Welcome to the Iwata Lab homepage, the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology at National Institute of Sensory Organs, National Hospital Organization (NHO) Tokyo Medical Center. This division focus on the molecular mechanism of disease-onset for various retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, inherited glaucoma, inherited optic neuropathy and inherited retinal diseases. Based on these basic research information, novel therapeutics and diagnostics are being introduced in the lab. Iwata Lab has identified and characterized number of novel disease-causing genes including RP1L1, CCT2, C21orf2, LRRTM4, MCAT and METTL23. Characterization of mutant protein, use of patient iPS cells differentiating into retinal cells, and generating knock-in/out animal disease models has been helpful to understand the disease phenotype. Iwata Lab is responsible for two large domestic and international research consortiums. The Japan Eye Genetics Consortium (JEGC, https://jegc.org) targeting 36 different inherited retinal diseases for Japanese population and the Global Eye Genetics Consortium (GEGC, https://gegc.org) to further expand eye genetic study at global scale. In 2025, GEGC now has over 230 members from 38 countries.