Role and research focus
Jun Takahashi is a professor at Kyoto University’s CiRA. His group studies neural-circuit reconstruction using iPS-derived neurons, particularly for Parkinson’s disease and stroke.
Seven-patient investigator-led trial
Kyoto University Hospital transplanted iPS-derived dopaminergic progenitors bilaterally into the putamen of seven people with Parkinson’s disease and followed all participants for 24 months. Safety was the primary endpoint; motor change and dopamine production were secondary.
Evidence stage: small investigator-initiated clinical trial. Safety and potential efficacy were suggested, but this is not automatically a routinely bookable standard treatment.
What international patients must verify
Current clinical availability, eligibility, trial/approval/reimbursement status and a formal international-patient route all require direct confirmation.