Dr. Kobayashi leads an interdisciplinary research group that integrates expertise from physics, machine learning, and genomics to investigate dynamical biological processes at single-cell resolution. The lab specializes in developing novel optical and genomic technologies aimed at uncovering fundamental principles underlying cellular self-organization into complex multicellular systems, such as embryos and organoids, and elucidating mechanisms of tumor development from otherwise healthy tissues.
A central approach of Dr. Kobayashi's research is combining label-free microscopy techniques, notably Raman microscopy, with genomic profiling methods, including single-cell RNA sequencing, leveraging machine learning methodologies. This integration led to the creation of Raman2RNA, a method demonstrating the capability to predict genomic profiles in live single cells through deep neural networks. Raman2RNA realizes a ‘live-cell omics’, enabling one to monitor genomic changes in individual cells over extended periods.
Additionally, Dr. Kobayashi's lab develops advanced high-speed Raman microscopes designed to overcome the typically long measurement times associated with conventional Raman imaging. Reducing these measurement times is essential as it facilitates new research applications, particularly in studying gene expression dynamics on large scales, both in vitro and in vivo.