Research Units

The mission of the Analysis and PDE unit is to reveal and analyze the mathematical principles reflecting natural phenomena expressed by partial differential equations and advance the boundar...

The Biological Design Unit investigates what determines biological forms by untangling the evolution of structural functions and organismal development in the changing climate.

The Cell Division Dynamics Unit studies the mechanisms of chromosome segregation and cell fate determination during mitosis with a focus on mitotic spindle assembly and positioning in cultured human cells and Medaka embryos.

Every day, millions of cells divide to sustain essential tissue functions. Errors in this process can lead to developmental disorders or cancer. Our research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of cell division and quality control in both normal and cancer cells, aiming to uncover how cells maintain genomic stability and regulate proliferation. By integrating high-throughput imaging, gene editing, and genome-wide screening, we seek to expand our understanding of these fundamental processes and how their dysregulation contributes to cancer. Our lab is driven by a curiosity-based approach, grounded in the belief that fundamental research is essential for uncovering the principles that govern life. By investigating the intricate mechanisms controlling cell division, genome maintenance, and cellular quality control, we aim to reveal how these processes go awry in cancer. Through this knowledge, we strive to identify cancer-specific vulnerabilities, discover novel biomarkers, and open new avenues for targeted therapeutic strategies.

The Cognitive Neurorobotics Research Unit is dedicated to investigating the principles of embodied cognition by conducting experimental studies in synthetic neurorobotics. The primary goals of our research are to understand:on how innate structures can be leveraged to develop cognitive constructs through iterative but limited behavioral experiences; how primary intersubjectivity in social cognition can be formed through enactive and contextual interactions with others; and how subjective experiences such as consciousness and free will can be scientifically and phenomenologically explained. In addition, our developmental neurorobotics approach is intended to uncover the underlying mechanisms of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as schizophrenia and autism. Through these researches, we can expect to deepen our ontological understanding of human beings, rather than simply creating another smart machine-learning robot.

We study multiscale and multiphysics problems related to fluid dynamics by numerical simulations. Our research is focused on turbulence, non-Newtonian fluids and multiphase flows.

Continuum Physics Unit members carry out theoretical and experimental research in the mechanics of continuous media, including cellular materials, granular materials, and complex fluids with...

The Droplet and Soft Matter Unit explores soft matter, droplet, and interfacial physics to do fundamental science that is both beautiful and useful, especially in water-health-energy nexus.

We study topics of electron correlation in physics and materials science, such as emergent phenomena at quantum phase transitions, spin frustration and excitation, and Fermi surface evolution.

The Fluid Mechanics Unit uses theory, experiments, and simulations to seek simple insights into complex flows in nature and engineering.

The Future-Proof Cryptography Unit studies Multi-Party Computation, Fully Homomorphic Encryption, Verifiable Computation and Cryptanalysis and how these are affected by quantum computers.

We study interactions between small particles, such as atoms, and laser light using nano-optics tools, to better understand light’s influences on dynamics.

The Marine Physics and Engineering Unit advances the forecast of ocean dynamics and the development of hydrodynamic disaster mitigation alternatives, paving the way for novel ocean technologies.

Research in the Mechanics and Materials Unit is focused on the formulation and analysis of mathematical models for novel systems in the mechanical and material sciences. To derive physically...

Micro/Bio/Nanofluidic Unit develops lab-on-a-chip devices to probe fluid flows and discover new flow phenomena in microscopic worlds, with applications in biotechnology.

Bridging nano to continuum scales, we develop advanced computational & imaging techniques for designing scalable processes for sustainable materials production and manufacturing.

The OIST Neural Computation Unit aims to develop novel algorithms and to reveal brain mechanisms for reinforcement learning and Bayesian inference by combining top-down theoretical and bottom-up experimental approaches.

We work in experimental nonlinear, non-equilibrium and soft matter physics. Our current research focuses on fluids, granular media, fluctuations in renewables and quantitative life sciences.