Takashi Kitamura, Ph.D.

Dr. Kitamura graduated with a bachleor's degree in Biology from Kyushu University in Japan. He obtained his Ph.D. in Biology at Kyushu University, where he studied molecular mechanisms and functional role of adult hippocampla neurogenesis in rodent brain. After a postdoc at Mitsubishi-Kagaku Institute of life Science in Tokyo and an Assistant Professor at University of Toyama in Japan, he conducted neural circuits genetics for learning and memory as a Research Scientist at the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. From May 2017, Dr. Kitamura started his position in the Department of Psychiatry to examine a biophysically-based and mechanistic understanding of neural circuits, neural processes and memory engrams for learning and memory by using viral technology, transgenic strategy, histology, in vivo calcium imaging, in vivo electrophysiology, cell-type specific manipulation, behavioral assay and work with/programming.

If you are looking for a position as a Post-Doc, Research Assistant or Grad Student at Kitamura Lab, please send a statement of interests (describing why you are interested in the position, how it would help your career and what you bring into the team), a detailed CV and a list of three references directly to Dr. Kitamura via E-mail: Takashi.Kitamura at UTSouthwestern.edu

Undergraduate

Kyushu University (2002), Biology

Graduate School

Kyushu University (2007), Biology

• Cell-type specific neural circuit dissections for elucidating the neural mechanisms of learning and memory
• Neural circuit mechanisms for observational learning and prosocial behavior
• Neural circuit mechanisms for self recognition
• Understanding the neural circuits and physiology under the condition with autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia

Featured Publications

Hippocampal-amygdala memory circuits govern experience-dependent observational fear.

Terranova JI, Yokose J, Osanai H, Marks WD, Yamamoto J, Ogawa SK, Kitamura T, Neuron 2022 Feb

The role of engram cells in the systems consolidation of memory.

Tonegawa S, Morrissey MD, Kitamura T Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 2018 Jul

Engrams and circuits crucial for systems consolidation of a memory.

Kitamura T, Ogawa SK, Roy DS, Okuyama T, Morrissey MD, Smith LM, Redondo RL, Tonegawa S Science 2017 Apr 356 6333 73-78

Entorhinal Cortical Ocean Cells Encode Specific Contexts and Drive Context-Specific Fear Memory.

Kitamura T, Sun C, Martin J, Kitch LJ, Schnitzer MJ, Tonegawa S Neuron 2015 Sep 87 6 1317-31

Island cells control temporal association memory.

Kitamura T, Pignatelli M, Suh J, Kohara K, Yoshiki A, Abe K, Tonegawa S Science 2014 Feb 343 6173 896-901

Adult neurogenesis modulates the hippocampus-dependent period of associative fear memory.

Kitamura T, Saitoh Y, Takashima N, Murayama A, Niibori Y, Ageta H, Sekiguchi M, Sugiyama H, Inokuchi K Cell 2009 Nov 139 4 814-27

Neuronal Ensembles Organize Activity to Generate Contextual Memory.

Marks WD, Yokose J, Kitamura T, Ogawa SK, Front Behav Neurosci 2022 16 805132

Learning and memory: Shuffling memory traces by relearning.

Yokose J, Terranova JI, Kitamura T, Curr Biol 2021 Dec 31 24 R1588-R1591

Entorhinal cortical Island cells regulate temporal association learning with long trace period.

Yokose J, Marks WD, Yamamoto N, Ogawa SK, Kitamura T, Learn Mem 2021 09 28 9 319-328

Cell-Type-Specific Optogenetic Techniques Reveal Neural Circuits Crucial for Episodic Memories.

Yamamoto N, Marks WD, Kitamura T, Adv Exp Med Biol 2021 1293 429-447

• The Award for Distinguished Investigator of Japanese Society for Neurochemistry, Tokyo, JPN
  (2022)
• The American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) Travel Award, TN, USA
  (2019)
• Whitehall Foundation Research Grant Award, FL, USA
  (2019)
• Brain Research Foundation Fay/Frank Seed Grant Award, IL, USA
  (2018)
• HFSP Young Investigator Grant Award, Strasbourg, FRA
  (2018)
• NARSAD Young Investigator Grant Award, Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, NY, USA
  (2018)
• Peter and Patricia Gruber International Research Award, DC, USA
  (2017)
• The Young Scientists Prize for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, JPN
  (2017)
• UT System Rising STARs Award, TX, USA
  (2017)
• Infinite Kilometer Award, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MA, USA
  (2016)
• Japan Neuroscience Society Young Investigator Award, Japan
  (2016)
• Junior Faculties Developmental Programs at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
  (2014)
• Sasagawa Scientific Research Award, JPN
  (2009)
• Scientific Research Award of Kyushu University, JPN
  (2005)
• Neuroscience Research Excellent Paper Award, JPN
  (2004)

• Temporary member, NIMH Learning, Memory and Decision Neuroscience study section 2022-06 (2022)
• Temporary member, NIMH Learning, Memory and Decision Neuroscience study section 2022-10 (2022)
• Editorial board member in Experimental and Molecular Medicine (Springer Nature) (2021)
• Grant Review Panelist, National Science Foundation (2021)
• Investigator in the Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, UTSW (2021)
• Temporary member, NIMH SPECIAL EMPHASIS PANEL ZMH1 ERB-L (01) (2021)
• Review Editor in the Editorial Board of Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience (2020)
• Temporary member, NIMH Neurobiology of Learning and Memory study section (2020)
• Pavlovian Society (2018)
• Associate Editor in the Editorial Board of Molecular Brain (Springer Nature) (2017)
• Japanese Society for Neurochemistry (2016)
• Molecular and Cellular Cognition Society (2011)
• Association for Neurons and Brain Disease (2007)
• Society for Neuroscience (2003)
• Society for Japanese Neuroscience (2002)