Exosomes are extracellular vesicles secreted by cells, characterized by lipid bilayers with diameters ranging from 50 to 150 nm. They are drawing considerable attention across multiple fields, including regenerative medicine, cancer therapy, immunotherapy, and cosmetic medicine. Despite their growing importance, the therapeutic effects and potential risks of exosomes in the human body remain largely unexplored.
Leveraging advanced technologies pioneered in the Goda Lab, our research aims to establish innovative methods for evaluating the quality and functionality of exosome-based therapies. This research is organized around three primary objectives: developing techniques to differentiate normal cells from senescent cells, analyzing the biological functions of cell-derived exosomes, and investigating novel strategies for aging control.
Our ultimate goal is to enhance regenerative medicine by improving therapeutic quality and by pioneering new preventive and therapeutic approaches to aging and age-related diseases. Additionally, we are currently advancing an innovative exosome surface engineering technique designed to significantly rejuvenate cells.
References
- Chen et al, "Small extracellular vesicles from young plasma reverse age-related functional declines by improving mitochondrial energy metabolism ", Nature Aging 4, 814 (2024)
- van Niel et al, "Challenges and directions in studying cell-cell communication by extracellular vesicles", Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology 23, 369 (2022)
Cell aging control
- Field leader: Hiroyuki Matsumura, Tianben Ding, Fabio Lisi
- Funding: JST ASPIRE, XPRIZE Healthspan
- Collaboration: Serendipity Lab, Shiro Suetsugu (Nara Institute of Science and Technology)