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."

Specially Appointed Researcher

Miki Kobayashi

For a long time, I have been working on developmental biology using ascidians, a marine invertebrate for a long time; from 2023, my research focus will change to mammals, and in January 2025, I joined Matsumoto Lab as a Specially Appointed Researcher to start my research. I will be challenging myself to study the relationship between polyploidy and cancer, a field in which I have never been involved before, but I will do my best to learn new knowledge and techniques and produce interesting discoveries and results! (Illustlation: my daughter)

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.

4th 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

Eleanor Cook

Hello, I am an undergraduate student from the University of Manchester in the UK studying Molecular Biology. I will be studying at Osaka University for one year as part of the FrontierLab exchange program. I am looking forward to working in the laboratory of Polyploid Pathology and learning more about how polyploidy and cancer interact. I am hoping to gain valuable research and science communication skills during my time here, as well as improving my Japanese language.

Technical Assistant

Azumi Nakamura

I’m not yet familiar with lab work, but I feel there’s so much to learn. I’ll do my best to learn as much as I can and improve my skills so I can be as helpful as possible to the team.

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 hobbies are playing video games, watching anime, and collecting stationery.

Past Members

Yoshiyuki Harada (~April 2024, Graduate student, Domestic study abroad from the Department of Gastroenterology, Internal Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine)
Takako Yamashita (~November 2024,Technical Assistant）
Kazuki Hayashi (~March 2025, a graduate student from the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka University Medical School)
Lydia Fisher (From October 2025 to August 2026, an exchange student from the University of Manchester, UK, participating in the FrontierLab program)