Welcome

Nuclear dynamics in cardiovascular biology & disease

The Ikegami lab investigates mechanisms of gene regulation, chromosome organization, nuclear envelope functions, cardiovascular diseases, and age-associated diseases. Our current research focus is the biological functions of the nuclear envelope.  The nuclear envelope encloses the genome and interacts with chromatin. Mutations to genes encoding the nuclear envelope proteins cause a spectrum of degenerative diseases collectively called “laminopathies,” primarily affecting the cardiovascular system. We study (1) the gene regulatory functions of the nuclear envelope proteins; (2) the relationship between the nuclear envelope integrity and inflammation; and (3) the pathogenesis of cardiomyopathies and the accelerated aging disorder Hutchinson-Gilford progeria caused by nuclear lamin mutations. 

Our group uses a diverse experimental and computational techniques including functional genomics, mouse cardiac pathophysiological analyses, microscopy, cell engineering, stem cell differentiation, and bioinformatics. 

Our long-term goal is to understand principles governing the nuclear structure, function, and dynamics in human disease and aging.

Our lab is located to the Division of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

We are currently recruiting highly motivated postdocs and graduate students. Please contact kohta.ikegami@cchmc.org if you are interested in!

News

  • November 2025 – Nonso Nduka received an honorable mention (and a swag bag!) in poster presentation in the CCHMC Heart Institute Retreat. Congratulations!
  • November 2025 – Atsuki En was an oral presentation finalist (and got a cash prize!) in the CCHMC Heart Institute Retreat. Congrats!
  • October 2025 – Nonso Nduka won 1st Place in Aaditya Adlakha Graduate Student Poster Symposium Prize. Wow!! Congratulations!!
  • September 2025 – Atsuki En won Travel Award to attend Annual Meeting of the Molecular Biology Society of Japan in Yokohama, Japan. Congratulations!
  • June 2025 – Melanie Gucwa successfully defended her master thesis in Biomedical Research Technologies MS Program. Congratulations Melanie!!!
  • June 2025 – Ella Radvany from Lewis & Clark College started as a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow (SURF). Welcome!
  • June 2025 – UC MSTP student Sean Walulik started lab rotation. Welcome!
  • May 2025 – Postdoc Atsuki En gave an oral presentation and won Best Abstract Award at Weinstein Cardiovascular Development & Regeneration Conference in Milwaukee. Congrats!
  • September 2024 – Postdoc Wataru Katano secured prestigious JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship! Congratulations!!
  • September 2024 – PhD student Nonso Nduka won Best Question Award at DSRM program retreat. Congrats!
  • September 2024 – Postdoc Atsuki En won Best Poster Award at CCHMC Heart Institute Annual Retreat. Congrats!
  • September 2024 – U Cincinnati Undergrad Ashton Flaherty joined the lab. Welcome!!
  • June 2024 – Atsuki En, Ellie Rohrer, and Jake Childress presented posters at American Heart Association BCVS meeting in Chicago. Atsu received BEST abstract award! Congratulations!
  • May 2024 – Jake Childress from University of Kentucky and Ellie Rohrer from University of Cincinnati joined our lab as Summer Undergrad Research Fellows (SURF). Welcome!
  • May 2024 – Nonso Nduka in Molecular and Developmental Biology (MDB) graduate program joined our lab as the inaugural first Ph.D. student in Ikegami lab! Welcome!
  • May 2024 – Our paper on nuclear envelope ruptures in Lamin cardiomyopathy model mice is published in Cell Reports. Great job Atsu!
  • April 2024 – Our postdoc Atsuki En was awarded JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship! Congrats Atsu!
  • February 2024 – Thomas More University undergrad students visited our lab to learn about cardiovascular research!
  • January 2024 – Wataru Katano started postdoc in Ikegami lab! Welcome Wataru!
  • January 2024 – Ellie Rohrer of joined our lab as an undergraduate researcher in University of Cincinnati. Welcome!
  • September 2023 – Our research assistant Melanie Gucwa started Biomedical Research Technologies Master Program at CCHMC!

Contact

Email: kohta.ikegami@cchmc.org

Division of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center

240 Albert Sabin Way, MLC 7020, Room T4.378 (office) / T4.340 (lab), Cincinnati, OH 45229

Credit

Logo and favicon by my favorite scientist and artist Sophia Tintori!