Member Introduction

Akiko Nakano-Kobayashi

Present Position Program-specific Associate Professor
Degree Ph.D.
Education PhD.-2006: University of Tokyo/Graduate school of Pharmaceutical Sciences
M.S. -2003: University of Tokyo/Graduate school of Pharmaceutical Sciences
B.S. -2001: University of Tokyo/Graduate school of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Professional
Experience		 10/2012-present
Kyoto University/Graduate School of Medicine
Research Associate

  1. Examination of the neurogenesis inducers in Down syndrome models.
  2. Investigation of the mechanism of glial activation involved in neurodegenerative disorders.

8/2007-8/2012
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, USA
Postdoctoral Fellow

  1. Examination of the molecular pathways involved in dendritic remodeling/synaptic plasticity in intellectual disability models.
  2. Underlying mechanism of post-synaptic spatial regulation for long-term potentiation.
  3. Molecular and behavioral mechanisms in fragileX syndrome model.

4/2006-7/2007
Tsukuba University / Graduate School of Medicine (Dr. Yasunori Kanaho)
Postdoctoral Fellow
-Investigation of the molecular mechanism for the maintenance of synaptic activity through phospholipid signaling.

4/2003-3/2006
University of Tokyo/Graduate school of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Dr. Toshiaki Katada)
Dissertion title: Phospholipid signaling for regulation of synaptic vesicle recycling.

4/2001-3/2003
University of Tokyo/Graduate school of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Dr. Toshiaki Katada)
-Investigation of the molecular mechanism of RNA metabolism.

Research interest

The overall goal of my research is to further understand the molecular mechanism underlying psychiatric/neurodevelopmental disorders, hoping to utilize the acquired findings to develop drugs to rescue the disease-related deficits.

 

Membership The Japan Neuroscience Society
Japanese Society for Chemical Biology
Selected
Peer-reviewed
Publications
  1. Nakano-Kobayashi A, Awaya T, Kii I, Sumida Y, Okuno Y, Yoshida S, Sumida T, Inoue H, Hosoya T, Hagiwara M. Prenatal neurogenesis induction therapy normalizes brain structure and function in Down syndrome mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017 Sep 19;114(38):10268-10273. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1704143114.
  2. Nakano-Kobayashi A, Tai Y, Nadif Kasri N, Van Aelst L. The X-linked mental retardation protein OPHN1 interacts with Homer1b/c to control spine endocytic zone positioning and expression of synaptic potentiation. J Neurosci. 2014 Jun 25;34(26):8665-71. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0894-14.2014.
  3. Nadif Kasri N*, Nakano-Kobayashi A*, Van Aelst L. Rapid synthesis of the X-linked mental retardation protein OPHN1 mediates mGluR-dependent LTD through interaction with the endocytic machinery. Neuron. 2011 Oct 20;72(2):300-15. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2011.09.001.*equal contribution
  4. Nadif Kasri N, Nakano-Kobayashi A, Malinow R, Li B, Van Aelst L. The Rho-linked mental retardation protein oligophrenin-1 controls synapse maturation and plasticity by stabilizing AMPA receptors. Genes Dev. 2009 Jun 1;23(11):1289-302. doi: 10.1101/gad.1783809.
  5. Nakano-Kobayashi A, Kasri NN, Newey SE, Van Aelst L. The Rho-linked mental retardation protein OPHN1 controls synaptic vesicle endocytosis via endophilin A1. Curr Biol. 2009 Jul 14;19(13):1133-9. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2009.05.022.
  6. Nakano-Kobayashi A, Yamazaki M, Unoki T, Hongu T, Murata C, Taguchi R, Katada T, Frohman MA, Yokozeki T, Kanaho Y. Role of activation of PIP5Kgamma661 by AP-2 complex in synaptic vesicle endocytosis. EMBO J. 2007 Feb 21;26(4):1105-16.