Research Summary
As a physician scientist, I have been dedicated to brain tumor immunology and development of effective immunotherapy for brain tumors for over 20 years. My team was one of very first to discover cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes in glioma-associated and glioma-specific neoantigens, and found critical roles for the integrin receptor known as very late activation antigen (VLA)-4 in facilitating entry of CTLs to the brain tumor site. I have translated these discoveries into novel vaccine and immune-gene therapy clinical studies in both adult and pediatric brain tumor patients. I am a member in the American Society for Clinical Investigation (2010-present), an honored society for physicians who promote laboratory science to the clinic. My current national and international leadership roles include: chair of the immunotherapy subgroup at the NCI-sponsored Adult Brain Tumor Consortium; a Steering Committee member of the Cancer Immunology Working Group in the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR); a co-chair for Education Day at 2015 the Society for Neuro-Oncology annual meeting; and an Organizing Committee member for the 2015 Annual Meeting of the AACR.
Research Funding
December 15, 2017 - November 30, 2025 - Preclinical development of breakthrough immunotherapy for brain tumors , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R35NS105068
July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2023 - Glioma immunotherapy targeting IDH mutation-derived epitope and immunosuppression , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01CA222965
May 15, 2016 - March 31, 2021 - Novel K27M Mutation-derived Neoantigen for T Cell Therapy in Gliomas , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01NS096954
February 14, 2019 - January 31, 2021 - Pilot randomized neoadjuvant vaccine with CD27-costimulation in low-grade glioma , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R21CA233856
Education
Nagoya University School of Medicine-Japan, M.D., 1991, Medicine
Nagoya University School of Medicine-Japan, Ph.D., 1996, Medicine
Handa Municipal Hospital-Japan, Internship, Residency, 1991-1992
Nagoya University School of Medicine-Japan, Residency, 1992-1996, Neurosurgery