Dr. Shoko Nishihara is a Professor at the Graduate School of Science and Engineering and the Director of the Glycan & Life Systems Integration Center at Soka University, Japan. With a Ph.D. in Chemistry from The University of Tokyo, she has made significant contributions to the fields of glycobiology, stem cell biology, and molecular biology over her distinguished career spanning more than three decades. Her research focuses on the roles of glycans in pluripotent stem cells, developmental biology, and glycan-related rare diseases.
Dr. Nishihara has published over 160 peer-reviewed papers, including recent groundbreaking studies on glycan functions in stem cell regulation and state transitions. She serves as Vice President of the Japan Consortium for Glycobiology and Glycotechnology and is a member of the Science Council of Japan. Her editorial contributions include roles on the boards of Glyconjugate Journal and Journal of Biochemistry.
In her keynote speech, Dr. Nishihara will discuss the critical roles of glycans in stem cell biology, highlighting their functional significance in regulating pluripotency and developmental processes.