Masato Kato

Masato Kato serves as Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center since 2020 and concurrently as Team Leader at Japan's National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology. His academic trajectory includes progressive appointments from Assistant Professor (2004-2014) to Associate Professor (2014-2020) at UT Southwestern, with prior postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School and Nara Institute of Science and Technology.

• 2020-present: Professor, Department of Biochemistry, UT Southwestern
• 2020-present: Team Leader, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Japan
• 2014-2020: Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, UT Southwestern
• 2010-2014: Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern
• 2004-2010: Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern
• 1999-2004: Postdoctoral Fellow, Ellenberger Lab, Harvard Medical School
• 1998-1999: Postdoctoral Fellow, Hakoshima Lab, Nara Institute of Science and Technology

Dr. Kato's research pioneers the biophysical characterization of protein phase separation, particularly focusing on low-complexity domains (LCDs) in neurodegenerative disease contexts. His work establishes fundamental mechanisms of biomolecular condensate formation, including hydrogel polymerization, liquid-solid transitions, and mutation-induced dysregulation in ALS/FTD. Key contributions demonstrate how C9orf72-encoded poly-dipeptides disrupt nucleocytoplasmic transport and how redox states regulate Ataxin-2 phase behavior, bridging structural biochemistry with pathological mechanisms.

Analysis of his 22 publications reveals a cohesive research program centered on LCD-driven phase transitions. The most recent 15 articles (2012-2019) systematically investigate pathological aggregation in neurodegeneration, structural basis of condensate formation, and regulatory mechanisms like phosphorylation and oxidation. This body of work establishes LCDs as central players in both physiological RNA granule assembly and disease-associated solidification, with strong emphasis on C9orf72-related ALS/FTD mechanisms.

Dr. Kato maintains active leadership within the McKnight Laboratory at UT Southwestern, where his team employs integrated approaches spanning structural biology, cell biology, and biophysics to dissect phase separation mechanisms. His collaborative network includes prominent neuroscience and biochemistry groups, with co-authorship on key studies in Cell, Science, and PNAS.