University of California San Francisco

Hirotake Komatsu, MD, PhD

Hirotake Komatsu, MD, PhD
Hirotake
Komatsu
MD, PhD

Associate Professor of Surgery
Division of Transplant Surgery

Address

513 Parnassus Avenue, HSE, #525A
San Francisco, CA 94143
United States

Email: [email protected]

ORCID: 0000-0003-0876-4809

Biography

Dr. Komatsu is a surgeon-scientist whose research focuses on regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and cell transplantation. His work integrates quantitative cell physiology with biomimetic and engineering approaches to address fundamental barriers in cell therapy, particularly hypoxia-driven graft loss during the early post-transplant period.

He received his MD from Juntendo University School of Medicine and his PhD in Molecular Biology from Tohoku University. He conducted postdoctoral and faculty-level research at the Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute at City of Hope before joining the University of California, San Francisco. His laboratory leads multidisciplinary efforts spanning transplantation biology, engineering, and stem cell science, with a primary focus on beta cell replacement therapy for diabetes.

Education

Institution Degree Dept or School End Date
Tohoku University, Graduate School of Medicine Ph.D. Molecular Biology 09/2013
Juntendo University School of Medicine M.D. Medicine 03/2002

Grants and Funding

  • Scalable and transplantable pancreatic islet organoids with engineered oxygenation | NIH | 2025-09-01 - 2029-08-31 | Role: PI
  • Cure of Diabetes | Nora Eccles Treadwell Foundation Grant | 2024-07-01 - 2028-06-30 | Role: PI
  • Development of an Oxygen-Permeable Culture Platform for 3D Cell Models | Mitsui Chemicals | 2025-08-01 - 2026-07-31 | Role: PI
  • Sequential multi-molecule release from nanofiber scaffolds for improved stem cell-derived islet transplantation under the skin | Breakthrough T1D (formerly Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, JDRF) | 2023-08-01 - 2026-07-31 | Role: PI
  • Non-invasive immunoimaging of islet transplant rejection | Breakthrough T1D (formerly Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, JDRF) | 2023-06-01 - 2026-05-31 | Role: Co-I
  • Cure of Diabetes | Nora Eccles Treadwell Foundation Grant | 2020-07-01 - 2024-06-30 | Role: PI
  • Vascular Network-mimetic Oxygen-transporting Mesh for Islet Graft | NIH | 2021-07-01 - 2023-04-30 | Role: PI

Publications

MOST RECENT PUBLICATIONS FROM A TOTAL OF 36
  1. Advances in Beta-cell Replacement Therapy for Diabetes-Insights From the 20th International Pancreas and Islet Transplant Association (IPITA) World Congress, Pisa, 2025.
    Rao JS, Barra JM, Parmentier C, Chaudhry A, Doherty D, Komatsu H, Mitsugashira H, Citro A, Nijhoff MF, Piemonti L, Scholz H| | PubMed
  2. Enhanced hypoxia resistance distinguishes human pluripotent stem cell-derived islets from primary islets.
    Kato H, Shang KM, Mitsugashira H, Qi M, Suzuki T, Stock PG, Toyoda T, Tai YC, Kandeel F, Komatsu H| | PubMed
  3. Donation After Circulatory Death Islets are Comparable to Standard-of-Care Donation After Brain Death Islets: Analysis of 801 Consecutive Human Islet Isolations.
    Qi M, Omori K, Orr C, Valiente L, Bilbao S, Tucker A, Rawson J, Gonzalez N, Verret J, Cuadra J, Mares J, Jou K, Ligot D, Balandran B, Komatsu H, Mehra M, Ramos K, Hacker-Stratton J, Al-Abdullah IH, Isenberg JS, Kandeel F| | PubMed
  4. Long-term culture of human pancreatic islets reveals reduced metal ion pathways in their gene signature.
    Kato H, Sigdel TK, Sheta M, Omori K, Qi M, Kandeel F, Komatsu H| | PubMed
  5. Oxygen dynamics and delivery strategies to enhance beta cell replacement therapy.
    Shang KM, Suzuki T, Kato H, Toyoda T, Tai YC, Komatsu H| | PubMed
  6. Characterization of Human Pancreatic Islet Cells Using a Single-Cell Western Blot Platform.
    Lenz G, Miao L, Lenz A, Mares J, Quijano J, Zook HN, Komatsu H, Garcia P, Ferreri K, Ku HT, Kandeel F| | PubMed
  7. Biological hypoxia in pre-transplant human pancreatic islets induces transplant failure in diabetic mice.
    Kato H, Salgado M, Mendez D, Gonzalez N, Rawson J, Ligot D, Balandran B, Orr C, Quijano JC, Omori K, Qi M, Al-Abdullah IH, Mullen Y, Ku HT, Kandeel F, Komatsu H| | PubMed
  8. A novel approach to determine the critical survival threshold of cellular oxygen within spheroids via integrating live/dead cell imaging with oxygen modeling.
    Shang KM, Kato H, Gonzalez N, Kandeel F, Tai YC, Komatsu H| | PubMed
  9. Firefly Rats: Illuminating the Scientific Community in Transplantation Research.
    Kobayashi E, Hakamata Y, Enosawa S, Shang KM, Komatsu H| | PubMed
  10. Physiomimetic Fluidic Culture Platform on Microwell-Patterned Porous Collagen Scaffold for Human Pancreatic Islets.
    Kato H, Chen H, Shang KM, Izumi K, Koba N, Tsuchiya T, Kawazoe N, Quijano J, Omori K, Orr C, Qi M, Ku HT, Kandeel F, Tai YC, Chen G, Komatsu H| | PubMed
  11. A scalable human islet 3D-culture platform maintains cell mass and function long-term for transplantation.
    Omori K, Qi M, Salgado M, Gonzalez N, Hui LT, Chen KT, Rawson J, Miao L, Komatsu H, Isenberg JS, Al-Abdullah IH, Mullen Y, Kandeel F| | PubMed
  12. Ubiquitous Luciferase Expression in "Firefly Rats" Does Not Alter the Pancreatic Islet Morphology, Metabolism, and Function.
    Gonzalez N, Kato H, Tixi W, Ortiz J, Orr C, Shih HP, Ku HT, Yee JK, Kandeel F, Mullen Y, Kobayashi E, Komatsu H| | PubMed
  13. Micropyramid-patterned, oxygen-permeable bottomed dish for high density culture of pancreatic islets.
    Myrick RJ, Shang KM, Betts JF, Gonzalez N, Rawson J, Izumi K, Koba N, Tsuchiya T, Kato H, Omori K, Kandeel F, Mullen Y, Tai YC, Botvinick E, Komatsu H| | PubMed
  14. Microwell culture platform maintains viability and mass of human pancreatic islets.
    Kato H, Miwa T, Quijano J, Medrano L, Ortiz J, Desantis A, Omori K, Wada A, Tatsukoshi K, Kandeel F, Mullen Y, Ku HT, Komatsu H| | PubMed
  15. Submilligram Level of Beetle Antifreeze Proteins Minimize Cold-Induced Cell Swelling and Promote Cell Survival.
    Omori K, Gonzalez I, Nguyen C, Raminani SN, Deleon VM, Meza P, Zamalloa J, Perez RG, Gonzalez N, Komatsu H, Al-Abdullah IH, Wen X| | PubMed
  16. Biodistribution of Intra-Arterial and Intravenous Delivery of Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles in a Rat Model to Guide Delivery Strategies for Diabetes Therapies.
    Li J, Komatsu H, Poku EK, Olafsen T, Huang KX, Huang LA, Chea J, Bowles N, Chang B, Rawson J, Peng J, Wu AM, Shively JE, Kandeel FR| | PubMed
  17. Critical Considerations in Bioluminescence Imaging of Transplanted Islets: Dynamic Signal Change in Early Posttransplant Phase and Signal Absorption by Tissues.
    Komatsu H, Kobayashi E, Gonzalez N, Rawson J, Ortiz J, Donohue C, Ku HT, Kandeel F, Mullen Y| | PubMed
  18. A Multiparametric Assessment of Human Islets Predicts Transplant Outcomes in Diabetic Mice.
    Komatsu H, Qi M, Gonzalez N, Salgado M, Medrano L, Rawson J, Orr C, Omori K, Isenberg JS, Kandeel F, Mullen Y, Al-Abdullah IH| | PubMed
  19. Early-Phase Luciferase Signals of Islet Grafts Predicts Successful Subcutaneous Site Transplantation in Rats.
    Komatsu H, Gonzalez N, Ortiz J, Rawson J, Omori K, Kandeel F, Mullen Y| | PubMed
  20. Intermittent normobaric oxygen inhalation enhances subcutaneous prevascularization for cell transplantation.
    Komatsu H, Gonzalez N, Kandeel F, Mullen Y| | PubMed
  21. High Fractions of Large Islets in Human Islet Preparations Detrimentally Affect Posttransplant Outcomes in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Immunodeficient Mice.
    Komatsu H, Salgado M, Gonzalez N, Medrano L, Rawson J, Omori K, Qi M, Al-Abdullah I, Kandeel F, Mullen Y| | PubMed
  22. A subcutaneous pancreatic islet transplantation platform using a clinically applicable, biodegradable Vicryl mesh scaffold - an experimental study.
    Komatsu H, Gonzalez N, Salgado M, Cook CA, Li J, Rawson J, Omori K, Tai YC, Kandeel F, Mullen Y| | PubMed
  23. Semi-Automated Assessment of Human Islet Viability Predicts Transplantation Outcomes in a Diabetic Mouse Model.
    Salgado M, Gonzalez N, Medrano L, Rawson J, Omori K, Qi M, Al-Abdullah I, Kandeel F, Mullen Y, Komatsu H| | PubMed
  24. Isolated pancreatic islet yield and quality is inversely related to organ donor age in rats.
    Gonzalez N, Salgado M, Medrano L, Mullen Y, Komatsu H| | PubMed
  25. Optimizing Temperature and Oxygen Supports Long-term Culture of Human Islets.
    Komatsu H, Rawson J, Medrano L, Cook CA, Barriga A, Gonzalez N, Salgado M, Omori K, Kandeel F, Tai YC, Mullen Y| | PubMed
  26. Oxygen transporter for the hypoxic transplantation site.
    Komatsu H, Cook CA, Gonzalez N, Medrano L, Salgado M, Sui F, Li J, Kandeel F, Mullen Y, Tai YC| | PubMed
  27. Surfactants Improve Live Cell Imaging of Human Pancreatic Islets.
    Komatsu H, Omori K, Kandeel F, Mullen Y| | PubMed
  28. Impact of Oxygen on Pancreatic Islet Survival.
    Komatsu H, Kandeel F, Mullen Y| | PubMed
  29. Oxygen environment and islet size are the primary limiting factors of isolated pancreatic islet survival.
    Komatsu H, Cook C, Wang CH, Medrano L, Lin H, Kandeel F, Tai YC, Mullen Y| | PubMed
  30. Oxygenated thawing and rewarming alleviate rewarming injury of cryopreserved pancreatic islets.
    Komatsu H, Barriga A, Medrano L, Omori K, Kandeel F, Mullen Y| | PubMed
  31. Determination of Islet Viability Using a Zinc-Specific Fluorescent Dye and a Semiautomated Assessment Method.
    Komatsu H, Omori K, Parimi M, Rawson J, Kandeel F, Mullen Y| | PubMed
  32. Involvement of a proapoptotic gene (BBC3) in islet injury mediated by cold preservation and rewarming.
    Omori K, Kobayashi E, Komatsu H, Rawson J, Agrawal G, Parimi M, Oancea AR, Valiente L, Ferreri K, Al-Abdullah IH, Kandeel F, Takahashi M, Mullen Y| | PubMed
  33. Isolated human islets require hyperoxia to maintain islet mass, metabolism, and function.
    Komatsu H, Kang D, Medrano L, Barriga A, Mendez D, Rawson J, Omori K, Ferreri K, Tai YC, Kandeel F, Mullen Y| | PubMed
  34. Clinicopathological features and surgical outcomes of adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas: a retrospective analysis of patients with resectable stage tumors.
    Komatsu H, Egawa S, Motoi F, Morikawa T, Sakata N, Naitoh T, Katayose Y, Ishida K, Unno M| | PubMed
  35. A GNAS mutation found in pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms induces drastic alterations of gene expression profiles with upregulation of mucin genes.
    Komatsu H, Tanji E, Sakata N, Aoki T, Motoi F, Naitoh T, Katayose Y, Egawa S, Unno M, Furukawa T| | PubMed
  36. Fulminant type of emphysematous pancreatitis has risk of massive hemorrhage.
    Komatsu H, Yoshida H, Hayashi H, Sakata N, Morikawa T, Onogawa T, Motoi F, Rikiyama T, Katayose Y, Egawa S, Hirota M, Shimosegawa T, Unno M| | PubMed