Okui, Takehito
Dr. Takehito Okui researched molecular physiology and hematology, particularly focusing on the tissue microenvironment (niche) for erythropoiesis during his graduate course. Through those studies, he received his doctorate, Doctor of Science (D.Sc.), in the Department of Integrative Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering at Waseda University. After graduation, he joined Kowa Company, Ltd., and researched dyslipidemia in the Pharmacology Department at Tokyo New Drug Research Laboratories from 2013 to 2016. In 2017, he joined Dr. Elena Aikawa’s group at Center for Interdisciplinary Cardiovascular Sciences (CICS) as a research fellow and worked to identify novel drug targets for cardiovascular calcification through a proteomics approach and in vitro and in vivo validation. After returning to Japan in 2022, he belonged to the Research Planning Department at Kowa Co., Ltd., where he promoted the launch of new projects and collaborations with external companies and universities. In 2025, he rejoined CICS as the Director of the Research Management Department. He will promote the new drug target discovery in CICS and the transfer of these projects to Kowa Co., Ltd., contributing to the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.