Ukyo Towbish Tazawa (Toby)

Education

April 2025 - Present Ph.D. Student, Department of Systems Science, Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University
March 2025 M.S. in Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo
March 2023 B.S. in Biophysics and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, The University of Tokyo
April 2018 - March 2019 Department of Life Science and Technology, School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology (withdrew)

Research History

Theoretical Neuroscience Based on the Free Energy Principle

April 2025 - Present Junior Research Associate (JRA) and Trainee, Isomura Unit, RIKEN Center for Brain Science
April 2025 - Present Ph.D. Program, Ishii Lab, Department of Systems Science, Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University
April 2023 - March 2025 Trainee and Part-time Researcher, Isomura Unit, RIKEN Center for Brain Science
May 2022 - March 2023 Independent Collaborative Research, Isomura Unit, RIKEN Center for Brain Science

Tracking Imaging of Freely Moving C. elegans

April 2023 - March 2025 Master's Program, Toyoshima Lab, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo
May 2021 - March 2023 Undergraduate Thesis Research, Iino Lab, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo

Behavioral Experiments on Intermanual Transfer in Mice

October 2020 - March 2021 Research Intern, Matsuzaki Lab, Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo

Publications

  • Dissection of behavioral components and the role of omega/delta turns for the chemotaxis of C. elegans

    • *K. Suwazono, K. Kuze, U. T. Tazawa, M. S. Jang, H. Kunitomo, Y. Toyoshima, Y. Iino
    Genes to Cells, 30(4), 2025. https://doi.org/10.1111/gtc.70026

  • Synaptic pruning facilitates online Bayesian model selection

    • *U. T. Tazawa, T. Isomura
    bioRxiv preprint, bioRxiv:2024.05.15.593712, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.05.15.593712

  • WormTracer: A precise method for worm posture analysis using temporal continuity

    • *K. Kuze, U. T. Tazawa, K. Suwazono, Y. Toyoshima, Y. Iino
    bioRxiv preprint, bioRxiv:2023.12.11.571048, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.12.11.571048

Presentations

Oral Presentations

  • The brain learns the network structure of the external world through synaptic pruning.

    • *U. T. Tazawa, T. Isomura
    Young Brain Scientists Association 30th Autumn Colloquium, Kanagawa, November 2024

  • Bayesian model selection method inspired by synaptic pruning

    • *U. T. Tazawa, T. Isomura
    NEURO2024, Fukuoka, July 2024

  • Analysis of the neural circuitry that triggers aversive responses occurred by nociception in C. elegans

    • *K. Kuze, U. T. Tazawa, Y. Toyoshima, S. Oe, T. Teramoto, K. Ishihara, Y. Iino
    NEURO2022, Okinawa, July 2022


Poster Presentations

  • Synaptic pruning facilitates statistical structure learning

    • *U. T. Tazawa, T. Isomura, RIKEN CBS Retreat 2024, Shizuoka, November 2024

  • Synaptic pruning shapes Bayes-optimal network structure

    • *U. T. Tazawa, T. Isomura, The 4th research area meeting of Transformative Research Area (A): unified theory of prediction and action, Kyoto, November 2024

  • Synaptic pruning is equivalent to online Bayesian model selection

    • *U. T. Tazawa, T. Isomura, The 5th International Workshop on Active Inference, Oxford, September 2024

  • A fast, robust and biologically plausible model reduction method

    • *U. T. Tazawa, T. Isomura, The 2nd research area meeting of Transformative Research Area (A): unified theory of prediction and action, Okinawa, November 2023

  • Observation and analysis of the whole brain activity in free-moving C. elegans

    • *Y. Toyoshima, K. Kuze, U. T. Tazawa, D. Nagata, M. Kanamori, H. Sato, K. Ishihara, Y. Iino, The 45th Annual Meeting of the Molecular Biology Society of Japan, Chiba, November 2022

  • Analysis of neural activity underlying turning movement by tracking-imaging of freely moving C. elegans

    • *U. T. Tazawa, K. Kuze, A. Matsumoto, Y. Toyoshima, S. Oe, T. Teramoto, K. Ishihara, Y. Iino, NEURO2022, Okinawa, July 2022

Awards

  • Excellence Award, NEURO2024 Training Session for Early-Career Scientists, July 2024
  • Bronze Award, Chemistry Grand Prix 2017 (National Competition for High School Students, Japan), September 2017

Other Outputs