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My name is Haruo Ogawa. I was appointed as Full Professor in the Department of Structural Biology on April 1, 2026. I completed my studies at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, after which I pursued research at the Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, and the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, also at The University of Tokyo, as well as at research institutions in the United States. I subsequently joined the Institute for Quantitative Biosciences at The University of Tokyo, and in April 2021, I was appointed as Associate Professor in the Department of Structural Biology at the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University. I am honored to succeed Professor Hiroaki Kato, the first professor of this department, as full professor.\nThe cell, the fundamental unit of life, is enclosed by a cell membrane that separates its interior from the external environment. Membrane proteins embedded in this membrane mediate the transmission of extracellular signals and regulate the uptake and excretion of ions and nutrients. It is widely recognized that a significant proportion of current drug targets are membrane proteins, and I have a deep interest in understanding the mechanisms by which these proteins function across the membrane. Using state-of-the-art cryo-electron microscopy, recently installed at Kyoto University, and X-ray crystallography, I am dedicated to elucidating these mechanisms at the molecular level.
\nMy research extends beyond the determination of three-dimensional structures, integrating biophysics, biochemistry, molecular biology, and pharmacology to advance functional characterization of membrane proteins, with structural insights serving as the foundation. Elucidating the structures of membrane protein\u2013drug complexes, as well as the mechanisms of ligand recognition and signal transduction, is directly relevant to drug discovery. I believe these endeavors will make significant contributions both to academia and to society.
\nBenefiting from the exceptional research environment at the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, I am eager to conduct research with talented students, while also contributing to the development of the next generation of scientists.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"