{"id":54,"date":"2026-03-11T13:18:49","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T04:18:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kumamoto-u-jrchri.jp\/motozono\/?page_id=54"},"modified":"2026-05-12T10:58:38","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T01:58:38","slug":"members","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kumamoto-u-jrchri.jp\/motozono\/en\/members\/","title":{"rendered":"Members"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Associate Professor(PI)<\/strong><\/th>\n\n

Chihiro Motozono, Ph.D<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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To everyone visiting our website,<\/span><\/div>\n
I have been fortunate to receive support from many mentors and laboratory members throughout my career. After obtaining my PhD at Kumamoto University, I have conducted research on the mechanisms by which T cells recognize foreign antigens while working at Cardiff University \u2192 Kindai University \u2192 Kyushu University \u2192 Osaka University \u2192 Kumamoto University.
\n<\/span>Our laboratory is a new research group established in April 2026. Our goal is to elucidate the mechanisms by which immune receptors recognize their ligands and to apply this knowledge to engineer functional immune responses for the development of novel vaccines and immunotherapies.<\/span><\/div>\n
Our lab is home to both Japanese and international graduate students from a wide range of academic backgrounds, including medicine, engineering, science, and health sciences. Through active international collaborations with leading researchers in the United Kingdom and Australia, we are advancing research in human immunology, particularly in the context of infectious diseases.<\/span><\/div>\n
If you are interested in our research, or simply feel that you would like to challenge yourself with something new, please feel free to contact us!<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
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D4<\/strong><\/th>\n\n

Li Huanyu<\/strong><\/p>\n

I am a fourth-year PhD student from Jilin, China. Before joining Kumamoto University for my doctoral studies, I received my undergraduate training in Preventive Medicine. My current research focuses on the role and optimization of T-cell immunity in infectious diseases, particularly HIV. In addition, I am investigating cellular immune escape mechanisms in SARS-CoV-2.<\/span>
\nOutside the lab, I enjoy playing the electric guitar. I also enjoy traveling, exploring different cultures, and cooking in my free time.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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D4<\/strong><\/th>\n\n

Yoshiki Aritsu<\/strong><\/p>\n

I am working on the development of artificial T cell antigens that induce functional T cell responses.
\n<\/span>During my Master\u2019s course, I specialized in peptide chemistry and continue to build on that experience in my current research.
\n<\/span>Currently, I employ a range of experimental systems, including cell lines, human PBMCs, and in vivo models, to conduct my studies.
\n<\/span>The photo shows my poster presentation at the Aso Symposium.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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D3<\/strong><\/th>\n\n

Takeshi Nakama<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is a photo of a sunset taken during my visit to La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia, a partner in our international collaborative research. It was my first trip abroad, and I still vividly remember the process of planning the trip specifically to see that sunset. In this way, one of the distinctive features of our lab is that we engage in collaborative research not only domestically but also internationally.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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D3(Respiratory department)<\/strong><\/th>\n\n

Yuka Tajima, MD<\/strong><\/p>\n

I belong to the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Kumamoto University, and joined Motozono lab through a collaborative research project with my supervisor.
\n<\/span>I dedicate myself to research on the themes of respiratory diseases, cellular immune responses, and gut microbiota, and aim to further develop translational research that connects clinical practice and basic research.
\n<\/span>The photos show are from academic conferences and trips to Niigata, Okinawa, Kyoto, and Tokyo, Japan.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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D2<\/strong><\/th>\n\n

Yan Jin, MD<\/strong><\/p>\n

I am a second-year PhD student with a clinical background in hematology. My current research focuses on human immune responses in HTLV-1 infection and adult T-cell leukemia\/lymphoma (ATL), particularly the role of \u03b3\u03b4 T cells.
\n<\/span>By combining my clinical experience with basic immunology research, I hope to contribute to the development of new immunotherapeutic strategies for viral infections and cancer.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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D1<\/strong><\/th>\n\n

Saitoti Timoth<\/strong><\/p>\n

Saitoti is a first year PhD candidate in molecular immunology. His research focuses on optimizing the function of gamma delta T cells for infectious diseases (HIV and viral hepatitis). Prior to joining the Motozono lab at Kumamoto University, Saitoti worked as a public health researcher and laboratory scientist at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences and the Ifakara Health Institute. His previous work focused on family planning among women living with HIV and on improving access to HIV self-testing among young adults in Tanzania, particularly those living in urban slums.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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M2<\/strong><\/th>\n\n

Mizuki Hori<\/strong><\/p>\n

My bachelor is @Kumamoto Health Science University, <\/span>and I have a Medical Technologist’s license!
\n<\/span>Inspired by the anime Cells at Work! <\/i>and fascinated by the <\/span>human immune system, especially interested in Killer T cell <\/span>and decided to work hard in the Motozono Lab during <\/span>my master\u2019s studies\u2606\u5f61
\n<\/span>This picture is BEST SHOT \uff20Fukuoka \u00b0\u02d6\u2662
\n<\/span>Hobby is Travel, LIVE, Music Fes… I’m ACTIVE woman.
\n<\/span>At Motozono Lab, there is not only ENVIRONMENT for <\/span>advanced research and study, but also many opportunities <\/span>to enjoy student life and grow as an individual\u2605
\n<\/span>Studying + Private Life + Personal Growth = Here !<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Technician<\/strong><\/th>\nKyoko Yamada<\/strong><\/td>\n\"\"<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Research support Associate<\/strong><\/th>\nSachie Kawazoe<\/strong><\/td>\n\"\"<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"  Associate Professor(PI) Chihiro Motozono, Ph.D To everyone visiting our website, I have been fortunate … View Article<\/a>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":52,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page_en.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-54","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kumamoto-u-jrchri.jp\/motozono\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/54","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kumamoto-u-jrchri.jp\/motozono\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kumamoto-u-jrchri.jp\/motozono\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kumamoto-u-jrchri.jp\/motozono\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kumamoto-u-jrchri.jp\/motozono\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/kumamoto-u-jrchri.jp\/motozono\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/54\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":249,"href":"https:\/\/kumamoto-u-jrchri.jp\/motozono\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/54\/revisions\/249"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kumamoto-u-jrchri.jp\/motozono\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/52"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kumamoto-u-jrchri.jp\/motozono\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}