1985-1997	Junior scientist at Harbor branch Oceanographic Institute (The SeaPharm project)

1991-1994	Post-doctoral fellowship at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

1994-2007	 Associate Professor at Kitasato University School of Fisheries Sciences

2007-2008 	Professor at Kitasato University School of Fisheries Sciences

2008- Current 	Professor at Hokkaido University Faculty and Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences

1983-1985	University of the Ryukyus (MSc., Advisor, Prof. Tatsuo Higa)

1987-1991	University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Ph.D., Advisor, Prof. Kenneth L. Rinehart)



Office;	main building Room 509

e-mail;  ryu.sakai◎fish.hokudai.ac.jp　※ Change「◎」to「@」

Tel/Fax; 0138-40-5552

Google Scholar:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=hGd2LKsAAAAJ&hl=ja

ResearchMap

https://researchmap.jp/sbor5552/

My work mainly focuses on discovery of novel biologically active marine natural products. Particular interests include bioactive small molecules that interact with neuronal receptors, ion channels, and cell membrane located on cell surface. I am also interested in middle to large peptides and proteins form marine organisms that act like small secondary metabolites. Recent example of such include: Aculeins, novel toxic peptides modified by long chain polyamine that interact with cell membrane; Soritesidine, a protein toxin whose toxicity exceed that of Palytoxin, one of the most potent marine toxins known; and Thrombocorcitin, a small protein that can activate hematopoietic receptor. I also work on metabolomics analysis of sea food such as squids, clams, and snails, focusing particularly on minute constituents (including secondary metabolites) that may reveal some unique ecological and physiological status of the organisms. Compounds discovered in our laboratory would serve as probes to explore deep insight into human physiology, and physiological and ecological aspects of marine organisms. 

1.	Shiozaki H, Miyahara M, Otsuka K, Miyako K, Honda A, Takasaki Y, Takamizawa S, Tukada H, Ishikawa Y, and Sakai R: Studies on Aculeines: Synthetic Strategy to the Fully Protected Protoaculeine B, the N-Terminal Amino Acid of Aculeine B. Organic Letters (2018).

2.	Matsumura K, Taniguchi T, Reimer JD, Noguchi S, Fujita MJ, and Sakai R: KB343, a Cyclic Tris-guanidine Alkaloid from Palauan Zoantharian Epizoanthus illoricatus. Organic Letters, 20:3039-3043 (2018).

3.	Tadokoro Y, Nishikawa T, Ichimori T, Matsunaga S, Fujita MJ, and Sakai R: N-Methyl-β-carbolinium Salts and an N-Methylated 8-Oxoisoguanine as Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors from a Solitary Ascidian, Cnemidocarpa irene. ACS Omega, 2:1074-1080 (2017).

4.	Oda Y, Zhang Q, Matsunaga S, Fujita MJ, and Sakai R: Two New Mycosporine-like Amino Acids LC-343 and Mycosporine-ethanolamine from the Micronesian Marine Sponge Lendenfeldia chondrodes. Chemistry Letters, 46:1272-1274 (2017).

5.	Motohashi S, Jimbo M, Naito T, Suzuki T, Sakai R, and Kamiya H: Isolation, amino acid sequences, and plausible functions of the galacturonic acid-binding egg lectin of the sea hare Aplysia kurodai. Marine Drugs, 15:161 (2017).

6.	Kita A, Jimbo M, Sakai R, Morimoto Y, Takeuchi R, Tanaka H, Takahashi T, and Miki K: Crystal structure of octocoral lectin SLL-2 complexed with Forssman antigen tetrasaccharide. Glycobiology, 27:696-700 (2017).

7.	Uchimasu H, Matsumura K, Tsuda M, Kumagai K, Akakabe M, Fujita MJ, and Sakai R: Mellpaladines and dopargimine, novel neuroactive guanidine alkaloids from a Palauan Didemnidae tunicate. Tetrahedron, 72:7185-7193 (2016).

8.	Fukushima K, Ishikawa Y, Sakai R, and Oikawa M: A monocyclic neodysiherbaine analog: Synthesis and evaluation. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 26:5164-5167 (2016).

9.	Kita A, Jimbo M, Sakai R, Morimoto Y, and Miki K: Crystal structure of a symbiosis-related lectin from octocoral. Glycobiology, 25:1016-1023 (2015).

10.	Chiba M, Fujimoto C, Sakai R, and Oikawa M: Structure–activity relationships of IKM-159: Diverted synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of C5-oxy analogs. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 25:1869-1871 (2015).

11.	Sakai R, and Swanson GT: Recent progress in neuroactive marine natural products. Natural Product Reports, 31:273-309 (2014).

12.	Matsunaga S, Kishi R, Otsuka K, Fujita MJ, Oikawa M, and Sakai R: Protoaculeine B, a Putative N-Terminal Residue for the Novel Peptide Toxin Aculeines. Organic Letters, 16:3090-3093 (2014).

13.	Copits BA, Vernon CG, Sakai R, and Swanson GT: Modulation of ionotropic glutamate receptor function by vertebrate galectins. The Journal of Physiology, 592:2079-2096 (2014).