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Nobutaka Hirokawa

Nobutaka Hirokawa

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Biology and Biochemistry
Japan
2026

D-Index & Metrics

Biology and Biochemistry

D-Index
132
Citations
68050
World Ranking
380
National Ranking
14

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2026 - Research.com Biology and Biochemistry in Japan Leader Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Biology and Biochemistry in Japan Leader Award
  • 2023 - Research.com Biology and Biochemistry in Japan Leader Award
  • 2022 - Research.com Biology and Biochemistry in Japan Leader Award
  • 2013 - Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Overview

Nobutaka Hirokawa is affiliated with the University of Tokyo in Japan and specializes in the field of Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology. Their research portfolio includes a variety of topics primarily centered around cell biology and molecular processes.

The scientist has contributed extensively to the understanding of microtubule and mitosis dynamics, with their work also touching on genetic and kidney cyst diseases. Other significant research interests include cellular transport and secretion, endoplasmic reticulum stress and disease, fetal and pediatric neurological disorders, axon guidance and neuronal signaling, and pancreatic function and diabetes.

Frequent co-authors in Hirokawa's work include Yosuke Tanaka, Momo Morikawa, T. Ogawa, Xuguang Jiang, and Sotaro Ichinose. Their collaborative efforts are published mainly in notable scientific journals.

  • Developmental Cell
  • EMBO Reports
  • Cell Reports
  • The EMBO Journal
  • Science Advances

Some of Hirokawa's recent papers are:

  • "Nodal flow transfers polycystin to determine mouse left-right asymmetry", 2023, Developmental Cell
  • "Betaine ameliorates schizophrenic traits by functionally compensating for KIF3-based CRMP2 transport", 2021, Cell Reports
  • "A neuropathy-associated kinesin KIF1A mutation hyper-stabilizes the motor-neck interaction during the ATPase cycle", 2022, The EMBO Journal
  • "An activity-dependent local transport regulation via degradation and synthesis of KIF17 underlying cognitive flexibility", 2020, Science Advances
  • "KIF3B promotes a PI3K signaling gradient causing changes in a Shh protein gradient and suppressing polydactyly in mice", 2022, Developmental Cell

The primary subfields of study detailed in their research include Cell Biology, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience, and Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health.

Hirokawa was awarded the title of Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2013.

Best Publications

  • The Transcriptional Landscape of the Mammalian Genome

    P. Carninci;T. Kasukawa;S. Katayama;J. Gough

  • Kinesin and Dynein Superfamily Proteins and the Mechanism of Organelle Transport

    Nobutaka Hirokawa

  • Analysis of the mouse transcriptome based on functional annotation of 60,770 full-length cDNAs

    Y. Okazaki;M. Furuno;T. Kasukawa;J. Adachi

  • Kinesin superfamily motor proteins and intracellular transport

    Nobutaka Hirokawa;Yasuko Noda;Yosuke Tanaka;Shinsuke Niwa

  • Randomization of Left–Right Asymmetry due to Loss of Nodal Cilia Generating Leftward Flow of Extraembryonic Fluid in Mice Lacking KIF3B Motor Protein

    Shigenori Nonaka;Yosuke Tanaka;Yasushi Okada;Sen Takeda

  • Kinesin transports RNA: isolation and characterization of an RNA-transporting granule.

    Yoshimitsu Kanai;Naoshi Dohmae;Nobutaka Hirokawa

  • Molecular Motors in Neurons: Transport Mechanisms and Roles in Brain Function, Development, and Disease

    Nobutaka Hirokawa;Shinsuke Niwa;Yosuke Tanaka

  • Molecular motors and mechanisms of directional transport in neurons

    Nobutaka Hirokawa;Reiko Takemura

  • Altered microtubule organization in small-calibre axons of mice lacking tau protein

    A. Harada;K. Oguchi;S. Okabe;J. Kuno

  • A standardized kinesin nomenclature.

    Carolyn J. Lawrence;R. Kelly Dawe;Karen R. Christie;Don W. Cleveland

  • Cross-linker system between neurofilaments, microtubules and membranous organelles in frog axons revealed by the quick-freeze, deep-etching method

    N Hirokawa

  • Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Type 2A Caused by Mutation in a Microtubule Motor KIF1Bβ

    Chunjie Zhao;Junko Takita;Yosuke Tanaka;Mitsutoshi Setou

  • Kinesin superfamily motor protein KIF17 and mLin-10 in NMDA receptor-containing vesicle transport.

    Mitsutoshi Setou;Terunaga Nakagawa;Dae-Hyun Seog;Nobutaka Hirokawa

  • Analysis of the kinesin superfamily: insights into structure and function.

    Harukata Miki;Yasushi Okada;Nobutaka Hirokawa

  • Projection domains of MAP2 and tau determine spacings between microtubules in dendrites and axons.

    J. Chen;Y. Kanai;N. J. Cowan;N. Hirokawa

  • All kinesin superfamily protein, KIF, genes in mouse and human

    Harukata Miki;Mitsutoshi Setou;Kiyofumi Kaneshiro;Nobutaka Hirokawa

  • The neuron-specific kinesin superfamily protein KIF1A is a uniqye monomeric motor for anterograde axonal transport of synaptic vesicle precursors

    Yasushi Okada;Hiroto Yamazaki;Yoko Sekine-Aizawa;Nobutaka Hirokawa

  • Targeted Disruption of Mouse Conventional Kinesin Heavy Chain kif5B, Results in Abnormal Perinuclear Clustering of Mitochondria

    Yosuke Tanaka;Yoshimitsu Kanai;Yasushi Okada;Shigenori Nonaka

  • KIF1B, a novel microtubule plus end-directed monomeric motor protein for transport of mitochondria

    Masaomi Nangaku;Reiko Sato-Yoshitake;Yasushi Okada;Yasuko Noda

  • Organization of mammalian neurofilament polypeptides within the neuronal cytoskeleton

    N Hirokawa;M A Glicksman;M B Willard

Frequent Co-Authors

Yasushi Okada
Yasushi Okada University of Tokyo
Shigeo Okabe
Shigeo Okabe University of Tokyo
Shin-ichi Hisanaga
Shin-ichi Hisanaga Tokyo Metropolitan University
Mitsutoshi Setou
Mitsutoshi Setou Hamamatsu University
Masaomi Nangaku
Masaomi Nangaku University of Tokyo
John E. Heuser
John E. Heuser Washington University in St. Louis
Tetsuo Noda
Tetsuo Noda Japanese Foundation For Cancer Research
Masataka Kinjo
Masataka Kinjo Hokkaido University
Tomoyuki Takahashi
Tomoyuki Takahashi Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology

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