Motojiro Yoshihara, PhD

2000-2006

B.S. Zoology, 1987  Tokyo University

Ph.D. Biochemistry, 1992  Tokyo University

Human Frontier Science Program, Long Term Fellow, 1992

4th Degree Black Belt of Karate in Wado-Style in the foundation of all Japan Karatedo organization

Former head coach of the Karate club in Tokyo University

 How are synapses formed?  How do synapses change to store memories?

When I was in Japan, I studied the maturation process from growth cones to functional synapses at Drosophila embryonic neuromuscular junctions with my friend, Dr. Mary B. Rheuben at Michigan State University (Yoshihara et al., (1997) J. Neurosci. 17, 8408, see the figure).  I am establishing the Drosophila embryonic NMJ synapse as a model system to understand synaptic plasticity.  Based on the morphological study, the physiological study on regulation of miniature release (Yoshihara et al, (1999) J. Neurosci. 19, 2432; Yoshihara et al., (2000) J. Neurosci. 20. 8315), the physiological study on the presynaptic calcium sensor, synaptotagmin 1, with Troy (Yoshihara and Littleton, 2000), and an enjoyable collaboration on the postsynaptic calcium sensor, synaptotagmin 4, with Bill and Troy (Adolfsen et al., 2004; Yoshihara et al, 2005), I am proposing a “local feedback hypothesis” as a potential universal model on synapse specific memory storage (see the figure).