Ryuta Uraki

Message from the Division Head

As of October 2025 (Reiwa 7), I have been appointed as the Head of the GMP Education Division at the Center for New Infectious Diseases (UTOPIA), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study.

The experience of the 2009 influenza pandemic and, more recently, the global COVID-19 pandemic has made viruses feel closer and more real to many of us—sometimes as an invisible yet powerful threat. Throughout my career, I have been fascinated by viruses that cause such infectious diseases, particularly by the fundamental question of why these tiny particles can make humans ill, sometimes fatally, and how our immune systems recognize and fight back against them.

Our research has mainly focused on RNA viruses, including influenza virus, Zika virus, and SARS-CoV-2. Because viruses cannot replicate on their own, they must hijack the biological systems of their “hosts”—human or animal cells—to multiply. Understanding both the common mechanisms and the unique strategies that viruses use during this process allows us to uncover how infections are established and how diseases develop.

To address these questions, our laboratory pursues three main research pillars (as of October 2025):

1. Vector-ImmunoVirology
   A new research concept that integrates virus × host immunity × vector biology, aiming to go beyond conventional frameworks for infectious-disease control. We analyze molecular factors in mosquito and other arthropod vectors to understand how they influence infection and disease outcomes.
2. Immune Imprinting in Infection and Vaccination
   Using human samples and animal models, we investigate how prior viral exposures or vaccination histories (“immune imprinting”) shape immune responses, vaccine efficacy, and long-term immunity.
3. Environmental Factors Affecting Viral Pathogenesis and Immune Responses
   We study how environmental factors—such as nutrition, circadian rhythm, and stress—affect vaccine responses and viral disease progression from multiple perspectives.

In addition to basic research, our laboratory places strong emphasis on GMP education. Translating scientific discoveries into vaccines and therapeutics requires a deep understanding of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) to ensure quality and safety for clinical applications. Bridging basic and translational research, we aim to cultivate the next generation of experts capable of supporting future clinical trials and vaccine development.

At UTOPIA, The University of Tokyo, world-leading researchers in virology, immunology, epidemiology, and clinical medicine come together to create an exceptional research environment. It is a privilege to study viruses in such a stimulating setting. We are committed not only to advancing fundamental science but also to contributing to the development of new therapeutic and preventive strategies—and to nurturing the human talent essential to these endeavors.

Having lived through the era of pandemics, the importance of virus research and GMP education has never been greater. Our laboratory continues to build the scientific foundations needed to confront emerging viruses—and welcomes those who share this challenge with us.

October 2025

Biography

• Mar. 2006　Graduated from La Salle High School
• Mar. 2010　B.S., Department of Animal Life Science, Faculty of Agriculture, The University of Tokyo
• Mar. 2015　Ph.D. in Life Science, Department of Medical Genome Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo
• Apr. 2015 – Jun. 2015　Project Researcher, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo
• Jul. 2015 – Jun. 2017　Postdoctoral Associate, Yale University School of Medicine / Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)
• Jul. 2017 – Feb. 2019　Postdoctoral Fellow, Yale University School of Medicine / HHMI (JSPS Overseas Research Fellow)
• Mar. 2019 – Mar. 2021　Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya City University
• Apr. 2021 – Jul. 2024　Senior Research Scientist, Research Institute, National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM), Japan
• Nov. 2023 – Jul. 2025　Visiting Associate Professor, Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research (CIDER), International Institute for Advanced Studies, The University of Tokyo
• Aug. 2024 – Mar. 2025　Principal Research Scientist, Research Institute, NCGM
• Apr. 2025 – Jul. 2025　Principal Research Scientist, National Institute of Global Health, National Institute for Health Crisis Management
• Aug. 2025 – present　Independent Associate Professor, CIDER, International Institute for Advanced Studies, The University of Tokyo

Awards

• 2019
  • Best Oral Presentation Award, 190th French-Japanese Biology Society Meeting
  • Encouragement Award, Nagoya City University Medical Association
• 2023
  • Best Presentation Award, 51st Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Immunology
  • 15th Hakoneyama Award, National Center for Global Health and Medicine
  • Sugiura Encouragement Award, The Japanese Society for Virology
• 2024
  • The Young Scientists’ Prize, Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
• 2025
  • Research Encouragement Award, The Japanese Society for Immunology (20th, 2025)