Dr. Yasunori Saheki is a distinguished clinician-scientist and Associate Professor of Cell Biology and Neuroscience at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. After obtaining his MD from Okayama University Medical School in Japan in 2005, he pursued his doctoral studies at Rockefeller University in New York, followed by postdoctoral training at Yale University where he further refined his research expertise in cellular mechanisms. In 2016, he made a strategic career move to Singapore to join the rapidly growing Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, a decision he has described as 'an excellent' one that has positioned him at the forefront of innovative neuroscience research in Asia. His transition from the United States has significantly contributed to establishing Singapore as an important hub for interdisciplinary neuroscience research with global connections.
Dr. Saheki's pioneering research focuses on lipid homeostasis in neuronal function and neurodegeneration, employing a sophisticated interdisciplinary approach that integrates mammalian cell biology, biochemistry, and Caenorhabditis elegans genetics. He has made fundamental contributions to understanding how lipid levels, particularly cholesterol, are maintained across cellular membranes, with his work revealing critical insights into the mechanisms governing lipid transport in neurons. His laboratory's groundbreaking investigations have laid the essential foundation for developing novel therapeutic approaches to counteract neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, with his scholarly impact reflected in over 4,300 citations according to Google Scholar. Through systematic studies of cellular lipid homeostasis pathways, his work has established crucial connections between basic cellular mechanisms and neurological disease pathology.
As a respected leader in his field, Dr. Saheki has been honored with the Dean's Award for Research, recognizing the collective excellence of his laboratory and their significant contributions to advancing neuroscience knowledge. He has strengthened international scientific collaborations through his appointment as a visiting associate professor at Kumamoto University in Japan, facilitating valuable research connections with the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. Dr. Saheki actively encourages students to broaden their perspectives through international experiences, drawing from his own successful navigation of diverse research cultures across Japan, the United States, and Singapore. Currently, he continues to work closely with his research team to deepen understanding of the mechanisms behind lipid transport in cells, with the ultimate goal of translating these fundamental discoveries into clinical applications that could transform the treatment landscape for neurodegenerative diseases worldwide.
