Akiharu Kubo, M.D., Ph.D.
Japan
Chair of the Division of Dermatology at Kobe University
Akiharu Kubo chairs the Division of Dermatology at Kobe University.
He received his MD from Osaka University in 1994, followed by dermatology residency training at Osaka University and cell biologist training at Kyoto University. He received his Ph.D. from Osaka University in 2000. In 2006, he moved to Keio University School of Medicine, where he made seminal discoveries on the roles of epidermal tight junction in the skin barrier system including the dynamic interaction between the tight junction barrier and epidermal Langerhans cells, and the epidermal cell turnover mechanism depending on the epidermal cells' unique tetrakaidecahedron-like geometry and tight junction formation. He also served as the head physician of the outpatient clinic of Dermatology at Keio University Hospital, leads genetic analyses and counseling of genodermatoses, and determined new disease-causative genes for genodermatoses. In 2021, he moved to Kobe University to chair the Division of Dermatology. His research focuses on the barrier mechanism of the epidermis and the genetic and epigenetic basis of skin diseases. He has received several awards for his research contribution including The Japanese Dermatological Association Seigo Minami Memorial Award, The Keio University Kitasato Award, and The Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology JSID Award for his research.
He received his MD from Osaka University in 1994, followed by dermatology residency training at Osaka University and cell biologist training at Kyoto University. He received his Ph.D. from Osaka University in 2000. In 2006, he moved to Keio University School of Medicine, where he made seminal discoveries on the roles of epidermal tight junction in the skin barrier system including the dynamic interaction between the tight junction barrier and epidermal Langerhans cells, and the epidermal cell turnover mechanism depending on the epidermal cells' unique tetrakaidecahedron-like geometry and tight junction formation. He also served as the head physician of the outpatient clinic of Dermatology at Keio University Hospital, leads genetic analyses and counseling of genodermatoses, and determined new disease-causative genes for genodermatoses. In 2021, he moved to Kobe University to chair the Division of Dermatology. His research focuses on the barrier mechanism of the epidermis and the genetic and epigenetic basis of skin diseases. He has received several awards for his research contribution including The Japanese Dermatological Association Seigo Minami Memorial Award, The Keio University Kitasato Award, and The Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology JSID Award for his research.