Cardiology and Cardiovascular Diseases

Biography

Dr. Masao Kakoki is a physician-scientist in nephrology and cardiovascular medicine. He obtained the M.D. and Ph.D. degrees at the University of Tokyo in Japan. Since he joined Dr. Oliver Smithies’ laboratory in 2001, he has devoted himself to molecular biology with emphasis on understanding the molecular mechanisms that are responsible for cardiovascular and renal dysfunction in diabetes mellitus and aging using genetically altered mice. He proposed in 2004 a unique mouse model to modify the expression of the gene of interest in a wide range, which was cited as “three prime mice”. This technique alter gene expression in mice by targeted replacement of the 3’ untranslated region (UTR) of the gene of interest with more unstable 3’UTR or with more stable 3’UTR. He is studying the renal and cardiovascular phenotype in mice with graded expression levels of therapeutic candidate genes to find new ways to prevent or treat diabetes- and aging-associated complications in humans.

Research Interest

He is studying the renal and cardiovascular phenotype in mice with graded expression levels of therapeutic candidate genes to find new ways to prevent or treat diabetes- and aging-associated complications in humans.