The University of Electro-communications Taki Laboratory

Be the first to discover One‑Shot Therapy or Cell‑Force Therapy. We foster the next generation of scientists who can create “0 → 1” innovations that AI cannot, powered by interdisciplinary skill sets and curiosity.

Taki Lab by Numbers

・JSPS DC acceptance rate — 70 % (5/7)
・ACS/RSC journal covers — 7 articles (front & back covers)
・Tobitate! scholarship awardees — 2
・Alumni in academia (e‑Rad holders) — 3
・Working-professional doctoral students accepted — 3 (1 Ph.D. conferred)
・Integrated Ph.D. candidates accepted — 4 (1 Ph.D. conferred, 1 enrolled 2025)
・International students — 2 (1 SESS scholar arriving Oct 2025)
・Private‑foundation fellowships / awards — Multiple (e.g., 1.2 M JPY y⁻¹ from TOHKA Foundation, 2025, to Mr. Li, D2)
・Competitive basic‑research funding inflow — 14 consecutive years since lab founding

Still I believe "L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." (From Le Petit Prince)…

Four Key Benefits for *You*

・Interdisciplinary Skill Matrix — Master any combination of organic synthesis, evolutionary molecular engineering, molecular biology, chemical biology, data science,and optical measurement in an integrated fashion.
・“Guild‑Style” Global Network — Online joint seminars with PIs worldwide, including two visiting UEC professors (FY 2025). A small lab means niche but intensive collaborations; see the “RESEARCH” tab.
・Funding & Autonomy — We fully support acquisition of external funds and scholarships. Once secured, your funds are unrestricted. Absolute freedom + responsibility, under research ethics and safety.
・Career Paths — Alumni thrive in chem/bio start‑ups, pharma R&D, IP, consulting, IT, and academia.

Figure.Representative areas of expertise that can be acquired during research in the Taki Laboratory (projects only related to the bioTCI Hub). Note: Mechano-3D Imaging projects provide additional skill sets not listed here.

Voices of Alumni

・“The mindset I gained in the Taki Lab—always extracting a new insight even from a so-called ‘failed’ experiment—is still my guiding principle, and I now pass that attitude on to my graduate students.”
—Assist. Prof. Dr. Y. Azetsu
Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Dentistry, Showa University School of Medicine
・“My experience in the Taki Lab—grappling with the challenge of turning 0 → 1 into reality—still fuels my drive as a researcher to keep formulating new questions.”
—Dr. K. Mochizuki
Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Technology Research Institute (TIRI)
・“I joined the Taki Laboratory as one of its first members. Professor Taki had just started out as an independent principal investigator (PI), and now I stand in the same position myself. The lab taught me the mindset required of a researcher and a PI. “
—Assoc. Prof. Dr. K. Fukunaga
University of Miyazaki
・“I returned to academia as a working-professional doctoral student to balance in-house R&D with publishable science. Companies are now expected to propose research themes with real social impact, and the training and discussions with the PI in the lab have become the bedrock for planning such projects.”
—Dr S. Hirasawa
Senior Principal Researcher, Value Creation Group, Research Institute for Bioscience, Products & Fine Chemicals, Ajinomoto Co., Inc.

First, drop us an email (button below). We will arrange an on‑site or Zoom interview as needed.
Email: taki@pc.uec.ac.jp

Inquiry

Programs with Proven Acceptance in the Taki Lab (beyond standard admission)

ROUTE	Features	KTerm / Support
Working-Professional	Research while remaining employed;	3–4 yr / company salary +
Student	flexible IP contracts	UEC campus facilities
Integrated Ph.D. (Open Innovation Course)	Combined M2 + Ph.D. with salary (work remuneration, not scholarship)	5 yr / RA salary begins in M1
Research Associate (RA)	UEC‑specific RA scheme	540 k JPY y⁻¹ + tuition waiver
SESS (MEXT Special Program)	National‑scholarship slots exclusive to UEC	~1.8 M JPY y⁻¹ + tuition waiver + RT airfare + visa support
Short-Term Sabbatical	3–12 mo research stay for Ph.D. students – assistant profs	Guest researcher status

Support Options - Detailed Information

ROUTE	Core Features	Track Record & Notes
Working-Professional Student (e.g., Dr Hirasawa)	We accept employed researchers as Ph.D. candidates or Special Research Students while they remain on their company’s payroll. All research meetings and experiments are carried out either on-site or remotely as needed. Note: Mr Li (current D2) also entered via the Research-Student route after leaving industry, and is therefore not included in the three working-professional cases listed above. Official outline → Official Outline of the Research Student System (UEC)	3 students to date
Integrated Ph.D. Course (UEC Open Innovation Course) (e.g., Mr Katsuki, D3)	A five-year combined track (M2 + Ph.D.). An overseas lab rotation is compulsory and quite demanding, but fellows receive a salary beginning in the master’s year as a merit-based stipend. Program details → 5-Year Combined Master’s–Doctoral Program (Fundamental Science and Engineering)	4 students to date
Research Associate (RA) (e.g., Mr Li, D2)	A university-wide scheme for doctoral candidates at UEC. Details → Research Assistant Program	(current)
UEC International Special Program (SESS)	A MEXT-funded special program for international scholars. We will host a Ph.D. candidate from Dr Wicaksono’s laboratory (UGM, Indonesia) starting October 2025. Program outline → Call for applications for UEC International Special Programs for the second semester of 2024	1 incoming student (Oct 2025)
Short-Term Acceptance	We can host assistant professors on sabbatical or visiting Ph.D. students for 3–12 months. Although not yet utilized, UEC’s JUSST scheme is also available. JUSST → Call for applications for UEC International Special Programs for the second semester of 2024	2 visitors

(All links are current as of June 2025.)

Annual Schedule (typical)

・May / July / November — On‑site Open‑Lab / Open‑Campus events (Zoom available for distant candidates)
・Anytime — On‑site or VR lab tour & individual meetings
・April — Welcome party for newcomers
・Autumn — Conference season
・Winter — Lab trip

FAQ (excerpt)

Q: My background is shallow; is that a problem?
A: For the first 2–6 months, a personal mentor accompanies you through basic training.

Q: Is the stipend enough for living expenses?
A: Depends. A JSPS DC fellow receives ≈200 k JPY month⁻¹ (FY 2025). Example: in Chōfu,
rent = 60–70 k JPY → disposable income = 50–70 k JPY.

Q: Is Japanese mandatory?
A: Research and daily support are provided in Japanese or English.

Weekly Routine (FY 2025)

Mon | (Standard research day)
Tue | Journal Club (PM only)
Wed | (Standard research day)
Thu | (Standard research day)
Fri | Research report meeting (AM only) & occasional TGIF socials
Core collective hours are kept minimal; otherwise a flex‑time system applies (recommended ≥40 h week⁻¹ for MSc, more for Ph.D. candidates). Times are adjusted each term to accommodate coursework—use your most productive hours.

Facilities & Location

Our dedicated infrastructure covers organic synthesis, biology (incl. cell culture), and more. The Chōfu campus is 15 min by train from Shinjuku (the Center of Tokyo), five minutes’ walk from Chōfu Station, and surrounded by unique ‘only-one’ institutes such as the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ; under collaboration). Cutting‑edge equipment at nearby universities is accessible within a day trip.
ARIM shared facilities: two NMRs, three MS instruments (incl. state‑of‑the‑art MALDI‑TOF‑MS/MS), CLSM, etc., available essentially without waiting. UEC is certified as an ARIM node, enabling stress‑free use of high‑end instruments inside our building.

Advanced Research Infrastructure for Materials (ARIM)

Lab Culture

・24 h knowledge sharing on Slack integrated with multiple apps; all‑night work is discouraged.
・Only meetings that truly require everyone are held; otherwise one‑on‑one suffices.
・We support idea‑generation from zero; if it looks fun, do it—learn by trial and error.
・No project is blocked for lack of funds: since 2011 we have never had a year without competitive ‘basic‑research’ income.
・Critical thinking is encouraged-scientists must doubt every statement, as detectives doubt every alibi.
・Well-being first: we stop if you are exhausted and tailor efforts to individual strengths.

External transfers (as of Jun 2025): Two M1 students from private universities; Mr. Li (D2) joined after leaving industry; short-term acceptance of an MSc 2 student from Hoshi University in FY 2024.

Ready to explore One-Shot Therapy together?

We are always looking for talented Ph.D. candidates eager to pioneer bioTCI research. Feel free to contact Prof. Taki or any group member for details

For those who find ordinary graduate work unsatisfying:

We believe that students willing to put in extra effort deserve commensurate rewards. If you are aiming for a Ph.D., our exchange schemes let you focus entirely on research without the need for part-time jobs. Feel free to contact us for details.

Proven Research-Exchange Track Record (Domestic & International)

・Current Ph.D. candidate (D3 :OI Program :JSPS DC1)
・National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST): Bioinformatics
・Tokyo Institute of Technology (ELSI): In-vitro translation systems
・National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ): Optical engineering (lasers); metrology of mirrors and filters for the next-generation TMT telescope

・Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA): Precision metrology
・Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology: Laser science
・Alumnus (Ph.D.Tobitate! Scholarship, 9th cohort)
・One-year research stay at the University of Wisconsin, Department of Anesthesiology / Department of Radiology
・Host institute: Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research (WIMR)
・"Cutting-edge instruments shared across disciplines made it an ideal environment for research. Despite the cold winters, Madison is safe, offers great food, and is a very comfortable city."

・Alumnus (M.S. · IT field · Tobitate! Scholarship, 10th cohort)
・IMDEA Nanoscience Institute (Madrid, Spain) — Nanoscience group
IMDEA Nanociencia

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FAQ | What is “Tobitate! Study Abroad JAPAN”?
A MEXT-funded program that covers all travel and living expenses, allowing students to carry out an overseas research stay of up to one year while remaining enrolled in their home institution.
Tobitate! Study Abroad JAPAN – MEXT-Funded Global Exchange Program