"Raise new questions, explore new possibilities, regard old problems from a new angle."
-Albert Einstein

This is a quote from Professor Albert Einstein, and this is what my lab members and I do. We identify new biological questions that may have a profound and potentially long-lasting impact on our fundamental understanding of how our universe works. We also explore various areas of biological science to identify "interesting but confusing" phenomena, and we will devise new scientific methods to further scientific explanation. Furthermore, we re-evaluate various long-standing central dogmas either with a different mind-set or by using different methods.

Currently, we have three major on-going projects in the laboratory.

Vascular Biology, Angiogenesis, Vascular Development:
We study the formation of the circulatory system in developing embryos and adult organs using standard molecular biological tools and mouse genetics. One of the most exciting areas that we are currently studying is the communication between the vascular and nervous systems. We are exploring the possibility that the circulatory system has a profound impact on our mind and neural functions.

Stem Cell Biology:
We are interested in the regulatory mechanisms underlying the differentiation of embryonic stem cells into a variety of organs. In particular, we study a class of ubiquitously expressed proteins that exhibit specific functions by altering their subcellular localizations. We use a novel protein-trap method to identify such proteins on a genome-wide scale. The biological roles of subcellular translocations of these proteins in embryonic stem cell differentiation are being studied using a variety of cell biological, biochemical, genetics and state-of-the-art live-imaging tools.

Physics of the Cell:
In biology, cells have traditionally been considered to be "chemical" machines. We are exploring the possibility that the behavior of cells can be better explained by considering them as physical machines. Sounds interesting? Intriguing? If you think so, please contact Dr. Sato for more information.

Tom Sato's lab uses both vertebrate and invertebrate models, as well as bacteria models in combination with the state-of-the-art tools from physics, mathematics, engineering and chemistry to tackle very difficult but unusually high impact interdisciplinary questions that cannot be categorized in the conventional life science fields. Anyone who wants to take a major challenge in life, but potentially highly rewarding, is welcome to join my laboratory.


Email: tns2003@med.cornell.edu