Research Focus

Understanding the mechanism of sleep/wake regulation to propose a healthy life that brings a good night’s sleep

Sleep is essential to our daily life, but the purpose and function of sleep remains one of science’s greatest mysteries. It is believed that one in five people have some sleep-related problems. Therefore, with an increase in sleep-related problems, there is a growing social interest in sleep research. Our research is focused on endogenous sleep substances and hypothalamic neuropeptides to understand the physiological significance of sleep and the mechanisms that regulate sleep and wakefulness. Furthermore, we are investing functional foods that improve sleep quality and also evaluating their functional mechanisms to comprehensively improve an individual’s quality of life.

Profile

Professor
Akira Terao, D.V.M., Ph.D.
Department of Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Tokai University
Messe Tower, Room M603

5-1-1-1 Minamisawa, Minami-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 005-8601 JAPAN
Tel: +81-11-571-5111 ext.2913
Fax: +81-11-571-7879
E-mail: terao[at]tokai.ac.jp

Education/Academic Background

1993 B.S. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University
1996 Ph.D. Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University
1996-1998 Post-doctoral Fellow, Department of Molecular Behavioral Biology, Osaka Bioscience Institute
1998-1999 Post-doctoral Fellow, Department of Biology, Stanford University
1999-2004 Research Scientist, Biosciences Division, SRI International
2004-2007 Assistant Research Head, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited
2007-2015 Associate Professor, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University
2015-2021 Professor, Liberal Arts Education Center, Tokai University
2021-present Professor, School of Biological Sciences, Tokai University

Awards

  • Hokkaido University President’s Award for Outstanding Education (2014)
  • Hokkaido University Commendation for Excellent Teaching (2013)
  • The Japanese Society of Veterinary Science Young Investigator Awards (1996)

Memberships

  • Physiological Society of Japan
  • The Japanese Society of Sleep Research
  • The Japanese Society of Veterinary Science
  • Society for Senescence-Accelerated Mouse (SAM) Research

ResearchGate

Links

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