Ph.D., Tohoku University

Animal reproduction

2017
Shinshu University, Assistant Professor

2013 - 2017
Tokyo University of Agriculture, Postdoctoral Associate

2011 - 2013
Postdoctoral Associate, Cornell University

2010 - 2011
JSPS Research Fellow (PD)

2009 - 2010
JSPS Research Fellow (DC2)

2007, Tohoku University, 農学研究科, 応用生命科学専攻 博士課程前期２年の課程

2010, Tohoku University, 農学研究科, 応用生命科学専攻 博士課程後期３年の課程

2005, Tohoku University, 農学部, 生物生産科学科

2023
The Society for Reproduction and Development, Journal of Reproduction and Development Outstanding Paper Award 2022

2018
Society for Reproduction and Development, SRD Young Investigator Award 2018

2017
Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Cozzarelli Prize 2016

2014
Endocrine Society, Endocrine Society, The Best of Basic Research 2014

In vitro production of viable eggs from undeveloped oocytes in mouse preantral follicles by reconstructing granulosa cell-oocyte complexes
Tomohiro Kohama, Ikuo Tomioka, Kanako Morohaku
Biology of Reproduction, 21 Aug. 2024, Refereed
Corresponding

Loss of the DNA-binding domain of the farnesoid X receptor gene causes severe liver and kidney injuries
Tomioka, I. Ota, C. Tanahashi, Y. Ikegami, K. Ishihara, A. Kohri, N. Fujii, H. Morohaku, K.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 721, 20 May 2024, Refereed

Mitochondrial translocator protein (TSPO) deficiency exacerbates pathology in acute experimental ulcerative colitis
Jimenez I, Stilin A, Morohaku K, Hussein M, Koganti P, Selvaraj V.
Frontiers Physiology, Aug. 2022, Refereed

In vitro production of viable eggs from mouse isolated primary follicles by successive culture
Kohama T, Masago M, Tomioka I, Morohaku K.
Journal of Reproduction and Development, 68(1), 38-44, Feb. 2022, Refereed
Corresponding

Blocking estrogen-induced AMH expression is crucial for normal follicle formation
Tanimoto, R. Sekii, K. Morohaku, K. Li, J. Pépin, D. Obata, Y.
DEVELOPMENT, 148(6), Mar. 2021, Refereed

Commentary:Amhr2-Cre-Mediated Global TSPO Knockout
Vimal Selvaraj, Kanako Morohaku, Prasanthi P. Koganti, Jianmin Zhang, Wei He, Susan M. Qurik, Douglas M. Stocco
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY, Volume 11, 24 Jul. 2020, Refereed

A way for in vitro/ex vivo egg production in mammals
Kanako Morohaku
Journal of Reproduction and Development, 65(4), 281-287, Aug. 2019, Refereed
Lead, Corresponding

Ectopic expression of DNA methyltransferases DNMT3A2 and DNMT3L leads to aberrant hypermethylation and postnatal lethality in mice
K. Sasaki, S. Hara, R. Yamakami, Y. Sato, S. Hasegawa, T. Kono, K. Morohaku, Y. Obata
Molecular Reproduction and Development, 86, 614-623, Jun. 2019, Refereed

Development of fertile mouse oocytes from mitotic germ cells in vitro
Morohaku, Kanako; Hirao, Yuji; Obata, Yayoi;
NATURE PROTOCOLS, 12(9), 1817-1829, Sep. 2017, Refereed
Lead

Differentiation of Mouse Primordial Germ Cells into Functional Oocytes In Vitro
Morohaku, Kanako; Hirao, Yuji; Obata, Yayoi;
ANNALS OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, 45(7), 1608-1619, Jul. 2017, Refereed
Lead

A brief history of the search for the protein(s) involved in the acute regulation of steroidogenesis
Stocco, Douglas M.; Zhao, Amy H.; Tu, Lan N.; Morohaku, Kanako; Selvaraj, Vimal;
MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR ENDOCRINOLOGY, 441(C), 7-16, 2017, Refereed

Complete in vitro generation of fertile oocytes from mouse primordial germ cells
Morohaku, Kanako; Tanimoto, Ren; Sasaki, Keisuke; Kawahara-Miki, Ryouka; Kono, Tomohiro; Hayashi, Katsuhiko; Hirao, Yuji; Obata, Yayoi;
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 113(32), 9021-9026, Jul. 2016, Refereed
Lead

Developmental competence of oocytes grown in vitro: Has it peaked already?
Morohaku, Kanako; Hirao, Yuji; Obata, Yayoi;
Journal of Reproduction and Development, 62(1), 1-5, Feb. 2016, Refereed
Lead

Mitochondrial Translocator Protein (TSPO) Function Is Not Essential for Heme Biosynthesis
Zhao, Amy H.; Tu, Lan N.; Mukai, Chinatsu; Sirivelu, Madhu P.; Pillai, Viju V.; Morohaku, Kanako; Cohen, Roy; Selvaraj, Vimal;
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY, 291(4), 1591-1603, 2016, Refereed

Steroid Hormone Biosynthesis: TSPO Function Directly Challenged in Viable Null Mice
Tu, Lan N.; Morohaku, Kanako; Manna, Pulak R.; Pelton, Susanne H.; Butler, W. Ronald; Stocco, Douglas M.; Selvaraj, Vimal;
ENDOCRINE REVIEWS, 35(3), Jun. 2014, Refereed

Translocator Protein/Peripheral Benzodiazepine Receptor Is Not Required for Steroid Hormone Biosynthesis
Morohaku, Kanako; Pelton, Susanne H.; Daugherty, Daniel J.; Butler, W. Ronald; Deng, Wenbin; Selvaraj, Vimal;
Endocrinology, 155(1), 89-97, Jan. 2014, Refereed
Lead

Peripheral Benzodiazepine Receptor/Translocator Protein Global Knock-out Mice Are Viable with No Effects on Steroid Hormone Biosynthesis
Tu, Lan N.; Morohaku, Kanako; Manna, Pulak R.; Pelton, Susanne H.; Butler, W. Ronald; Stocco, Douglas M.; Selvaraj, Vimal;
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY, 289(40), 27444-27454, 2014, Refereed

Developmental Expression of Translocator Protein/Peripheral Benzodiazepine Receptor in Reproductive Tissues
Morohaku, Kanako; Phuong, Newton S.; Selvaraj, Vimal;
PLOS ONE, 8(9), e74509, 2013, Refereed
Lead

Incorporation of Phosphatase Inhibitor in Culture Prompts Growth Initiation of Isolated Non-Growing Oocytes
Morohaku, Kanako; Hoshino, Yumi; Sasada, Hiroshi; Sato, Eimei;
PLOS ONE, 8(11), 2013, Refereed
Lead, Corresponding

Possible Candidates of Sperm Chemotatxis in Bulls, Boars and Goats
Saito, Rie; Inada, Rino; Maruyama, Naho; Hamada, Asuka; Morohaku, Kanako; Momozawa, Kenji; Sasada, Hiroshi;
BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION, 85, Jul. 2011

Application of Chemically Defined Medium RD for In Vitro Maturation of Bovine Oocytes
Momozawa, Kenji; Ooya, Kaori; Saito, Rie; Morohaku, Kanako; Sasada, Hiroshi;
BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION, 85, Jul. 2011

Addition of a Phosphatase Inhibitor Prompts Growth Initiation of Isolated Primordial Follicle Oocytes in Culture
Morohaku, Kanako; Hoshino, Yumi; Sasada, Hiroshi; Sato, Eimei;
BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION, 191-191, 2009

Trehalose enhanced the freezability of Poodle dog sperm collected by an artificial vagina (AV)
Yamashiro, Hideaki; Narita, Kaori; Sugimura, Satoshi; Han, Young-Joon; Sugawara, Atsushi; Morohaku, Kanako; Nakazato, Fumiaki; Konno, Tsutomu; Yoshida, Muneyoshi; Sato, Eimei;
Animal Reproduction Science, 102(1-2), 165-171, Nov. 2007, Refereed

Ex vivo engineering of egg production for birth of offspring
Kanako Morohaku
Japan-Poland Joint Seminar, 04 Sep. 2023, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Polish Academy of Science

加齢マウス卵母細胞の体外発育培養： 若齢マウス顆粒層細胞との共培養
小浜 智大,　富岡 郁夫,　諸白 家奈子
第116回日本繁殖生物学会, Sep. 2023, 日本繁殖生物学会

Effects of Oxygen Concentrations on In Vitro Survival and Growth of Preantral Follicle-Derived Undeveloped Oocytes Co-Cultured with Granulosa Cells
Tomohiro Kohama, Ikuo Tomioka, Kanako Morohaku
Society for the Study of Reproduction 56th Annual Meeting, Jul. 2023, Society for the Study of Reproduction

Examination of culture conditions for reaggregation of mouse granulosa cells - oocyte complexes
Tomohiro KOHAMA, Ikuo TOMIOKA, Kanako MOROHAKU
115th SRD Meeting, Sep. 2022, the Society for Reproduction and Development

A new ART: egg production by ex vivo oocyte engineering
Morohaku K.
Cornell University, Reproductive Biology Seminar Series, Oct. 2021, Cornell University, Invited

The farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is involved in ovulatory response to superstimulation.
Ikuo Tomioka, Yuka Tanahashi, Kanako Morohaku, Hiroshi Fujii
Society for the Study of Reproduction, 52th Annual conference, Jul. 2019, Society for the Study of Reproduction

In vitro growth of early preantral follicles by two culture protocols
Kanako Morohaku, Tomohiro Kohama
Society for the Study of Reproduction, 52th Annual conference,, Jul. 2019, Society for the Study of Reproduction

Parental origin-derived primary memories are erased in Zfp57-deficient embryonic stem cells
Keisuke Sasaki, Ai Nakajima, Kanako Morohaku, Yuta Asanuma, Yusuke Sotomaru, Tomohiro Kono, Yayoi Obata
The 4th World Congress of Reproductive Biology (WCRB 2017), Sep. 2017

Temporal control of oocyte cyst breakdown and granulosa cell differentiation via inhibition of the estrogen pathway is required for normal follicle assembly
Ren Tanimoto, Kanako Morohaku, Kono Tomohiro, Yuji Hirao, Yayoi Obata
The 4th World Congress of Reproductive Biology (WCRB 2017), Sep. 2017

Abnormal Follicle Assembly In Vitro Correlates with Ectopic Expression of AMH in Mice
Tanimoto, R., Morohaku, K., Sasaki, K., Kawahara-Miki, R., Kono, T., Hayashi, K., Hirao, Y., and Obata, Y.
The Society for the Study of Reproduction 49th Annual Meeting, 2016

In vitro growth of primordial follicles derived from neonatal mouse ovaries
Morohaku, K., Kono, T., Hirao, Y., and Obata, Y
Gordon Research Conference, 2015

Steroid Hormone Biosynthesis: TSPO Function Directly Challenged in Viable Null Mice
Tu, Lan N.; Morohaku, Kanako; Manna, Pulak R.; Pelton, Susanne H.; Butler, W. Ronald; Stocco, Douglas M.; Selvaraj, Vimal;
ENDOCRINE REVIEWS, Jun. 2014

Steroid Hormone Biosynthesis: TSPO Function Directly Challenged in Viable Null Mice
Tu, L.N., Morohaku, K., Manna, P., Pelton, S.H., Butler, W.R., Stocco, D.M. and Selvaraj, V
ICE/ENDO, 2014

Translocator protein/ Peripheral benzodiazepine receptor deficiency does not compromise steroid hormone biosynthesis or erythropoiesis
Tu, L.N., Morohaku, K., Sirivelu, M.P., Pelton, S.H., Butler, W.R., Selvaraj, V.
Annual meeting of ASCB, 2013

Mitochondrial Translocator Protein Is Not Essential But Can Facilitate The Biosynthesis Of Protoporphyrin IX
Zhao, A. H., Tu, L. N. L., Mukai, C., Morohaku, K., and Selvaraj, V.
Annual meeting of ASCB, 2013

Mitochondrial Translocator Protein/Peripheral Benzodiazepine Receptor Is Not Required For Steroid Hormone Biosynthesis
Morohaku, K., Pelton, S.H., Daugherty, D.J., Butler, W. R., Deng, W., Selvaraj, V.
Annual meeting of ASCB, 2013

Developmental Expression of Translocator Protein (TSPO) in the Murine Gonads
Morohaku, K. and Selvaraj, V.
The Society for the Study of Reproduction 45th Annual Meeting, 2012

Possible Candidates of Sperm Chemotatxis in Bulls, Boars and Goats
Saito, Rie; Inada, Rino; Maruyama, Naho; Hamada, Asuka; Morohaku, Kanako; Momozawa, Kenji; Sasada, Hiroshi;
BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION 85 -, Jul. 2011

Application of Chemically Defined Medium RD for In Vitro Maturation of Bovine Oocytes
Momozawa, Kenji; Ooya, Kaori; Saito, Rie; Morohaku, Kanako; Sasada, Hiroshi;
BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION 85 -, Jul. 2011

Addition of a Phosphatase Inhibitor Prompts Growth Initiation of Isolated Primordial Follicle Oocytes in Culture
Morohaku, Kanako; Hoshino, Yumi; Sasada, Hiroshi; Sato, Eimei;
BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION 191-191, 2009