taube Institute
Researchers
Director
Tai Hasegawa, Ph.D.
He graduated from the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Tokyo, and completed his Master's and Doctoral studies at the Graduate School of Science (Doctor of Science). After working as a visiting researcher at the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences, he was invited to the Department of Chemistry at Stanford University in the United States as a postdoctoral researcher. The research was organized by Professor Henry Taube, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry at the time. He subsequently became a senior researcher at the same department, a principal researcher at the Institute for Molecular Medical Sciences, and later a research professor. The Institute for Molecular Medical Sciences was established when the biochemistry department of the Linus Pauling Institute was spun off. After the death of Professor Linus Pauling, he founded the Henry Taube Institute with his mentor using the remaining facilities. He continues to serve as its director to this day. During this time, he has also held visiting positions at both the Department of Chemistry at Stanford University and the Graduate School of Science at the University of Tokyo as appropriate. His specialty is coordination chemistry, before moving on to natural philosophy and philosophical science. He aims to be a historical thinker.
Principal Research Fellow
Akira Kudo, Ph.D.
Dr. Kudo is Professor Emeritus of the Tokyo Institute of Technology.
He received a Bachelor of Technology degree and earned a Master of Technology from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo Japan.
He received a Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo, Tokyo Japan.
In terms of research experience, he was an Assistant Professor of Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan from 1985-1986, an Associate Professor from 1988-1989, a member of Basel Institute of Immunology, and a Professor of Tokyo Institute of Technology from 1994-2017.
His research interests include immunology, differentiation of B cell, bone biology, differentiation of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, and bone embryology in fish.
Principal Investigator
Yasushi Uematsu, M.D., Ph.D.
Education and Academic Titles:
Medical Doctor, Tohoku University, March 1983
Doctor of Medical Science (PhD), (Immunology / Pathophysiology: Evaluation committee headed by Prof. T. Tachibana), School of Medicine, Tohoku University, February 1991.
Professional Positions:
- Principal investigator, Investigation Laboratory for Molecular Structures and Interactions, Henry Taube Institute July 2023 – present.
- Senior Research Investigator I, Microbial Molecular Biology, Research Center, GSK Vaccines s.r.l. March 2015 – March 2016.
- Senior Research Investigator I, Microbial Molecular Biology, Research Center, Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics s.r.l. March 2011 – March 2015.
- Unit Head, Virology, Microbial Molecular Biology, Research Center, Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics s.r.l. May 2008 – February 2011.
- Senior Scientific Staff in Immunology & Virology Department, Research Manager, and member of the Internal Management Committee, IRIS Research Institute, Chiron Vaccines, Chiron S.r.l., (from 21 April 2006, Novartis Vaccines s.r.l.) Siena, Italy March 1997 – May 2008.
- Senior Scientist and Principal Investigator in Experimental Immunology, Department of Research, Zentrum für Lehre und Forschung, Kantonsspital Basel, Switzerland October 1991-February 1997.
- Lab-Leader in Department of Biology, Pharmaceutical Research New Technologies (former Central Research Units) at F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland February 1989 - September 1991.
- Member of Basel Institute for Immunology, Basel Switzerland February 1985 - January 1989
- Field of Research Interest: Immunology, mainly ontology and differentiation of acquired immunity, as well as genetics and polymorphism of the major histocompatibility complex. Virology, in particular vaccine platforms including viral vectors and mRNA technology.
Principal Investigator
Nobuhiko Nakano, Ph.D.
He graduated from the Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, and completed his Master's course at the Graduate School of Science and Technology, as well as his Doctoral course at the same university, earning a PhD in Engineering. After working as a special researcher for the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, he was appointed as an assistant in the Department of Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University. After working as a visiting researcher at the Center for Integrated Systems (CIS) at Stanford University, he became a full-time lecturer and associate professor before becoming a professor in the Department of Electrical and Information Engineering. His research began with the numerical analysis of non-equilibrium plasma used in semiconductor processes using the Boltzmann equation, and has since expanded to semiconductor engineering devices and circuits, and he currently designs integrated circuits and performs multi-physics simulations. He is particularly interested in integrated circuits that connect to living organisms.
Former Directors and Researchers
Our pioneers who had the greatest impact on us
Linus Pauling
He has been the spiritual pillar of the institute since its founding. Although he is not technically the director of the institute, we would like to mention him here out of respect.
Henry Taube
He will provide guidance as honorary director.
Academically, he is respected by his students for his life, which is likened to that of the ancient Chinese wise man Laozi.
Emile Zukerkandl
He served as director of the Linus Pauling Institute and the Institute of Molecular Medical Sciences. Together with Professor Pauling, he advocated the concept of the molecular clock.
Special Research Laboratory
Investigation Lab. for Molecular Structures and Interactions
Yasushi Uematsu, Senior Research Fellow
There are many aspects to the phenomenon of life. For example, self-replication, energy intake and utilization, etc. In this laboratory, we focus on the structure and interactions of biomolecules.
Currently, we are working on screening immunoglobulin structures that can strongly bind to antigen epitopes using only computers.
Conventional monoclonal antibodies are made by searching for antibodies specific to a given antigen using materials derived from humans or animals. Our ultimate goal is to do this entirely using computer calculations. Although it is ethically impossible to immunize the human body, computer-generated virtual immunity will make it possible to directly create human-type antibodies for therapeutic purposes against human receptors, for example. This should be a major breakthrough in antibody engineering.
This approach is extremely ambitious and there is currently no reliable methodology. However, I am convinced that if we do not miss the opportunity and use rapidly evolving technology, we will surely see a path to realization.
Staff
Chiba Nest Manager
Satoru Tagawa
Website Manager
Yuriko Suzuki
Palo Alto Nest Manager
Tomohiro Kanazawa