Hitoshi Okamura
Hitoshi Okamura (born December 2, 1952) is a Japanese scientist who specializes in
chronobiology. He is currently a professor of Systems Biology at
Kyoto University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Research Director of the Japan Science Technology Institute, CREST. Okamura's research group cloned mammalian Period genes, visualized clock oscillation at the single cell level in the central clock of the SCN, and proposed a time-signal neuronal pathway to the
adrenal gland. He received a
Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon in 2007 for his research and was awarded
Aschoff's Ruler for his work on
circadian rhythms in rodents. His lab recently revealed the effects of
m6A mRNA methylation on the circadian clock, neuronal communications in
jet lag, and the role of dysregulated clocks in salt-induced
hypertension.
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