Decoding Molecular Logic of Survival- Mechanisms of Extreme Tolerance -


We study extremotolerant organisms, including tardigrades, to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that enable survival under extreme stresses. We further apply these insights to enhance stress tolerance in other organisms, including human cells, and to protect biomolecules from drying.

Latest News

Apr 1, 2026
Dr. Akihiro Tanaka Joins as Assistant Professor
Dr. Akihiro Tanaka Joins as Assistant Professor

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Akihiro Tanaka has been appointed as Assistant Professor, effective April 1, 2026.

Dr. Tanaka is a dynamic researcher who has been energetically advancing biochemical, cell biological, and biophysical analyses, with a primary focus on the tardigrade-unique desiccation-tolerance protein CAHS — which was originally identified by our laboratory.

We look forward to further expanding our multi-dimensional research on tardigrade resilence under this new appointment.
Dec 12, 2025
Seiha Toyoshima Wins Poster Award
Seiha Toyoshima Wins Poster Award

We are pleased to announce that Seiha Toyoshima (Senior Undergraduate) received the Poster Award at the “Technology and Talent Matching Exchange Event” held at the Center for Advanced Science and Technology (CAST), Hyogo Prefecture, on December 12, 2025.
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Latest Publications

Shotaro Tanaka, Tokiko Saigo, Takekazu Kunieda, Yasuhiro Shiga, Fumio Nakamura (2026). A Versatile Technique for Measuring the Stiffness of Small Organisms Based on Microscopic Observation of Cantilever Strain. Zoological Science, 43(3),.

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Tokiko Saigo, Katsuya Satoh, Takekazu Kunieda (2025). Comparative Study of Gamma Radiation Tolerance between Desiccation-Sensitive and Desiccation-Tolerant Tardigrades. Zoological Science, 42(1), 107-115.

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Kenta Sugiura, Yuki Yoshida, Kohei Hayashi, Kazuharu Arakawa, Takekazu Kunieda, Midori Matsumoto (2024). Sexual Dimorphism in the Tardigrade Paramacrobiotus Metropolitanus Transcriptome. Zoological Letters, 10(1), 11.

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Koyuki Kondo, Akihiro Tanaka, Takekazu Kunieda (2024). Single-Step Generation of Homozygous Knockout/Knock-in Individuals in an Extremotolerant Parthenogenetic Tardigrade Using DIPA-CRISPR. PLoS genetics, 20(6), e1011298.

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Mohammad Al-Ansari, Taylor Fitzsimons, Wenbin Wei, Martin W. Goldberg, Takekazu Kunieda, Roy A. Quinlan (2024). The Major Inducible Small Heat Shock Protein HSP20-3 in the Tardigrade Ramazzottius Varieornatus Forms Filament-like Structures and Is an Active Chaperone. Cell Stress & Chaperones, 29(1), 51-65.

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