Research area

Clarification of the effector helper T cells and regulation mechanism of memory differentiation

Description of your research and your dream!

I always keep the following in mind when conducting research: first is deep thinking. Time matters in conducting a study. What is the purpose of the study? What are expected results? If my expectation is right/wrong, what kind of experiment is necessary in the next step? I try to keep asking those questions to myself to prioritize necessary procedures but to omit unnecessary experiments.
Secondly, I try to keep a positive attitude and to be open-minded towards a new experiment and challenge, even when it seems difficult to complete. So I keep my eyes open not only to my research field, but to other areas.
The last but least is the enjoyment of discussion with other researchers. Research is not a solitary pursuit. In fact, all researchers around me are considered good advisers, not enemies, and gradually become trusted colleagues and friends. It is in this way that I would like to continue my research to my heart’s content.
Before coming to Chiba University, I worked within the pharmaceutical industry, RIKEN, and the National Institutes of Health in US. This array of career experiences has contributed to my preferences for how to create a respected research culture and importance of learning from seniors and juniors, as well as supervisors and faculty members. I personally think that “what to study” and “with whom to study” are of equal importance. We welcome you to visit anytime.

Education

1994-1998

Graduate School of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science (Supervisor：Toshinori Nakayama and Takao Arai)

1998-2000

M.Sc. Graduate School of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science (Supervisor：Masato Kubo and Takao Arai)

2004

D.Sc. Graduate School of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science (Supervisor：Toshinori Nakayama and Takao Arai)

Experience

2000-2004

Researcher, Ono Pharmaceutical Co., LTD.

2004-2006

Researcher, Signal Network, Research Center for Allergy and Immunology, RIKEN (Director: Masato Kubo)

2006-2011

Visiting fellow, Laboratory of Immunology, NIAID, NIH, USA (Supervisor: William E. Paul)

2011-2013

Research fellow, Laboratory of Immunology, NIAID, NIH, USA

2013-Present

Project Associate Professor, Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University

Selected Publications

1. Yagi, R.*, Zhong, C.*, Northrup, D.L.*, Yu, F., Bouladoux, N., Spencer, S., Hu, G., Barron, L., Sharma, S., Nakayama, T., Belkaid, Y., Zhao, K., and Zhu, J.: The transcription factor GATA3 is critical for the development of all IL-7Rα-expressing innate lymphoid cells. (* Contributed equally) Immunity 40: 378-388 (2014).
2. Wei, G.*, Abraham, B.J.*, Yagi, R.*, Jothi, R., Cui, K., Sharma, S., Narlikar, L., Northrup, D.L., Tang, Q., Pau,l W.E., Zhu, J., and Zhao, K.: Genome-wide analyses of transcription factor GATA3-mediated gene regulation in distinct T cell types. (* Contributed equally) Immunity 35: 299-311 (2011).
3. Yagi, R., Zhu, J., and Paul, W.E.: An updated view on transcription factor GATA3-mediated regulation of Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation. (Review) Int. Immunol. 23: 415-420 (2011).
4. Yagi, R., Junttila, I.S., Wei, G., Urban, J.F. Jr, Zhao, K., Paul, W.E., and Zhu, J.: The transcription factor GATA3 actively represses RUNX3 protein-regulated production of interferon-gamma. Immunity 32: 507-517 (2010).

Award

2014

The 9th Young Investigator Award, Japanese Society for Immunology

2011

Paper of the Year Award in Cytokine Biology from HIN-FDA Cytokine Interest Group in 2010

Society Membership

Japanese Society for Immunology