Members

I grew up in Fujisawa, Japan. I’m a father of two kids. I enjoy a hectic life with my family.
I always find it difficult to define my expertise because I got my undergraduate education in molecular biology, was trained in psychology during PhD, and did a postdoc in physiology. If I had to say, I like to consider myself a psychologist who uses biological/physiological approaches.

I was born in Taiwan, and received my PhD in Japan. I’m interested in animal behavior and electrophysiology. In my free time, I enjoy playing video games on PS5 and Nintendo switch!

My journey in neuroscience began during my B.Sc. in physical therapy, where I encountered patients with neurological conditions that sparked my interest in brain function. This led me to investigate how medication overuse can exacerbate migraine symptoms through mechanisms like cortical spreading depression. Following my PhD, I studied the early developmental changes in Purkinje cells within the mouse cerebellar system, deepening my understanding of brain development. During my postdoctoral exposure, I expanded my focus to simpler systems, exploring chemotactic behaviors-related memory influenced by aversive olfactory learning in C. elegans. These experiences have shaped my interest in neural circuits and their role in behavior, motivating my transition to more complex systems.

Now, as a JSPS Research Fellow at the Memory Research Unit at OIST, I am thrilled to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying memory related to defensive behaviors. My goal is to gain a comprehensive understanding of brain function, which can enhance our insights into how we interact with the world. I look forward to collaborating with a talented team to advance our knowledge in this fascinating field.

私の地元に素晴らしい施設があると聞いてここに来ました。人生を楽しみつつ、仕事に励みたいと思います。

I was born and grew up in Okinawa. Based on my career as a Neuropsychologist at hospital, I was motivated to pursue a MSc in Cellular Neurobiology with visualizing by combination of light and electron microscopy. My research interest is how the interaction between neurons and glial cells brings neurocognitive functionally stable/unstable. Besides work, I am trying my best on parenting. I like to grow Orchids, knitting, go to Karaoke, playing sports and eating.

I was born and raised in Brasilia - Brazil, where I completed my BSc in Psychology. I then moved across the country to pursue a MSc in Neuroengineering where I worked with animal models of psychiatric diseases. I moved to Okinawa in 2018 and have been working at Neurobiology Research Unit and Memory Research Unit for my PhD. Besides work, I enjoy going to the beach, playing sports, and spending time with my friends and dog :)

I received my BSc in Life Science and MSc in Neuroscience at National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan. There, I investigated the role of Nucleus Reuniens in trace fear conditioning in rats. I joined the Memory Research Unit at OIST in 2021 to develop my research skills and to obtain a better understanding of learning and memory. In my free time, I like to hang out with friends, watch a new anime/show/movie, and explore this beautiful island.

I am Tomoka Yoseyama, a student in the Memory Research Unit at OIST. I was born and raised in Ishigaki island and moved to the US after high school. I studied general biology as an undergrad in the US and joined this unit after obtaining a bachelor's degree. Currently, I am focusing on how astrocytes are involved in memory through artificial hibernation in mice. Besides work, I like interacting with animals (including my dog, Marvin), reading books, and hanging out with friends. 

I grew up in Orange County, California, and I’m currently studying Public Health Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. My main research interests lie in neurodegenerative diseases, especially Alzheimer’s, and the impact of immigrant stress. I’ve been fortunate to work on some exciting projects including the Yassa Lab at UCI, The Neuro at McGill University, and a VR therapy initiative for seniors. Through this internship, I hope to further develop my research skills that’ll help find solutions to improve lives of others. Outside of research, I enjoy photography, volunteering, and trying out new foods with friends. I’m excited to be part of such a collaborative and innovative environment!

I am a fourth-year PhD student at Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, Spain. As part of my international doctoral stay, I joined the Research Memory Unit to deepen my understanding of the mechanisms underlying hippocampal memory. Back home, my research focuses on developing a model to study adolescent circadian rhythm disruption and its impact on memory. Outside of academia, I love music, traveling, sports, the ocean in general and spending time with my family and friends.

I am currently pursuing a BA in Neurobiology at the University of California, Berkeley. I was born in Naha, Okinawa, lived in Houston, Texas, Southern California, and now the Bay Area of California. I consider myself a multifaceted individual with a wide range of interests rooted in my passions for neuroscience, self-preservation, and collective healing. Through this internship, I hope to learn as much as I can and look forward to getting to know the scientists driving our future within and without their area of expertise. Outside of science, I enjoy the arts, particularly photography and filmmaking, listening to music, daydreaming, journaling, eating, reading in cafes, and skateboarding.

I was born and raised in Nagasaki, Japan. I completed my bachelor’s degree in Human Science at Waseda University, having the chance to complete my bachelor’s project with the Neural Computation Unit at OIST. Currently, my interest is in computational modelings of psychiatric diseases, especially schizophrenia. My third rotation at this unit would hopefully allow me to explore neurobiological mechanisms of the disorder by conducting mice experiments. In my spare time, I enjoy playing basketball, running, and snorkeling.

I have a B.Eng with a background in the analysis of Information Learning Systems. My current future goal is to create a system to assist humans in regulating their behavior/emotions using Machine Learning. To do so, I have found it is imperative to understand the science of Intentionality and Anxiety, which are my latest interests. During my rotation at MRU, I want to gain first-hand experience in behavioral experiments and neurophysiological measurements and a deeper understanding of biological reward systems.

Hi I am a third-year med student in University of Ryukyus and also currently a research intern in Kaz Unit. I strongly believe that experience/memory builds the fundamental part of human characteristic, which reveals as his/her behavior. Also, I think there should be some kind of physiological cascade which explains this. As a med student, I do have some knowledge in human brain science – still many in hippocampus remain yet discovered. This is why I came here to explore my interest in neuro biology and to find out if I am capable as a researcher. In my free time, I enjoy dancing, volunteering, stand up surfing, doing yoga and most of all travelling.

I'm a sixth-grade medical student at Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine, and I'm currently taking a one-year leave of absence. After graduating from university, I would like to go on to a doctoral course in Neuroscience to research brain functions. Therefore, through my internship at the Memory Research Unit, I hope to learn the techniques of Neuroscience experiments such as Ca2+ imaging on animals and improve my general research skills such as setting up themes and scientific thinking. I'm so excited that I can learn neuroscience in the perfect environment of OIST, surrounded by fascinating colleagues!

I graduated in BSc Neuroscience at University of Leeds, UK. I am interested in memory impairment in neurocognitive disorders and psychiatric disorders. I believe that studying the mechanism of memory will eventually help to elucidate these disorders. As an intern student I would like to treasure the opportunities to build up my knowledge and skills for further research. In leisure time, I love to spend time with animals (especially cats) and concern about animal welfare.

After attending an interdisciplinary M.Sc. program in Developmental, Neural and Behavioral Biology in Germany, I decided to further focus on Neuroscience. For my master thesis I investigated transcriptomic differences of oligodendrocytes between humans and mice at the Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine. For my first lab rotation at OIST I joined the Memory Research Unit and can hopefully broaden my knowledge about brain mechanisms of storing information. In my free time I love doing sports, play board games and enjoy time with friends.

日本生まれ日本育ちです。大学院の頃から細胞外電位記録を続けています、ポスドクからマウスを始めました。
細かい作業が好きで電極作成や実験楽しいですが老眼気味なのが悩みです。
プライベートでは水泳が好きで、最近はもっぱら市民プールで遊ぶ我が子をじっと見張っていることが多いです。

I was born and grew up in Japan. I'm interested in the mechanism of the brain, especially by investigating the extracellular activity of neurons.
I'm also a mother. Life with kids is full of unexpected and surprising experiences, which always give me insight into my curiosity about science. 
I feel relaxed when swimming and taking care of two Newt.

I am a PhD student jointly supervised by Prof. Kenji Doya and Prof. Kazumasa Tanaka. I am interested in Bipolar Disorder (BD), the most ancient and mysterious mood disorder. During the current graduate program, I investigate how serotonin modulates neuronal activity on the Paraventricular Thalamus and affects behavior related to BD. Before coming here, I received my BEng and MSc at the University of Tokyo, where I studied machine learning and theoretical biology. Besides science, I enjoy playing football, learning new things like surfing, cooking, reading, and relaxing with my family and cat.

I grew up near Chicago, IL and pursued a BSc and BA in Physics and Math from the University of Chicago. However, recently I've changed my focus to Neuroscience with an interest in the discrimination, storage and retrieval of memory and the impedence of this process, and the effect this has on learning and cognition. To this effect, I have joined MRU as a rotation student to gain experience in neural recordings in the hippocampus. In my free time, I enjoy bouldering, paddleboarding, and writing poetry/short stories.

I am a Psychologist, MSc. in Neurobiology, and Ph.D. in Sciences, with a strong background in Behavioral Neurosciences, Animal Models of Psychiatric Disorders, and Neuropharmacology. In 2017, I moved to Japan as a JSPS Postdoctoral Fellow and my project focused on the role of gut microbiota-brain axis in Autism Spectrum Disorders. I continued my knowledge pursuit as Technical Staff on the cellular and molecular basis of long-term synaptic plasticity in the cerebellum. Since 2020, I have joined OIST and the Memory Research Unit to investigate the fascinating mechanisms of memory, from molecules to behavior. My research interests are broad and I am truly enthusiastic about challenging myself to new fields and diversifying my experiences.

Hailing from Maseru, Lesotho, I pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Bremen, Germany where I received my qualification in Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience. There I worked on understanding the neural correlates of habits and addictions and researched the strategies for their neuromodulation in humans. I joined the Memory Research Unit because of my fascination with hippocampus research in memory and my aim to better understand how neurological diseases affect it. Outside of the lab, I enjoy dancing (I’m a loyal member of the OIST Brazilian Dance Club), exploring this pristine island, and going out to sing karaoke with friends.

I’m the neuroscientist from Russia. My home city is Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan. I graduated from Kazan Federal University with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in neuroscience. My previous research was related to the development neurobiology, particularly to the early spontaneous activity in development brain. Nowadays, I am interested in aspects of studying neuronal circuits, especially related to the brain development and its processes. Certainly, I have a keen interest in memory process research as well. In Memory Research Unit I’m looking for a new knowledges and methods which I can apply for my further PhD project. Beyond science I like to participate in different volunteering programs directed on education for sustainable development.

I am originally from Japan and grew up in the Netherlands. Currently, I am a 2nd-year Master’s student conducting research on the neural representation of semantic memories in humans using magnetoencephalography (MEG). During my internship at the MRU, I plan to acquire electrophysiology skills and develop behavioral tasks to investigate how learned categories are consolidated into remote memory. I love soccer, contemporary art, traveling, and Okinawa soba!