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RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences Laboratory for Biomedical Ethics and Co‐design

Team Leader: Muto Kaori (Ph.D.)

Research Summary

Kaori Muto

The primary goal of our laboratory is to collaborate with biomedical scientists, patients, the public, and experts in ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) to assess the impact of biomedical sciences on our society and co-design a conducive environment for these sciences. Specifically, our focus will be on ensuring the appropriate use of human-derived materials and information in research and development. We conduct ELSI research from a wide range of perspectives, including international collaboration, redress of historical injustices, and transparent and responsible research governance. Furthermore, we will gather and disseminate knowledge related to biomedical ethics through consultation with researchers who are tackling novel issues as well as by networking with domestic and international research institutions and universities.

Main Research Fields

  • Humanities & Social Sciences

Related Research Fields

  • Medical management and medical sociology-related
  • Sociology-related
  • Sociology of science, history of science and technology-related

Keywords

  • Ethics for Biomedical Sciences
  • Co-Design
  • ELSI (Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications)
  • Patient and public involvement/engagement
  • Research ethics governance

Selected Publications

Papers with an asterisk(*) are based on research conducted outside of RIKEN.

  • 1. *Yui H, Kamisato A, Muto K, Yashiro Y, Watanabe S, Kiya Y, Fujisawa K, Inoue Y, Yamagata Z.
    "Attitudes towards human fetal tissue research: Survey of researchers and the public in Japan"
    Regenerative Therapy (24), 78-84. 2023.
  • 2. *Kaori Muto, Akiko Nagai, Izen Ri, Kyoko Takashima, Sachie Yoshida.
    "Is legislation to prevent genetic discrimination necessary in Japan? An overview of the current policies and public attitudes."
    PLOS ONE 18(6), e0276090-e0276090. 2023.
  • 3. Mayumi Kusunose, Kaori Muto.
    "Public attitudes toward cloud computing and willingness to share personal health records (PHRs) and genome data for health care research in Japan"
    Human Genome Variation 10, 1-10. 2023.
  • 4. *Hideki Yui, Kaori Muto, Yoshimi Yashiro, Saori Watanabe, Yukitaka Kiya, Kumiko Fujisawa, Kana Harada, Yusuke Inoue, Zentaro Yamagata.
    "Survey of Japanese researchers and the public regarding the culture of human embryos in vitro beyond 14 days"
    Stem Cell Reports 18(4), 799-806. 2023.
  • 5. *Izen Ri, Junichi Kawata, Akiko Nagai, Kaori Muto.
    "Expectations, concerns, and attitudes regarding whole-genome sequencing studies: a survey of cancer patients, families, and the public in Japan"
    Journal of Human Genetics 68(4), 281-285. 2022.
  • 6. *Kayo Takashima, Takeshi Soma, Kaori Muto, Kohji Nishida, Jusaku Minari.
    "Learning to listen: A complementary approach to informed consent for patients with visual impairments"
    Stem Cell Reports 17(12), 2582-2584. 2022.
  • 7. *Hideki Yui, Kaori Muto, Yoshimi Yashiro, Saori Watanabe, Yukitaka Kiya, Ayako Kamisato, Yusuke Inoue, Zentaro Yamagata.
    "Comparison of the 2021 International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) guidelines for “laboratory-based human stem cell research, embryo research, and related research activities" and the corresponding Japanese regulations"
    Regenerative Therapy 21, 46-51. 2022.
  • 8. *Kenta Fujio, Takenori Inomata, Kumiko Fujisawa, Jaemyoung Sung, Masahiro Nakamura, Masao Iwagami, Kaori Muto, Nobuyuki Ebihara, Masahiro Nakamura, Mitsuhiro Okano, Yasutsugu Akasaki, Yuichi Okumura, Takuma Ide, Shuko Nojiri, Masashi Nagao, Keiichi Fujimoto, Kunihiko Hirosawa, Akira Murakami.
    "Patient and public involvement in mobile health-based research for hay fever: a qualitative study of patient and public involvement implementation process"
    Research Involvement and Engagement 8(1), 45-45. 2022.
  • 9. *Shinobu Kobayashi, Takekazu Miyoshi, Tohru Kobayashi, Itaru Hayakawa, Kevin Y Urayama, Masato Uchiyama, Kaori Muto, Yasuto Takeuchi, Masaki Taira, Haruhiko Sago, Kenji Takehara.
    "Public attitudes in the clinical application of genome editing on human embryos in Japan: a cross-sectional survey across multiple stakeholders"
    Journal of human genetics 67, 541-546. 2022.
  • 10. *Tomoya Saito, Kaori Muto, Mikihito Tanaka, Nobuhiko Okabe, Hitoshi Oshitani, Satoshi Kamayachi, Yoshihiro Kawaoka, Akihiko Kawana, Motoi Suzuki, Kazuhiro Tateda, Hitomi Nakayama, Masaki Yoshida, Akifumi Imamura, Fumio Ohtake, Norio Ohmagari, Ken Osaka, Mitsuo Kaku, Tomimasa Sunagawa, Kazutoshi Nakashima, Hiroshi Nishiura, Koji Wada, Shigeru Omi, Takaji Wakita.
    "Proactive Engagement of the Expert Meeting in Managing the Early Phase of the COVID-19 Epidemic, Japan, February-June 2020"
    Emerging Infectious Diseases 27(10), 1-9. 2021.

Lab Members

Principal investigator

Muto Kaori
Team Leader

Core members

Mayumi Kusunose
Senior Technical Scientist
Hideki Yui
Research Scientist
Momoko Sato
Research Associate
Miyoko Oki
Research Administrator

Contact Information

East building (E219)
1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa
230-0045, Japan
Email: kaori.muto [at] riken.jp

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