Dr. KOYABU Daisuke

Dai Koyabu is an Associate Professor of Anatomy at the Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong. He was educated at Kyoto University, University of California at Berkeley, and University of Tokyo, and had postdoctoral training at the University of Zurich. After serving as faculty member at Musashino Art University and University of Tokyo, he joined City University of Hong Kong in 2019. Integrating comparative anatomy, developmental biology, physical anthropology, and palaeontology, he studies the evolution and diversity of body structure of mammals, including humans. His research involves field works in South East Asia, Central Africa, and collaborative works with zoos and natural history museums.

He is the recipient of the most prestigious prize in Japan given to genious scientists under 40, the Young Scientists' Prize, The Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology from the Japanese Government.

Key words: Comparative Anatomy; Comparative Embryology; Developmental Biology; Human Anatomy; Teratology: Palaeonotology
He is interested in the evolutionary and embryonic transformation of the mammalian body structure. His research is particularly focused on the development, evolution, patterns and variation of the cranial region. He has been studying foetal anatomy of more than 100 mammalian species by microCT scans and histological serial sections. His comprehensive studies on mammalian foetuses have led to the rediscovery of the interparietal bone (Koyabu et al., 2012 PNAS) and the discovery of the enigmatic correlation between the occipital development and brain size (Koyabu et al., 2014 Nature Communications). He is an expert in three-dimensional imaging techniques.

2016 Young Scientists' Prize of the Commendation for Science and Technology, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japanese Government
2014 Young Scientist Initiative Award, Society of Evolutionary Studies, Japan2014 Sasakawa Research Award for Distinguished Young Scientists, The Japan Science Society
2013 Inoue Research Award for Distinguished Young Scientists, Inoue Foundation for Science
2013 Fritz-Frank Award (Young Investigator Award), German Society for Mammalian Biology
2012 Young Investigator Award, Mammalogical Society of Japan (youngest winner until present)
2011 Fujii Prize, Zoological Science Best Paper Award, The Zoological Society of Japan
2010 Distinguished Student Presentation Award, International Primatological Society
2009 Best Student Presentation Award, Mammalogical Society of Japan
2008 Student Presentation Award, Mammalogical Society of Japan
2008 Distinguished Academic Achievements Awards for Master Thesis, Japan Student Services Organization
2003 Long-term Studying Abroad Promotion Award, Kyoto University (covering cost for the study at the University of California, Berkeley)

Working Experiences
2013-2018: Research Assistant Professor, University Museum, University of Tokyo
2011-2013: Postdoctoral Fellow, Palaeontolological Museum and Institute, University of Zurich
2008-2011: JSPS Predoctoral Fellow, University of Tokyo (2008-2011)

Education
Ph.D. (March 2011), Program on Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo. Dissertation Title: ‘Evolution of the mammalian skull; phylogeny, function, and ontogeny’
M.A. (March 2008), Physical Anthropology major, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University. Dissertation Title: ‘Craniodental variation and diet in colobine monekeys’
B.A. (March 2006), Physical Anthropology Major (with Geology Minor), Kyoto University. Dissertation Title: ‘Intraspecific variation of stumptail macaques (Macaca arctoides) and its evolutionary implications’
Undergraduate Exchange Program (September 2003 to September 2004), GPA3.4, Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley.