Inaugural Lecture – WPI-IRCN
Prof. Haruo Kasai

Professor Haruo Kasai became a full-time Project Professor of WPI-IRCN on April 1, 2022, moving from the School of Medicine at The University of Tokyo. Prof. Kasai is a world-renowned researcher who, on March 14, 2022, received the Imperial Prize and the Japan Academy Prize, which are bestowed upon academic scholars who have achieved notable research landmarks and authored particularly outstanding academic papers or books. In Prof. Kasai's distinguished academic career, he and the colleagues, trainees, and collaborators of his laboratory group, pioneered the field of structural synaptic plasticity, wherein the electrical or mechanical activity in the brain's cells, called neurons, alters their shape and function, particularly in the intercellular communication and memory compartments called dendritic spine synapses. This work advances a general scientific understanding of the brain.
In this video, Professor Kasai gives an overview of the research he had engaged in for almost 40 years and his outstanding achievements. Please enjoy!

The IRCN YouTube account is Here!