Kazuhiko Yamamoto MD, PhD

Kazuhiko Yamamoto graduated from the University of Tokyo School of Medicine in 1977. After finishing his training and residency in internal medicine and rheumatology, he conducted basic research in the laboratory of Prof T. Tada in Tokyo and Prof G. Haemmerling in Heidelberg. He then started his own research projects and also served as clinical rheumatologist at the University of Tokyo Hospital. He then moved to St. Marianna University School of Medicine as an associate professor and to the Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, as a professor.

He is now a professor and chairman of the Department of Allergy and Rheumatology at the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine. He is also serving as a team leader of the Laboratory of Rheumatic Diseases, SNP Research Center, RIKEN. Dr. Yamamoto's research interests include the analyses of genes encoding autoantigens, T cell receptor clonality analyses during immune responses, T cell receptor gene transfer for controlling autoimmune disorders, characterization of newly identified regulatory T cells, and genome wide SNP analyses of rheumatoid arthritis. He has authored and co-authored more than 250 publications. Dr. Yamamoto is also serving as a head of the Clinical Section of the Department of Allergy and Rheumatology at the University of Tokyo Hospital.