Taro Ueda

Taro Ueda is a Professor at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, specializing in Biophysics and Cell Biology. With a D.Sc. from the University of Tokyo, his research focuses on actin filament regulation, molecular motor proteins, and cytoskeletal mechanics across eukaryotic systems.

• Major research themes include: actin-myosin interactions, cofilin dynamics, and plant-specific cytoskeletal mechanisms
• Key techniques employed: high-speed atomic force microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, and X-ray crystallography

Research Trends from his 145+ publications (5645 citations, h-index 37) reveal consistent exploration of:

• Cooperative conformational changes in actin filaments
• Cytoskeletal specialization in plant cells (ACT2/ACT7 isoforms)
• Mechanical regulation of protein binding in contractile ring formation
• Evolution of motility systems across the Tree of Life

His work has advanced understanding of

• Directional allostery in actin regulation
• Plant-specific actin nucleators like CHUP1
• Nonmuscle myosin isoform differentiation
• Mechanisms of congenital myopathy mutations

Ueda's laboratory maintains active collaborations across institutions, with notable contributions to:

• Development of novel actin visualization techniques (Actin Painting)
• Elucidating structural equilibria in G protein-coupled receptors
• Nanoparticle-based cancer cell destruction methods