Advancing the Next Generation of Cardiovascular Therapy
with iPS Cells and Cardiac Organoids.
The Masumoto Laboratory integrates clinical perspectives from cardiovascular surgery with human iPSC-derived cardiac and vascular cells, three-dimensional cardiac tissues, cardiac organoids, and heart-on-a-chip technologies to develop regenerative therapies and drug discovery platforms for severe cardiovascular diseases.
- Regenerative Medicine
- Cardiac Organoids
- Drug Discovery & Disease Modeling
- Translation-Oriented
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Our Direction
We aim to deliver research outcomes to patients by advancing not only core technologies but also quality evaluation, preclinical validation, industry collaboration, and regulatory science.
Driven by Clinical Needs
Grounded in real clinical experience in cardiovascular surgery, we focus on therapies that are genuinely needed in practice.
Multicellular 3D Tissues
We combine cardiomyocytes with vascular cell populations to build tissues that more closely resemble the native heart.
Toward Implementation
We extend our work toward regenerative medicine, disease modeling, drug discovery, and safety assessment with a view to real-world implementation.
About the Laboratory
We are building new therapeutic platforms for cardiovascular medicine across cardiac regeneration, tissue engineering, and drug discovery.
Future Cardiovascular Therapy Driven by Cutting-Edge Technology
Our laboratory develops technologies based on human iPS cells and cardiac organoids, and applies them to two major goals: regenerative medicine using engineered cardiac tissues for transplantation, and drug discovery research using disease modeling platforms.
As society ages, the burden of heart and vascular disease is expected to rise further. At the same time, heart transplantation, the ultimate treatment for patients with end-stage disease, remains severely limited. In response to these clinical challenges, we integrate iPS cell technology, 3D tissue engineering, cardiac organoids, and microdevice technologies to create new cardiovascular therapies.
In particular, we focus on maturation, vascularization, and functional assessment of 3D tissues that recapitulate cardiac structure and function. We pursue regenerative therapies for severe heart disease and drug discovery research through disease modeling and pharmacological evaluation, while actively promoting collaborations with research institutions and industry to bring our findings to patients.
Regenerative Medicine
Development of 3D tissues and transplantable constructs using iPSC-derived cardiac and vascular cells.
Cardiac Organoids
Optimization of structure, function, and maturation to establish physiologically relevant cardiac models.
Drug Discovery
Creation of new platforms for disease modeling, pharmacological evaluation, and safety assessment.
Principal Investigator
Professor Hidetoshi Masumoto
MD, PhD
With a clinical background in cardiovascular surgery, he leads research and development in regenerative medicine using human iPSC-derived cardiac and vascular cells, cardiac organoids, and heart-on-a-chip technologies.
A key feature of the laboratory is its integrated approach, from clinically driven questions to maturation and functional evaluation of 3D cardiac tissues, transplantation-oriented applications, disease models and drug discovery platforms, and implementation through academia-industry collaboration.
researchmap
ORCIDSelected Publications
Representative publications that reflect the direction of the laboratory are listed below.
Murata K, Takamura K, Watanabe R, Nagashima A, Miyauchi M, Miyauchi Y, Masumoto H*. Production of bioactive cytokines using plant expression system for cardiovascular cell differentiation from human pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2025;16:303. doi:10.1186/s13287-025-04424-0.
Kuroda Y, Iida J, Murata K, Hori Y, Kobiki J, Minatoya K, Masumoto H*. Transplantation of vascularized cardiac microtissue from human iPS cells improves impaired electrical conduction in a porcine myocardial injury model. JTCVS Open. 2025;25:154-62. doi:10.1016/j.xjon.2025.03.006.
Murata K, Makino A, Tomonaga K*, Masumoto H*. Predicted risk of heart failure pandemic due to persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection using a three-dimensional cardiac model. iScience. 2023;27:108641. doi:10.1016/j.isci.2023.108641. (Cover image)
Kyo S, Murata K, Kawatou M, Minatoya K, Sunagawa GA*, Masumoto H*. Quiescence-inducing neurons-induced hypometabolism ameliorates acute kidney injury in a mouse model mimicking cardiovascular surgery requiring circulatory arrest. JTCVS Open. 2022;12:201-210. doi:10.1016/j.xjon.2022.11.001.
Abulaiti M, Yalikun Y, Murata K, Sato A, Sami MM, Sasaki Y, Fujiwara Y, Minatoya K, Shiba Y, Tanaka Y, Masumoto H*. Establishment of a heart-on-a-chip microdevice based on human iPS cells for the evaluation of human heart tissue function. Sci Rep. 2020;10:19201. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-76062-w.
Kawatou M, Masumoto H, Fukushima H, Morinaga G, Sakata R, Ashihara T, Yamashita JK*. Modelling Torsade de Pointes arrhythmias in vitro in 3D human iPS cell-engineered heart tissue. Nat Commun. 2017;8:1078. doi:10.1038/s41467-017-01125-y.
Masumoto H, Ikuno T, Takeda M, Fukushima H, Marui A, Katayama S, Shimizu T, Ikeda T, Okano T, Sakata R, Yamashita JK*. Human iPS cell-engineered cardiac tissue sheets with cardiomyocytes and vascular cells for cardiac regeneration. Sci Rep. 2014;4:6716. doi:10.1038/srep06716.
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Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kyoto University Hospital
54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
Center for Advanced Medical Innovation and Clinical Research (CRCMeD), Room 309, Kyoto University Hospital
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Second Clinical Research Building, 5F Cell Experiment Room, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kyoto University Hospital
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