My name is IKEDA Hiroaki, and I have been appointed as an Assistant Professor in the Department of System Chemotherapy and Molecular Sciences, effective April 1, 2025.
I completed both my Master’s and Doctoral programs under the supervision of Professor Masaya Imoto at the Graduate School of Science and Technology, Keio University, obtaining my Ph.D. (Doctor of Science) in July 2020. Since April 2020, I have had the privilege of working as a Research Staff member in this same Department of System Chemotherapy and Molecular Sciences here at the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Kyoto University.
Throughout my academic career, starting from my student years, I have consistently engaged in chemical biology research focused on the development of therapeutic drugs. In particular, I have dedicated myself to advancing the entire pipeline for drug candidate compounds – encompassing screening, isolation and structure determination, and mechanism-of-action analysis – with a specific emphasis on natural products derived from microorganisms.
As a researcher working at the intersection of disciplines such as organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and molecular/cellular biology
– essentially as a “Monotori” researcher focused on the integrated discovery and characterization of bioactive compounds (‘mono’ =
things/compounds, ‘tori’ = finding/getting) – I am committed to striving for the acquisition of fascinating natural compounds that hold potential as future drug seeds.
By absorbing the diverse research concepts and insights from faculty members and students across the wide range of fields here at Kyoto University, and by cultivating a multi-faceted perspective, I hope to contribute significantly to the advancement of drug discovery science, both through my own research endeavors and through student education.
I sincerely ask for your continued guidance and encouragement moving forward. Thank you very much.