Member Introduction

Associate Professor

Tomonori Matsumoto, M.D., Ph.D.

I was a medical doctor specializing in gastroenterology and hepatology. When I was a post-doc in the United States, I made a life-changing decision to pursue research into "polyploidy" and became a basic medical researcher.

My desk is always chaotic and I’m constantly on the move, which fuels my creativity. My motto is "Where there is a will, there is a way."

We are working hard with the aim of developing "ploidy-based medicine."

Kazuki Hayashi, M.D.

Born in Tokyo
He graduated from Osaka University School of Medicine in 2016 and joined the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at his alma mater, where he furthered his training at affiliated hospitals.
When I first entered graduate school, I was full of anxiety because I had no basic knowledge of research, but I was able to approach graduate student life with peace of mind because I was taught everything I needed to know from the ground up, from experimental techniques and how to read papers, to how to create presentation slides and posters, to how to write papers.
My research interests are on "polyploidy and DNA damage" and "the carcinogenesis mechanism of oropharyngeal cancer." I would like to work hard every day to solve problems that arise in clinical practice.

Taku Kitano, M.D.

Hello!

My name is Kitano, and I am a graduate student on loan from the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery at Kyoto University. I am working with Professor Matsumoto on a new challenge: researching the effects of bacteria on the pathology of esophagogastric junction cancer and elucidating the pathology of esophagogastric junction cancer from the perspective of polyploidy. Because it is a new laboratory, the lab smells as good as a newly built house. Professor Matsumoto is strict but kind in his guidance, and even when he is busy, he will stop what he is doing and think with us, so you will never be left alone. He is a very excellent professor, so you can learn the basics of research with peace of mind. If you are interested, please come and visit us.

Kenji Nagata, M.D.

Born and raised in Okinawa, I graduated from Shinshu University and joined the Department of Gastroenterology at Kobe University in 2022. I am currently a special research student researching the significance of ploidy variation in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

I'll try my best to learn as much as I can as quickly as possible.

3rd year medical student

Yuta Ogawa

Since the spring of 2023, during my second year of undergraduate studies, I have been learning the fundamentals of research under Dr. Matsumoto. I am excited to explore the relationship between polyploidy and cancer, a field that still holds many unknowns. Although I am still inexperienced, I will do my best to advance understanding through research and contribute to this area!

Exchange student

Lydia Fish

Hello, I am an international exchange student from the University of Manchester in the UK, and I will be studying at Osaka University for 1 year under the FrontierLab exchange program. I am in my third year studying Biology with Japanese. I have no prior research experience so I am excited to learn while I am here at Mr Matsumoto’s lab. Hopefully I can also improve my Japanese.

Technical Assistant

Takako Yamashita

I’m from Nagasaki and the mother of two daughters. Every day, I work on experiments seriously but with a sense of fun, always in collaboration with students. Balancing work and raising kids is a challenge, but the sense of accomplishment at the end of a well-managed day is incredibly rewarding. I’m committed to supporting everyone's experiments in the lab and creating a friendly atmosphere so that they can achieve the best results.

Administrative Assistant

Sayuri Ochi

I used to work in sales.

There’s still a lot I don’t know, but I’m grateful for the kind guidance I’ve received, and I’m happy to be gradually learning more. I try my best to be able to confidently say, "Leave any task to me!"

My current goal is to break my record for filling tips.

Past Members

Yoshiyuki Harada (~April 2024, Graduate student,

Domestic study abroad from the Department of Gastroenterology, Internal Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine)