Department of Stem Cell Biology and Histology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine

The main research subject of our lab is 'Muse cells' which we found as a novel type of non-tumorigenic pluripotent stem cells.
They possess several properties that are not recognized in other stem cells.
Furthermore, they are collectable from easy accessible sources, and thus are feasible for clinical application.
We are propelling Muse cell project from the standpoint of basic research as well as of pre-clinical study.

Clinical trial of Muse cell therapy has started as below.

Clinical trial of Muse cell product targetting acute myocardial infarction has started from February 2018. Press Releases
Clinical trial of Muse cell product targetting ischemic stroke patient has started from September 2018. Press Releases
Clinical trial of Muse cell product targetting epidermolysis bullosa has started from December 2018. Press Releases
Clinical trial with a Muse cell product targetting spinal cord injuries has started from July 2019. Press Releases
Clinical trial with Muse cell-based product in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis has been started from January 2021. Press Releases
Clinical trial of Muse cell-based product to treat acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) related to novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been started from April 2021. Press Releases

These clinical trials are conducted by Life Science Institute Inc., the group company of Mitsubishi Chemical Group.

What's New

Prof. Dezawa's research article 'Muse cell offer new hope for ‘reparative medicine’' was published in Impact.

https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/sil/impact/2019/00002019/00000003/art00015

PDF

Muse Cells book has just published by Springer.

This book presents up-to-date knowledge on Muse cells, newly recognized pluripotent stem cells that will be vital for next-generation medical care.

https://www.springer.com/jp/book/9784431568452

2018.4.5 NAI Fellow Induction Ceremony was held on April 5, 2018 at the Mayflower Hotel, Washington D.C.

Photo Gallery

*Election to NAI Fellow status is the highest professional distinction accorded solely to academic inventors who have demonstrated a prolific spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development, and the welfare of society.

2025.4.1 Members is updated.
2025.3.21 Muse Cell Protocol, Publications is updated.
2025.1.1 The e-mail address has been changed.
2024.11.25 Prof. Dezawa appeared on the NHK WORLD program 'MEDICAL FRONTIERS' aired on Nov 25, 2024.
Broadcasting station: NHK WORLD (Reruns: Nov 26, Nov 30)
(Streaming from the official website)
https://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/live/
After the rebroadcast, you can watch it on demand (for 1 year).
https://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/medicalfrontiers/
Program name: MEDICAL FRONTIERS
2024.11.18 Publications is updated.
2024.9.20 Publications, Photo Gallery is updated.
2024.8.18 Publications is updated.
Terai-san, the 4th-year medical student, won "the highest award" for his oral presentation in "the 14th Summer Retreat."
2024.5.1 Publications, Photo Gallery is updated.
2024.4.1 Members is updated.
Graduate student Kana Abe(Okawa) (D4) won 'the Research Fellowship for Young Scientists DC2' supported by JSPS (Japan Society for the Promotion of Science).
Graduate student (D3) Yo Oguma's application for '2024 Overseas Dispatch Assistance Program' has been officially adopted by 'General Incorporated Foundation: Tohoku Development Memorial Foundation (Tohoku Kaihatsu Kinen Zaidan)'.
2024.1.31 Publications is updated.
2023.12.22 Terai-san, the 3rd year medical student, won the "Award of Excellent Presentation Subject" at the basic medicine training presentation.
2023.12.8 Publications is updated.
2023.11.29 Lecturer Shohei Wakao has obtained 'the Anzai-Kinen research grant for study of diabetes'
2023.11.7 Graduate Student Yo Oguma(D2)won the 'Starter Research Incentive Award/Outstanding Performance Award' and Dr. Masayuki Otani(D4 in Cardiovascular Surgery Dept.)won the 'Booster Research Incentive Award/Outstanding Performance Award'.
2023.10.31 Publications is updated.
2023.8.28 It's been decided that Graduate student Yo Oguma (D2) is going to receive an academic research support under 'the research support program (with the use of Illumina NovaSeq)' sponsored by Novogene Co., Ltd.
2023.6.30 Graduate student Yo Oguma (D2) won 'The Award for Student's Excellent Presentation [Medical and Biological Sciences Session]' in 'The 79th Annual Meeting of The Japanese Society of Microscopy'.
2023.4.18 Graduate Student Kana Okawa(D3) has been chosen as a fellow for the 9th term of 'Japan BioDesign'.
2023.4.1 Members is updated.
2023.1.23 Prof. Dezawa appeared on the TV program 'Jonetsu-tairiku' broadcasted on January 22, 2023.
2022.12.20 Publications is updated.
2022.12.16 Graduate student Yo Oguma(D1)received Tohoku Medical Society Incentive Award(2023.1.12 Award ceremony).
2022.10.26 A Research Group of Prof. Dezawa released a novel mechanism for controlling somatic stem cell.
The findings are updated on Cellular and Molecular Life Science online and the press conference was held as well.
Phagocytosing diferentiated cell?fragments is a novel mechanism for controlling somatic stem cell diferentiation within a short time frame.
URL:https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00018-022-04555-0.pdf
2022.10.14 Publications, Members is updated.
2022.6.7 Publications, Members is updated.
2022.4.20 Members is updated.
2021.12.15 Oguma-san of the 6th-year medical student won the ‘Best Award’ at the Medical Student Scholarship presentation (2022.1.13 Award ceremony).
2021.12.14 Graduate Student Kana Okawa (D1) won the ‘Starter Research Incentive Award/Outstanding Performance Award’.
2021.6.1 Graduate Student Kana Okawa (D1) was chosen as a student on ‘Global Hagi Scholarship for Doctoral Course Students’.
2021.5.20 Publications is updated.
2021.4.8 Members is updated.
2020.12.10 Ogawa-san of the 4th-year medical student won the ‘Best Award’ at the Medical Student Scholarship presentation (2021.1.14 Award ceremony).
2020.11.30 Publications is updated.
2020.11.9 Publications is updated.
2020.11.2 Graduate Student Hatabi Khaled (D3) won the ‘Booster Research Incentive Award/Outstanding Performance Award’.
2020.5.25 Publications is updated.
2020.5.20 Graduate Student Kana Okawa (M2) has selected a researcher of Master’s course student by Interdisciplinary Advanced Research and Education of Tohoku University.
2020.4.10 Members is updated.
2019.12.27 Ogawa-san, the 3rd year medical student, won the 'Award of Excellence' for his outstanding presentation on the basic medicine training.
2019.12.19 Publications is updated.
2019.6.18 Photo Gallery is updated.
2019.5.23 Publications, Members is updated.
2019.4.4 Publications is updated.
2019.3.25 Associate Professor Masaaki Kitada promoted to become Professor of Kansai Medical University as of 1st April.
2019.3.18 Publications is updated.
2019.1.10 Oguma-san of the 3rd-year medical student won the"Best Award" at the basic medicine training presentation.
2018.12.19 Publications is updated.
2018.10.30 Photo Gallery, Members is updated.
2018.8.21 Members is updated.
2018.7.20 Publications is updated.
2018.6.29 Graduate Student Rina Yamaguchi (D2) has selected a researcher of doctoral course student by Interdisciplinary Advanced Research and Education of Tohoku University.
2018.6.27 Photo Gallery, Publications is updated.
2018.4.20 Photo Gallery is updated.
2018.4.2 Members is updated.
2018.3.30 Publications is updated.
2018.3.19 Muse Cell Protocol is uploaded.
2018.3.6 A Research Group of Prof Minatoguchi of Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine and Prof. Dezawa released a new approach for acute myocardial infarction.
The findings are updated on Circulation Research online and the press conference was held as well.
S1P-S1PR2 Axis Mediates Homing of Muse Cells into Damaged Heart for Long Lasting Tissue Repair and Functional Recovery After Acute Myocardial Infarction
URL:https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.117.311648
2018.2.19 Mr. Adam Matejovic was awarded Kanehara Foundation Scholarship Grant for Foreign Nationals in Japan.
2018.1.12 Professor Dezawa received the notice selected as Fellow of National Academy of Inventors.
http://www.academyofinventors.org/fellows.asp
2017.12.5 Photo Gallery is updated.
2017.9.29 Publications is updated.
2017.9.26 Muse Cell Protocol is uploaded.
2017.8.17 Publications is updated.
2017.4.28 Photo Gallery is updated.
2017.4.28 Members is updated.
2017.2.16 Graduate Student(D4)Mohamed Amin received The Outstanding Poster Award at The 2017 Japan-NIH Joint Symposium.
2016.12.26 Photo Gallery is updated.
2016.10.4 Members is updated.
2016.6.22 Members is updated.
2016.3.30 Publications is updated.
2016.3.1 Publications is updated.
2015.11.16 Photo Gallery is updated.
2015.11.14 Assistant Professor Yoshihiro Kushida received President Award at The 42th Annual Meeting of the Japan Society for Organ Preservation and Biology.
2015.8.7 MCHD, Introducing regenerative medicine to aim commercialization in fiscal year 2020
2015/5/14 22:47 (PDF)
2015.7.17 Our graduate student Fumitaka Ogura received the Shinyu Excellent Student Award at Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine.
2015.6.25 Photo Gallery is updated.
2015.6.22 Members is updated.
2015.6.22 Photo Gallery is updated.
2015.4.21 Photo Gallery is updated.
2015.4.11 Professor Dezawa received Everfront Award at the 8^th Pan Pacific Symposium on Stem Cells and Cancer Research (PPSSC).
2015.1.14 Photo Gallery is updated.
2014.12.3 Publications is updated.
2014.12.3 Members is updated.
2014.12.3 Photo Gallery is updated.
2014.10.16 Members is updated.
2014.10.15 Photo Gallery is updated.
2014.8.20 Muse Cell Protocol is uploaded.
2014.8.11 Photo Gallery is updated.
2014.7.3 Photo Gallery is updated.
2014.5.7 Members is updated.
2014.5.7 Publications is updated.
2014.5.7 Photo Gallery is updated.
2014.4.10 It is decided that Prof. Dezawa will be the president of The 16th Congress of the Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine to be held during March 6-9, 2017.
http://www.asas.or.jp/jsrm/
2014.4.4 Graduate Student Yuki Kikuchi (D1) has gotten 2014 scholarship from Takeda Science Foundation, which is for doctor course students in Medical School.
2013.12.26 Photo Gallery is updated.
2013.12.10 It is decided that Assistant Professor Shohei Wakao will receive 2013 research grant from Japan Intractable Diseases Research Foundation.
2013.12.3 Publications is updated.
2013.11.25 Graduate Student Shahed Al Sariera (M2) has been selected as the best presentation award winner (poster session) in 7th Young Investigators Symposium on Clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences.
2013.11.7 Photo Gallery is updated.
2013.10.16 Photo Gallery is updated.
2013.10.3 Publications is updated.
2013.7.1 Image taken from the protocol by Kuroda et al. (http://www.nature.com/nprot/journal/v8/n7/full/nprot.2013.076.html) is adopted for the cover of 'Nat Protocols' Vol 8 No 7 (July, 2013).
2013.6.21 Photo Gallery is updated.
2013.5.16 Publications is updated.
2013.4.24 Members is updated.
2013.4.23 Photo Gallery is updated.
2013.4.10 Photo Gallery is updated.
2013.4.3 Photo Gallery is updated.
2013.4.3 Publications is updated.
2012.10.4 Photo Gallery is updated.
2012.6.13 Graduate Student Nao Uchida (D2 in Pediatrics Dept) won the research grant of Miyagi Medical Women's Association.
2012.5.15 Associate Professor Masaaki Kitada received The Incentive Award of The Japanese Society of Microscopy.
2012.5.8 Photo Gallery is updated.
2012.5.1 Members is updated.
2012.1.12 Photo Gallery is updated.
2011.12.22 Research Associate Shohei Wakao received Tohoku Medical Society Incentive Award.
2011.12.20 It is decided that Research Associate Shohei Wakao will receive 2011 research grant from The Tokyo Biochemical Research Foundation.
2011.11.15 Photo Gallery, Publications is updated.
2011.10.17 Members is updated.
2011.9.13 Publications is updated.
2011.8.1 Photo Gallery is updated.
2011.7.14 Photo Gallery is updated.
2011.5.19 Members is updated.
2011.4.25 Publications is updated.
2011.4.25 Members is updated.
2011.4.12 Professor Mari Dezawa received The Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Prizes for Science and Technology, Research Category.
2011.3.29 Associate Professor Masaaki Kitada was selected for the 2010 incentive award by The Japanese Association of Anatomists.
2011.3.25 Graduate student Yasumasa Kuroda won the President's award of Tohoku University.
2011.2.10 Photo Gallery is updated.
2011.1.14 Graduate student Yasumasa Kuroda received Tohoku Medical Society Incentive Award.
2010.10.19 Graduate student Yasumasa Kuroda received Shinyu Graduate Research Excellent Award at Tohoku University.
2010.10.14 Members is updated.
2010.10.7 Publications, Photo Gallery is updated.
2010.8.11 Publications is updated.
2010.7.21 Photo Gallery is updated.
2010.7.1 Members is updated.
2010.5.28 Photo Gallery is updated.
2010.5.12 Photo Gallery is updated.
2010.5.12 Publications is updated.
2010.5.12 Members is updated.
2010.4.26 An article written by Prof. Dezawa's research team appeared in PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences), one of the world's most-cited multidisciplinary scientific serials. Title of the article:Unique multipotent cells in adult human mesenchymal cell populations.
(http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2010/04/23/0911647107.abstract)
2010.4.19 It was announced that Prof. Dezawa and her team had found previously unknown cells, named "Muse cells".
2010.3.10 Prof. Dezawa has accepted an invitation to a contract as an Associate Editor of 'The Anatomical Record' which is an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists.
The term for Associate Editorship is three years, January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2012.
'The Anatomical Record':
(http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/117927936/grouphome/home.html)
'Editorial Board':
(http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/117927936/grouphome/EditorialBoard.html)
2009.11.25 The English page is set up.

Department of Stem Cell Biology and Histology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine

What's New

Prof. Dezawa's research article 'Muse cell offer new hope for ‘reparative medicine’' was published in Impact.

Muse Cells book has just published by Springer.

2018.4.5 NAI Fellow Induction Ceremony was held on April 5, 2018 at the Mayflower Hotel, Washington D.C.