Welcome to the Sada Lab
Laboratory of Skin Regeneration and Aging
Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University
Tissue stem cells maintain tissue integrity during homeostasis and exhibit remarkable plasticity in response to stresses and injuries. A misregulation of stem cells leads to tissue dysfunction, such as impaired wound healing, chronic inflammation, tumorigenesis, and aging. Emerging evidence suggests that stem cell populations in adult tissues are heterogeneous and play distinct roles in physiological and pathological conditions.
Our research focuses on elucidating the cellular dynamics and regulatory mechanisms of tissue stem cells during skin regeneration, inflammation and aging processes. We have identified a novel stem cell population in mouse skin epidermis (Sada et al., Nat Cell Biol 2016) and established genetic tools and molecular markers to analyze these cells in vivo. Such stem cell proliferative heterogeneity is shown to be present not only in mouse skin, but also in the other epithelial tissues of the eye and oral mucosa, as well as in human skin. We are now combining cellular and molecular biology methods, mouse genetics, omics analysis, bioengineering, and glycobiology to analyze the function of biomolecules involved in skin stem cell regulation. Our research goal is to identify the drivers and effectors of stem cell dysfunction; targeting these factors will allow us to prevent and treat diseases at the stem cell level, with potential applications in regenerative therapies and future treatments for cancer, aging, and other skin diseases.
The Sada Laboratory is looking for motivated students (master's and doctoral level), post-doctoral fellows, and collaborators worldwide. If you are interested in pursuing research with us, please do not hesitate to contact us.
WHAT'S NEW
PUBLICATION
2025.10.16
Thrilled to share that our new research article is now published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology!
Retinoic acid signaling alters the balance of epidermal stem cell populations in the skin
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jid.2025.09.008
In this study, we show that all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), the active form of vitamin A, dynamically reshapes epidermal stem cell populations. These reversible changes reveal how retinoic acid signaling contributes to regulating stem cell heterogeneity and population balance in both mouse and human epidermis.
This work was led by PhD student Thisakorn, who conducted the research as a student at Kumamoto University and completed the revision after moving to Kyushu University.
Despite delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, she persevered with great patience and dedication, and we are very proud of this achievement — the first paper from our lab by a Kumamoto University student.
It was a wonderful collaboration with Dr. Nina Cabezas-Wallscheid, whose pioneering work on retinoic acid signaling in hematopoietic stem cells greatly inspired us. We are deeply grateful to the international research environment at IRCMS, which made this collaboration possible.
PUBLICATION
2025.10.8
Excited to share that our new review article is now online in Current Opinion in Cell Biology! New insights into signaling networks coordinating epidermal stem cell regulation in skin regeneration and aging
In this review, we discuss how metabolic, mechanical, and inflammatory signals coordinate epidermal stem cell behavior during homeostasis, regeneration, and aging, and how dysregulation of these pathways contributes to pathological skin remodeling.
Read the full article here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955067425001322
MEETING
2025.7.22
The Medical Institute of Bioregulation held its annual retreat, where Manh gave an oral presentation, and Trisha, Hinata, and Ikuto presented posters. Congratulations to Trisha for receiving the Excellent Poster Presentation Award! It was a great opportunity to deepen mutual understanding of research and foster stronger connections among members of the institute.
MEETING
2025.6.14
Doctoral students Thisakorn, Manh, and Trisha attended the ISSCR 2025 Annual Meeting held in Hong Kong and presented a poster. They had the opportunity to discuss their work with many people and received valuable feedback. Trisha was awarded a Travel Award. Congratulations!
MEETING
2025.6.8
We attended the Gordon Research Conference on Skin in Ventura. Aiko gave an oral presentation, and Mizuho presented a poster. It was a valuable opportunity to engage in deep discussions on cutting-edge skin research.