Dr. Nobuhiko Tokuriki promoted to Professor

We are delighted to announce Dr. Nobuhiko Tokuriki, jointly appointed with the Michael Smith Laboratories and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, was promoted to Professor on July 1st 2022. Professor Tokuriki, an expert in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology, completed his PhD in Bioengineering from Osaka University, Japan, and went on to complete two Postdoctoral fellowships first at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel and next at the University of Cambridge, UK. He has been a member of the MSL since 2011, initially as an Assistant Professor and subsequently as an Associate Professor. 

With a focus on the molecular mechanisms of protein evolution, the Tokuriki lab employs interdisciplinary research methods that combine molecular and structural biology, protein biochemistry, biophysics, and bioinformatics. Dr. Tokuriki currently leads a diverse team of seven graduate students and four Postdoctoral fellows. Their research projects work towards exploring questions around protein evolution including the evolutionary dynamics of antibiotic resistance genes, as well as developing novel enzymes for applications for environmental remediation and in pharmaceutical production. Additionally, Dr. Tokuriki is a member of the Genome Sciences and Technology (GSAT) Graduate Program and ECOSCOPE graduate training programs.

 

“It has truly been a blessing to work with so many great colleagues here at UBC. I really enjoy working with many talented young scientists in my laboratory as well. I have learned so much from them and our lab’s research projects have evolved in new directions because of their work; we will continue to explore these exciting avenues in the years ahead,” Tokuriki reflects.

We congratulate Dr. Tokuriki on this exciting career milestone and look forward to continuing to support the important work of his lab and his collaborations across UBC and beyond.