Inaba Lab

Our research seeks to uncover the fundamental mechanisms that determine how cells adopt distinct fates in normal development, regeneration, and disease. To address these questions, we use the Drosophila gonad as a powerful model system to study cell fate transitions, tissue regeneration, and tumorigenesis in vivo.

By combining Drosophila genetics with advanced imaging approaches, including immunofluorescence, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), OligoPaint-based chromatin imaging, and whole-mount live tissue imaging, we investigate cellular and molecular processes at exceptional spatial and temporal resolution. The simplicity of Drosophila tissue architecture, together with its extensive genetic toolkit, enables us to uncover previously unrecognized regulatory mechanisms with unprecedented precision.

Current Research Focus

1. Ultrastructural and molecular mechanisms of sperm head organization and morphogenesis
2. Dynamics of local cis and trans chromatin interactions during cell fate transitions and tumorigenesis
3. Histone supply checkpoint: understanding how histone availability is regulated and the cellular consequences of disrupted histone supply
4. Mechanisms of epigenetic inheritance revealed through innovative genetic approaches
5. Roles of nuclear transposon RNAs and the mechanisms underlying their de novo insertion in spermatocytes