Academic Profile : Faculty

Sho photo_cut.jpg picture
Asst Prof Sho Suzuki
Nanyang Assistant Professor (NRF), School of Biological Sciences
Nanyang Assistant Professor, School of Biological Sciences
・Education:
2012-2015: Ph.D. in Graduate School of Bioscience (Mentor: Yoshinori Ohsumi [Novel Prize 2016]), Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan.
2010-2012: M.S. in Graduate School of Bioscience (Mentor: Yoshinori Ohsumi), Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan.
2006-2010: B.S. in Department of Bioscience, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan.

・Research Experience:
2022-2024: Research Associate at Cornell University, USA. (Project: Defining the role of ER-endosome contact sites in endosomal sorting)
2015-2022: Postdoctoral fellow (Mentor Scott D. Emr) at Cornell University, USA. (Project: Molecular mechanism of endosomal sorting)
2010-2015: Doctoral thesis research (Mentor: Yoshinori Ohsumi), Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan. (Ph.D. thesis: Defining the principle of autophagy induction)
Eukaryotic cells compartmentalize biochemical reactions and cell signaling events in membrane-bound organelles. These organelles actively communicate with each other at the membrane-contact sites (MCSs). To facilitate this, membrane remodeling occurs at the MCSs remains unclear. Recently, I discovered an unexpected contribution of MCS to endosomal sorting. Excitingly, these observations provide new mechanisms for the understanding of membrane dynamics at the MCSs. I utilize yeast and mammalian cells to study how organelle contact sites contribute to membrane remodeling, especially in the endolysosome system. Loss-of-function mutations of genes encoding the MCS resident proteins are directly linked to neurological disorders, including Parkinson’s disease. My research program is uniquely positioned toward new mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases.
 
  • Investigating the molecular basis of endosomal membrane dynamics and its impact to neurodegeneration
  • Investigating the molecular basis of endosomal membrane dynamics and its impact to neurodegeration
Awards
・2023: NRF Fellowship
・2021: Young Investigator Award from the Japan Society for Cell Biology
・2015: Akaike Journal Award
 
Fellowships & Other Recognition
・2019-2020: Osamu Hayaishi Memorial Scholarship for Study Abroad
・2017-2019: JSPS Fellowship for Research Abroad
・2015-2017: JSPS Fellowship (SPD)
・2012-2015: JSPS Fellowship (DC1)