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International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society

        VOLUME 29, ISSUE 3 • SEPTEMBER 2025. 

Inheriting a tradition of excellence: My professional journey in neurology and Movement Disorders at Juntendo University

 

On August 1, 2025, I had the honor of assuming the position of Chair of the Department of Neurology at Juntendo University School of Medicine. This appointment marks the continuation of a distinguished legacy in neurology and movement disorders at an institution that has played a pivotal role in shaping modern medical education and research in Japan.  

Founded in 1838, Juntendo University has a long and distinguished history. Its founder, Taizen Sato, studied Dutch medicine in Nagasaki and later established the Wada School in Edo’s Yagenbori district, which became a foundation for modern medical education in Japan. The Department of Neurology, established in 1968 as the first neurology department in a Japanese medical school, has played a pioneering role in the field. The first chair, Professor Hirotaro Narabayashi, was a global pioneer in surgical treatment for Movement Disorders and Parkinson’s disease. The second chair, Professor Yoshikuni Mizuno, disseminated exceptional clinical expertise in the field of neurology and made significant contributions to elucidating the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease through molecular biology and genetics. The third chair, Professor Nobutaka Hattori, identified parkin, CHCHD2, and PSAP as causative genes for familial Parkinson’s disease, and achieved world-leading contributions in the development of blood and imaging biomarkers for Parkinson’s disease. Since its inception, the department has served as a central hub for Parkinson’s disease research in Japan. To inherit this tradition is both a great honor and a profound responsibility. 

I graduated from Juntendo University School of Medicine in 1999, choosing neurology with the conviction that “if one is to devote a lifetime to a profession, it should be in the most challenging environment possible.” From my very first day, I was entrusted with the comprehensive management of inpatients, which provided rigorous training in clinical professionalism. In 2003, I entered graduate school and engaged in basic research to determine the intracellular localization of the protein encoded by LRRK2, a causative gene for autosomal dominant familial Parkinson’s disease: PARK8 1. I generated antibodies in-house and conducted biochemical analyses using cultured cells, mouse primary neurons, and brain tissue. This experience laid the foundation for my current approach, integrating both basic and clinical research. 

After completing my doctoral studies, I turned to research using clinical samples, approaching Parkinson’s disease as a systemic disorder. At a time when neurological research was confined mainly to cerebrospinal fluid and brain tissue, I focused on blood-based biomarker discovery. Inspired by a conference presentation, I applied metabolomics — then virtually unexplored in neurological disorders — to Parkinson’s disease. This pioneering work identified altered caffeine metabolism, now cited over 220 times, and catalyzed my subsequent research 2. We identified pathological α-synuclein in blood samples 3. In addition, I have pursued neuroimaging research, discovering multiple imaging biomarkers correlated with clinical symptoms in Parkinson’s disease and related disorders. These contributions were recognized with the 2024 Award of the Japanese Society of Neurology. 

In 2016, I participated in the Movement Disorders Society-sponsored leadership program (MDS-LEAP), an experience that deepened my commitment to leadership. (I am one of the second alumni, class of 2016). The program’s five core principles — “Model the way,” “Inspire a shared vision,” “Challenge the process,” “Enable others to act,” and “Encourage the heart” — have guided my approach to team building. To date, 15 young colleagues have completed their training under my mentorship, and I remain dedicated to fostering the next generation of physicians and advancing the creation of new evidence in Movement Disorders, particularly Parkinson’s disease. 

Looking ahead, my aim is to further integrate clinical, imaging, and molecular research to elucidate the pathophysiology of movement disorders, especially Parkinson’s disease, and translate these findings into improved diagnostics and therapeutics. I will continue to cultivate a collaborative research environment that nurtures young clinician-scientists and upholds Juntendo’s legacy as a leader in neurology. 

References

  1. Hatano T, Kubo S, Imai S, et al. Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 associates with lipid rafts. Hum Mol Genet 2007;16(6):678-690. 
  2. Hatano T, Saiki S, Okuzumi A, Mohney RP, Hattori N. Identification of novel biomarkers for Parkinson's disease by metabolomic technologies. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2016;87(3):295-301. 
  3. Okuzumi A, Hatano T, Matsumoto G, et al. Propagative alpha-synuclein seeds as serum biomarkers for synucleinopathies. Nat Med 2023;29(6):1448-1455. 

 

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