Professor Dr. Hiroaki Kiyokawa

Biography

Hiroaki Kiyokawa, MD, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. His laboratory focuses on understanding the basic mechanisms of cell cycle control, cellular differentiation, and malignant transformation. He has made significant contributions to the field by demonstrating that the cell cycle regulators p27Kip1, CDK4, and CDC25A play highly tissue-specific roles in development and oncogenesis. His research explores the role of ubiquitination, a vital covalent modification by the small protein ubiquitin, in regulating the fate of substrate proteins. Current efforts in his laboratory aim to reveal novel functions of ubiquitination enzymes and substrates in cancer development, potentially identifying new therapeutic targets for cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders. His research employs a combination of protein engineering, proteomics, bioinformatics, cell biology techniques, time-lapse microscopy, and genetically engineered mouse models. Kiyokawa's work has widespread implications for understanding cancer initiation and progression, including applications in diseases like breast cancer, Alzheimer's, and autism spectrum disorders.

Research Interests

Awards