RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research Laboratory for Hibernation Biology

Team Director: Genshiro A. Sunagawa (M.D., Ph.D.)

Japanese Page

Research Summary

Our goal is the clinical application of active hypometabolism. We aim to provide effective and meaningful treatment for issues in modern medicine that stem from a high basal metabolic rate of human or human tissues. We believe synthetic hibernation for human can drastically improve medical transportation, tissue preservation, and the safety of general anesthesia. Moreover, if human lifespan can be safely extended by synthetic hibernation, traveling to the future or to deep space would not be a fiction anymore. The spaciotemporal cognitive function of human will change totally. Toward human hibernation, we will especially focus on discovering the mechanism of natural hibernation and torpor.

Main Research Fields

Biology

Related Research Fields

Engineering
Complex Systems
Biological Sciences
Medicine, Dentistry & Pharmacy

Selected Publications

1. Koukyou Suita, Kiyomi Ishikawa, Mari Kaneko, et al.
"Mouse embryonic stem cells embody organismal-level cold resistance."
Cell Rep. VOLUME 42, ISSUE 8(2023) doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112954
2. Kyo S, Murata K, Kawatou M, et al.
"Quiescence-inducing neurons-induced hypometabolism ameliorates acute kidney injury in a mouse model mimicking cardiovascular surgery requiring circulatory arrest."
JTCVS Open 12,201-210(2022) doi:10.1016/j.xjon.2022.11.001
3. Deviatiiarov R, Ishikawa K, Gazizova G, et al.
"Integrative transcription start site analysis and physiological phenotyping reveal torpor-specific expression program in mouse skeletal muscle.
Communications Biology 4, 1290 (2021) doi:10.1038/s42003-021-02819-2
4. Takahashi TM, Sunagawa GA, Soya S, et al.
"A Discrete Neuronal Circuit that induces Hibernation-like State in Rodents.
Nature 583, 109–114(2020) doi:10.1038/s41586-020-2163-6
5. Sunagawa GA, Takahashi M,.
"Hypometabolism during Daily Torpor in Mice is Dominated by Reduction in the Sensitivity of the Thermoregulatory System."
Sci. Rep. 6, 37011(2016) doi:10.1038/srep37011
6. Tatsuki F, Sunagawa GA, Shi S, et al.
"Involvement of Ca2⁺-Dependent Hyperpolarization in Sleep Duration in Mammals."
Neuron 90: 70–85(2016) doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2016.02.032
7. Sunagawa GA, Sumiyama K, Ukai-Tadenuma M, et al.
"Mammalian Reverse Genetics without Crossing Reveals Nr3a as a Short-Sleeper Gene."
Cell Rep. 14, 662–677(2016) doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2015.12.052
8. Sunagawa, GA, Séi H, Shimba S, et al.
"FASTER: an unsupervised fully automated sleep staging method for mice."
Genes Cells 18,502-518 (2013) doi:10.1111/gtc.12053