Member
Professor
Takashi Hiiragi
Professor
The Hiiragi group aims to understand what defines multi-cellular living systems. In particular, the group studies the design principle of tissue self-organisation, using early mammalian embryos as a model system. To this end, they developed an experimental framework that integrates biology, physics and mathematics. Their recent studies led to a model in which feedback between cell fate, polarity, and cell and tissue mechanics underlies multi-cellular self-organisation. The group adopts a wide variety of experimental strategies including embryology, genetics, advanced microscopy, biophysics, engineering and theoretical modelling, in order to address fundamental questions in cell and developmental biology.
- Biography
- ● Professor at Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan, since 2023
● Senior group leader at the Hubrecht Institute, the Netherlands, since 2021
● Distinguished Visiting Professor at ASHBi, Kyoto University, Japan, since 2019
● Charles Darwin Professor of Animal Embryology (2018-2019), University of Cambridge, UK
● Group leader (2011-2021) at EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany
● Independent group leader (2007-2011) at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany
● Group leader (2002-2007) at the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology, Freiburg, Germany
● Postdoc (2000-2002) in the group of Davor Solter at the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology, Freiburg, Germany
● PhD (1995-2000) in the group of Shoichiro Tsukita at Kyoto University, Japan
● MD (1993) at Kyoto University, Japan
Assistant Professor
Takafumi Ichikawa
Assistant Professor
Implantation of an embryo into the uterus is essential for mammalian development. To understand the mechanism underlying morphogenesis and pattern emergence during peri-implantation development, I am developing an ex vivo system that recapitulates in utero development and adopts state-of-the-art microscopy and biophysical measurement. Using mouse and monkey embryos, I aim at the fundamental understanding of human birth.
- Biography
- Takafumi Ichikawa obtained his PhD from Kyoto University in 2017. He then moved to Germany and undertook postdoctoral training at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) for four years. He was appointed Assistant Professor in the Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi) in 2021 and Graduate School of Medicine in 2023, at Kyoto University.
- Main Publications
- Ichikawa, T., Zhang, H. T., Panavaite, L., Erzberger, A., Fabrèges, D., Snajder, R., Wolny, A., Korotkevich, E., Tsuchida-Straeten, N., Hufnagel, L., Kreshuk, A., & Hiiragi, T. (2022). An ex vivo system to study cellular dynamics underlying mouse peri-implantation development. Developmental Cell, 57(3), 373–386.e9.
Research Technician
Mei Makino
Research Technician
- Biography
- She graduated from Nagoya University and has been working as a laboratory technician at the Hiiragi group since October 2022.
Marina Hamaji
Research Technician
- Biography
- She has been working as a laboratory technician at the Hiiragi group since October 2023.
Student (Office Assistant)
Kikutani Soya
Student (Office Assistant)
Yoshida Shinjiro
Student (Office Assistant)
Secretary
Shinobu Minato
Secretary
Postdoc
Dimitri Fabrèges
Postdoc
Prachiti Moghe
Postdoc
Anniek Stokkermans
Postdoc
Laura Rodriguez Muñoz
Postdoc
Gawoon Shim
Postdoc
PhD Student
Erica van der Maas
PhD Student
Tim Lange
PhD Student
Technician
Samira Hozeifi
Technician
