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.
We particularly welcome prospective Ph.D. students from 2027 onward who are eager to conduct hands-on experimental research in bioTCI discovery or Mechano-3D Imaging.

Taki Lab by Numbers

・JSPS DC acceptance rate — 70 % (5/7)
・ACS/RSC journal covers — 8 articles (front & back covers)
・Tobitate! scholarship awardees — 2
・Alumni in academia (professorial or equivalent positions; e-Rad holders) — 3
・Working-professional doctoral students accepted — 3 (1 Ph.D. conferred)
・Integrated Ph.D. candidates accepted — 4 (2 Ph.D. conferred until 2026)
・International students — 4 (expected from October 2026, including a SESS/MEXT scholarship recipient from UGM and a one-year JUSST exchange student from Burapha University)
・Private-foundation fellowships and awards — Multiple (e.g., JPY 1.2 million per year from the TOHKA Foundation, awarded to Mr. Li in 2025, D3)
・Competitive basic-research funding inflow — 15 consecutive years since the laboratory was founded Still, I believe that “L’essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.”
(The Little Prince)

Four Key Benefits for *You*

・Interdisciplinary Skill Matrix
Develop an integrated skill set spanning organic synthesis, biomolecular design, evolutionary molecular engineering, molecular biology, chemical biology, data science, optical measurement, and theoretical calculation. The exact combination depends on your research project and background.
・“Guild‑Style” Global Network
Participate in joint seminars and research discussions with PIs worldwide, including UEC visiting professors and domestic and international collaborators. As a small laboratory, we pursue focused collaborations with researchers who contribute complementary expertise; see the “RESEARCH” tab.
・Funding & Autonomy
We actively support applications for JSPS fellowships, private-foundation scholarships, travel grants, and other competitive funding. Students who obtain their own funding are given substantial autonomy in using it for their research, together with responsibility for research ethics, safety, and accountability.
・Diverse Career Paths
Alumni have pursued careers in chemical and biotechnology start-ups, pharmaceutical and chemical R&D, intellectual property, consulting, IT, public research institutes, and academia.

Prospective Ph.D. Students — 2027 and Beyond

We welcome students considering doctoral study at UEC Tokyo from 2027 onward, particularly those who want to conduct hands-on experimental research in one of the following areas.
MEXT Scholarship Pathways: Prospective international students may consider the FGIP Special Frame (enrollment in 2026, 2027, or 2028; available slots remain subject to MEXT approval), Embassy Recommendation, or University Recommendation (General Frame). The latter two routes are normally offered annually.
1. bioTCI Discovery and Mechanistic Studies
Design and screening of DNA-based biomolecular targeted covalent inhibitors; protein chemistry; molecular biology; NGS/MS-based analysis; molecular dynamics (MD); and experimental validation of covalent biomolecular interactions.
2. Mechano-3D Imaging
Force-responsive hydrogels; optical measurement; image analysis; and experiments using cell models.
Applicants from chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, materials science, optics, biomedical engineering, and related fields are welcome. You do not need to possess all of these skills before joining the laboratory. Experimental initiative, persistence in troubleshooting, and a willingness to learn across disciplines are more important.

Research supervision and day-to-day support are available in English. From October 2026, four international students are expected to be based in the laboratory. Details of funding routes, admission procedures, and available research environments are provided in the sections below.

Figure.Representative areas of expertise that can be developed through research in the Taki Laboratory, mainly in projects related to the bioTCI Hub. Mechano-3D Imaging projects provide additional skill sets in materials science, optics, image analysis, and cell-based experimentation.

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[atmark]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., Dr. Riku Katsuki, Ph.D. graduate; currently a JSPS postdoctoral fellow at Keio University)	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 have hosted a Ph.D. candidate from UGM, Indonesia, since October 2025. program Details → Japanese government (MEXT) scholarship students	1 incoming student (Oct 2025)
Short-Term Acceptance	We can host visiting students and early-career researchers for 3–12 months. From October 2026, we will host a Burapha University student for one year through UEC’s JUSST program. For students at UEC partner institutions, JUSST can serve as a first step to experience the lab and assess a possible future Ph.D. path; it does not guarantee doctoral admission.Details → Short-term Exchange Study Program JUSST	2 visitors

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: A: Funding depends on the program and may change by fiscal year. As a concrete reference, a JSPS DC fellow received approximately JPY 200,000 per month in FY2025. In Chōfu, monthly rent is typically around JPY 60,000–70,000, leaving roughly JPY 50,000–70,000 after ordinary living expenses, depending on individual circumstances. Please check the official program pages for current amounts and eligibility. We will discuss realistic funding routes individually during the initial interview.

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

Typical Weekly Routine

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, and schedules are adjusted each term to accommodate coursework. Sustained experimental progress, research quality, responsible documentation, and effective communication matter more than fixed attendance 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.

Examples of external entrants include master’s students from private universities, a doctoral student who joined after industry, and a short-term master’s student from Hoshi University.

Ready to explore One-Shot Therapy together?

We are always looking for Ph.D. candidates eager to pioneer experimental bioTCI research or Mechano-3D Imaging. Please contact Prof. Taki 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)

・Ph.D. graduate (UEC Open Innovation Course; former JSPS DC1; currently a JSPS postdoctoral fellow at Keio University)
・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