researcher
Profile – Dr Masahiro Ono is a T-cell expert and an Integrative Experimental and Computational Immunologist.
Biography
Dr. Masahiro Ono is the creator and developer of Tocky. He innovated the transgenic and computational technologies that constitute Tocky.
Since 2008, Dr. Ono has been captivated by the applications of computational and mathematical methods in immunology, particularly multidimensional analysis, transitioning from a molecular immunologist to an Integrative Experimental and Computational Immunologist. Tocky represents one of the fusion technologies that Dr. Ono has both created and developed.
Tocky employs the Fluorescent Timer protein to analyze the temporal dynamics of cell activities and development in vivo. His lab integrates molecular biology, immunology, and computational analysis to develop novel research tools, thereby enhancing the understanding of immune cell biology.
In Kyoto: From Classical Treg Biology to Molecular Immunology
Dr Ono’s academic journey began at the Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, where he earned his MD (1993-1999) and subsequently specialised in dermatology. During the clinical practice, his passion for immunology was ignited, whch led to his PhD (2002-2006). As a PhD student, he studied regulatory T cells (Treg), establishing the novel model of autoimmune myocarditis by Treg depletion.
His subsequent research made significant strides in molecular immunology, particularly discovering the crucial interaction between Foxp3 and Runx1 that underpins Treg functionality.
Moving to the UK: Extending Research Fields to Computational Immunology
Dr Ono’s research took a significant leap forward in 2009 when he secured a Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) Fellowship to join University College London (UCL). There, he broadened his research to encompass computational immunology and immunological genomics. His pioneering work in the development of Canonical Correspondence Analysis as a genomic analysis method earned him the BBSRC David Phillips Fellowship in 2012, enabling him to establish his laboratory at UCL.
Current Focus: Advancing Tocky Technology and Immunological Research
In 2015, Dr Ono brought his expertise to Imperial College London. He was promoted to Reader in Immunology in 2020. Dr Ono continues to lead groundbreaking research, mentoring the next generation of scientists and advancing our understanding of immune responses in health and disease using the Tocky technology.
Currently, Dr Ono is developing the new generation of the Tocky technology.
