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Speakers
Keynote Speakers
Prof. Dr. Yoshinori Marunaka
Prof. Dr. Yoshinori Marunaka
1.Kyoto Industrial Health Association, Japan; 2.Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan; 3.Ritsumeikan University, Japan
Dr. Masayuki Takahashi
Dr. Masayuki Takahashi
1. Kyoto Prefectural University, Japan 2. Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan
Prof. Dr. Yusaku Iwasaki
Prof. Dr. Yusaku Iwasaki
Kyoto Prefectural University, Japan
Prof. Dr. Akiyuki Taruno
Prof. Dr. Akiyuki Taruno
Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan
Prof. Dr. Atsushi Shiozaki
Prof. Dr. Atsushi Shiozaki
Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan
Sessions and Speakers
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S1. Protein Structure and Molecular Dynamics

Session chair


Prof. Dr. Antonello Merlino
University of Naples Federico II, Italy

 The “Protein Structure and dynamics” session will focus on new frontiers in protein structure research. We will present the structure and dynamics of soluble proteins, transmembrane proteins, membrane-associated proteins, disordered proteins, and supramolecular complexes. The session is open discussion regarding new methodological approaches, including those based on computational methods, to determine or predict protein structures and dynamics. The research presented in this session will highlight the important role of a deep knowledge of protein structures and dynamics in advancing our understanding in various fields, ranging from biotechnology to biomedicine and from biology to drug discovery. The session is related to session 2, “Enzymes”, and session 3, “Membrane Proteins”.

Keynote Speakers


Prof. Dr. Antonello Merlino
University of Naples Federico II, Italy
Dr. Luigi Vitagliano
National Research Council, Italy
Prof. Dr. Victor Muñoz
University of California Merced, USA

Invited Speakers

Prof. Dr. Edward L. D’Antonio
University of South
Carolina Beaufort, USA
Prof. Dr. Jean-Didier Maréchal
Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain
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S2. Enzymes

Session chair


Prof. Dr. Maria Hrmova
University of Adelaide, Australia

 The “Enzymes” session will focus on original and impactful research that showcases new aspects of enzyme catalysis. We will present fascinating and breakthrough concepts underlying enzyme catalytic mechanisms, the enzymatic conversions of biopolymers (carbohydrates) and other molecules, and the roles of enzymes in chemical transformations and metabolic pathways. This session is also open to other core areas, such as enzyme kinetics and dynamics, de novo enzyme design, and enzyme bioengineering using various biochemical, biophysical, and integrated approaches, including computational chemistry. The focus will be on the broad and specific relationships between enzyme molecular structure and function. Our central goal is to present the enzymology field as an exciting discipline that could inspire bioengineering efforts to create a sustainable bio-economy and play a fundamental role in life sciences and medicine.

Keynote Speakers


Prof. Dr. Maria Hrmova
University of Adelaide, Australia
Prof. Dr. Leila Lo Leggio
University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Invited Speakers

Assoc. Prof. Masahiro Nakajima
Tokyo University of Science, Japan
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Laura Masgrau
Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain
Prof. Dr. Antoni Planas
University Ramon Llull, Spain
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S3. Membrane Proteins

Session chairs

Prof. Dr. Billy K.C. Chow
The University of Hong Kong,Hong Kong, China
Prof. Dr. Sharon Y. C. Ruan
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
The “Membrane Proteins” session will focus on recent advances in membrane proteins that carry out functions of the membranes. Specifically, we will focus on the structure and function of G protein-coupled receptors and other transmembrane receptors and channels. The session will also cover new approaches, such as cryo-EM and computational modeling methods, to understand the nature of membrane proteins and their interactions with cellular molecules. The research presented should highlight the in vivo and in vitro actions of membrane proteins in body functions in order to advance our understanding in novel drug discovery and their biomedical applications.

Keynote Speakers

Prof. Dr. Sharon Y. C. Ruan
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China


Prof. Dr. Tsukasa Okiyoneda
Kwansei Gakuin University, Japan

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S4. Cancer Target Proteins

Session chairs


Prof. Dr. Atsushi Shiozaki
Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan
Prof. Dr. Yoshinori Marunaka
1.Kyoto Industrial Health Association, Japan
2.Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan;
3.Ritsumeikan University, Japan
The “Cancer Target Proteins” session will focus on recent advances in the research about functions of various proteins against cancer. Although in addition to cytotoxic anti-cancer drugs, molecular target anti-cancer drugs have been remarkably developed, new anti-cancer drugs will be demanded to achieve more favorable outcomes. Furthermore, biomarkers which predict cancer malignancy and patients’ prognoses are essential for clinical sites. Understanding the molecular function of cancer-related proteins will be crucial for novel anti-cancer treatments and biomarkers as well. In this session, we will present our research projects including in-vitro, in-vivo, and human sample experiments and discuss about the future of this research field.

Keynote Speakers


Prof. Dr. Atsushi Shiozaki
Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan

Prof. Dr. Masahiro Ohsawa
Teikyo University, Japan

Prof. Dr. Yoichiro Isohama
Tokyo University of Science,Japan

Invited Speakers

Dr. Hiroki Shimizu
Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan
Prof. Dr. Kento Kurashima

Division of Digestive Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan
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S5. Drug Design and Solution to Drug Resistance Problem

Session chair


Dr. Masayuki Takahashi
 1. Kyoto Prefectural University, Japan
2. Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan

In this session, we will address the drug resistance problem. Advancements in structural biology and molecular modeling allow us to develop new drugs to treat various diseases efficiently. However, the quick appearance of drug resistance in cancer cells and infectious organisms counteracts these efforts and has become the most severe problem in the medical field. To circumvent this problem, scientists propose several solutions. One is to prevent mutations and transfer of the resistance genes among various organisms. Inhibition of homologous recombination and developing more specific drugs for the target are proposed. Other solutions are to inhibit the exclusion of drugs from the cell and create drugs that can quickly adapt to mutations, such as nucleic acid drugs. In this session, we present these projects. The session is related to session 3: Membrane Proteins and session 2: Enzyme.

Keynote Speakers

Dr. Masayuki Takahashi
 1. Kyoto Prefectural University, Japan
2. Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan
Dr. Alessio Nocentini
University of Florence, Florence, Italy
Invited Speaker

Prof. Dr. Assaf Friedler
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

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S6. Physiological Functions of Proteins and Organ Interactions

Session chairs

Prof. Dr. Yusaku Iwasaki
Kyoto Prefectural University, Japan
Prof. Dr. Yoshinori Marunaka
1.Kyoto Industrial Health Association, Japan
2.Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan;
3.Ritsumeikan University, Japan
This session will examine the wide-ranging functions of proteins, from intracellular and membrane-bound proteins to peptide hormones, with a focus on their roles in whole-body physiology. Specifically, we will explore the in vivo roles of these proteins. Recent discoveries have emphasized the importance of organ-to-organ networks in systemic regulation, with groundbreaking research now linking complex physiological functions to individual protein molecules. We eagerly anticipate presentations that highlight exciting studies on how single proteins regulate physiological processes throughout the body. Understanding protein functions from the perspectives of integrative physiology—including physiology, endocrinology, and neuroscience—will be crucial for connecting these insights to the broader field of protein science.

Keynote Speakers

Prof. Dr. Yusaku Iwasaki
Kyoto Prefectural University, Japan


Dr. (Chris) Lok-To Sham
National University of Singapore, Singapore

Invited Speakers

Dr. Kazunari Miyamichi
RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Japan


Dr. Yuta Masuda
Kyoto Prefectural University, Japan
Plenary Speakers

Prof. Dr. Harry Brumer
University of British Columbia, Canada

Prof. Dr. Brumer works in the area of fundamental and applied carbohydrate enzymology and biochemistry. His research interests include the discovery, functional and structural characterization, and biotechnological applications of carbohydrate-active enzymes and carbohydrate-binding proteins. A key focus of the Brumer Group is to illuminate the molecular mechanisms of complex carbohydrate (“dietary fibre”) utilization in the human gut microbiota, and to harness this emergent knowledge to improve health.

Prof. Dr. Hideki Sakai
University of Toyama, Japan

Professor Hideki Sakai is a distinguished researcher and educator at the University of Toyama, specializing in Pharmaceutical Physiology. With a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University (1992), he has made significant contributions to the field of cell physiology, focusing on ion-transporting proteins in epithelial cells. His research employs physiological, biochemical, and pharmacological techniques. Prof. Sakai has an impressive academic record with 2501 citations and an h-index of 25. He has been involved in multiple research projects and has published extensively, with 91 articles and 8 review papers. His expertise spans cell physiology, electrophysiology, and biophysical chemistry.


Prof. Dr. Akiyuki Taruno
Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan

His lab investigates the neural basis of epithelial chemosensations in the peripheral nervous systems and their processing in the central nervous system by employing an array of techniques, including optical imaging, electrophysiological recording, optogenetic manipulation, single-cell transcriptomics, and behavioral assays. He started his research in gustation as a post-doc at the University of Pennsylvania in the Department of Physiology in 2010 before moving to the Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine in the Department of Molecular Cell Physiology as an assistant professor in 2013 (Professor 2018−present). His previous studies have helped identify key components of peripheral taste transduction. They include the molecular mechanisms of how taste cells lacking synaptic vesicles release neurotransmitters and how sodium taste is processed within taste cells. These findings have helped establish the existence of a novel chemical synapse (dubbed the channel synapse), which provides a new paradigm for understanding the mechanisms of epithelium−neuron chemical communication.
ISFMS2025
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