Makoto Inoue

Department of Comparative Biosciences
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL | USA

Dr. Makoto Inoue is an Associate Professor in the Department of Comparative Biosciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has a broad and interdisciplinary background in pharmacology, molecular neurobiology, and immunology, with specialized training and extensive expertise in research areas highly relevant to this proposal. His work centers on identifying immune functions in the periphery and elucidating immune regulation within the central nervous system (CNS), particularly in the context of autoimmune, infectious, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Prior to his current position, Dr. Inoue served as an Associate Professor at Nagasaki University in Japan, where he led innovative research into CNS neuronal plasticity using mouse disease models. His work resulted in the development of novel experimental models to elucidate mechanisms underlying chronic pain, cognitive function, and emotional regulation in neurodegenerative diseases. These efforts significantly contributed to the development of new therapeutic strategies. His expertise in evaluating both neuronal and glial functions in the CNS is highly aligned with the scientific aims of this proposal.

In 2009, driven by a deep interest in the complex interface between immunology and neuroscience—particularly in autoimmune and neurodegenerative disease conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS)—Dr. Inoue pursued a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Immunology at Duke University. There, he initiated his formal training in immunology with the goal of advancing research in neuroimmunology. His pioneering work at Duke elucidated how innate immune responses to pathogens modulate the adaptive immune system and influence CNS pathology, ultimately contributing to autoimmune disease development. These studies sharpened his expertise in the biology of innate and adaptive immune cells and clarified their functional interplay in neuroinflammation. His dual specialization enabled him to identify critical signaling pathways that explain MS heterogeneity using two complementary mouse models of the disease.

Since joining the University of Illinois in 2016 (promoted to Associate Professor in 2022), Dr. Inoue’s laboratory has investigated how the peripheral immune system influences CNS function across autoimmune, infectious, and neurodegenerative disease models and how CNS dysfunction may reciprocally impact peripheral immunity. His group also explores the mechanisms of disease development under diverse conditions, including sex differences, aging, stress, and pathogen exposure. Additionally, his lab studies the therapeutic potential of harnessing endogenously upregulated neural progenitor cells in disease contexts.

To support these investigations, Dr. Inoue’s lab has developed cutting-edge tools, including novel mouse models, super-resolution imaging techniques, and a new class of therapeutic compounds. These advances have enabled the discovery of key mechanisms driving disease pathology and have supported the design of innovative, individualized treatment strategies.