Ryo Tomooka

Ryo Tomooka is a Research Fellow at Waseda University's Faculty of Human Sciences and Advanced Research Center for Human Sciences. He holds a Doctor (Medicine) degree from Keio University (2025) and has a background in neuroscience and molecular biology research.

• Doctor (Medicine), Keio University (2025)
• Graduate School of Medicine, Keio University (2021-2025)
• School of Medicine, Keio University (2013-2019)

His research focuses on neurodevelopmental mechanisms, particularly in human neural progenitor cells and chromatin remodeling proteins. He investigates how liquid-liquid phase separation regulates neural cell identity and how chromatin remodelers like ATRX and CHD7 control gene expression in neurodevelopmental contexts. His work has implications for understanding ATR-X syndrome and CHARGE syndrome pathogenesis.

Recent publications highlight his work on phase separation dynamics in neural progenitor cells, tumorigenic risks in iPSC-derived neural stem cells, and enhancer region regulation by CHD7 in neural crest cells. These studies integrate molecular biology with regenerative medicine applications.

• Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Research Assistant (2022-2025)
• Japan Science and Technology Agency Researcher (2019-2021)
• Keio University Hospital Researcher (2019-2021)

He is currently developing a drug discovery platform for neurodegenerative diseases using novel 3D culture methods as part of a JSPS-funded project.