Makoto Higuchi

Director, Advanced Neuroimaging Center, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), Japan
Professor, Osaka Metropolitan University School of Medicine, Japan
National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), Japan

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Dr. Makoto Higuchi, M.D., Ph.D., is the Director of the Advanced Neuroimaging Center at the Institute for Quantum Medical Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), Japan. He also serves as Professor at Osaka Metropolitan University School of Medicine and Guest Professor at Tohoku University. With over 25 years of leadership in molecular neuroimaging, Dr. Higuchi is internationally recognized for developing pioneering PET imaging agents for tau and α-synuclein pathologies in neurodegenerative diseases.
Dr. Higuchi received his M.D. and Ph.D. from Tohoku University and completed postdoctoral research at the University of Pennsylvania. His translational research bridges human and animal studies, focusing on Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and related neuropsychiatric disorders. He has led the development of multiple first-in-class imaging probes used globally in preclinical and clinical settings.
He has authored more than 230 peer-reviewed publications, including Neuron, Nature Medicine, and Science, and holds numerous patents related to molecular imaging technologies. His contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, such as the Bälz Prize (twice), the Tsukahara Memorial Award, and the Japanese Government’s Commendation for Science and Technology.
Dr. Higuchi’s work continues to shape the future of diagnostic imaging and therapeutic development in neurodegeneration, establishing him as a global leader in translational neuroscience and PET technology innovation.

Development and Clinical Utilities of Molecular Imaging Probes for Neurodegenerative Diseases

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