Dr. Yokota graduated from Tokyo Medical and Dental University in 1984 and completed his Residency and Fellowship in Musashino Red Cross Hospital in 1986. He studied molecular biology and gene therapy in Bredesen’s lab in Burham Institute (CA, USA) and Buck Center for Aging Research (CA, USA) in 1998-2000. He accepted a position asAssistant Professor in 2000, Associate Professor in 2005, Professor in 2010, and Chairman of Department Neurology and Neurological Science, Tokyo Medical and Dental University. Dr. Yokota published more than 150 outstanding scientific papers and has been the recipient of many awards, including 42nd Japanese Neurological Association in 2001, 56th Japanese Vitamin Association in 2003, and 18th Japanese Society of Neuroimmunology in 2005. Dr. Yokota’s research has focused on gene therapy with oligonucleotide drug and the molecular mechanism of Neurodegenerative diseases. His group has developed DNA/RNA oligonucleotide (HDO) as a third class of oligonucleotide drug which is highlypotent and can regulate extra-hepatic organs, and started “RENA Therapeutics”.

He has been playing a role in expanding oligonucleotide research in Asia, and established Nucleic Acid Therapeutics Society of Japan as Japanese OTS in 2015.

Dr. Yokota is a leading scientist as well as neurologist for next generation of gene therapy with oligonucleotides.