Match tier Confirmed
Presence Current · Arkansas
Last published 2026
Sources OpenAlex · ORCID
Refreshed 2026-08-20

Nagayasu Nakanishi

Affiliation confirmed via AI analysis of OpenAlex, ORCID, and web sources.

Federal Grant PI

Associate Professor

Also affiliated: New York State Department of Health (1989); Tokai University (1989); Wadsworth Center (1989); Howard Hughes Medical Institute (1989); Queensland University of Technology (2014); University of California, Los Angeles (2007–2016); The University of Queensland (2014–2019); Eli Lilly (United States) (1989); University of Washington (1989); Central Institute for Experimental Animals (1989); UCLA Health (2010); Whitney Museum of American Art (2016); The Netherlands Cancer Institute (1989); National Jewish Health (1989); Yale University (1989); University of Florida (2016); University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (2019); Center for Cancer Research (1989); University of Bergen (2011); Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1989); Columbia University (1992); University of Amsterdam (1989); University of Colorado Denver (1989); University of California, Berkeley (2007)

Faculty Researcher

24 h-index 47 pubs 2,481 cited

  • Animals
  • Larva
  • Biological Evolution
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Sea Anemones
  • Scyphozoa
  • Metamorphosis, Biological
  • Phylogeny
  • Base Sequence
  • Mechanoreceptors
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
  • T-Lymphocytes
  • Mice
  • Body Patterning
  • Nervous System

Biography and Research Information

OverviewAI-generated summary

Nagayasu Nakanishi's research focuses on the molecular and developmental mechanisms underlying sensory neuron diversity in cnidarians, with a particular emphasis on mechanoreceptors. He has investigated the role of specific transcription factors, such as the class IV POU transcription factor, in defining mechanoreceptor identity during hair cell development in cnidarians. His work also explores the structural, molecular, and developmental evidence for cell-type diversity within cnidarian mechanosensory neurons across different life cycle phases and across various cnidarian classes, including Hydrozoa.

Nakanishi is a recipient of a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award totaling $1,150,000 for his project on the neuropeptidergic control of life cycle transitions in Cnidaria. His scholarly contributions include 47 publications with over 2,469 citations, reflecting an h-index of 24. He actively collaborates with researchers at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, including Ethan Ozment, Arianna N. Tamvacakis, Miguel A.P. Silva, and Julia Baranyk, with whom he has co-authored multiple publications.

Metrics

  • h-index: 24
  • Publications: 47
  • Citations: 2,481

Selected Publications

  • Correction: Discoveries and innovations in cnidarian biology at Cnidofest 2024 (2026)
    EvoDevo DOI OpenAlex
  • Discoveries and innovations in cnidarian biology at Cnidofest 2024 (2025)
    EvoDevo DOI OpenAlex
  • Diversification of Cnidarian Mechanosensory Neurons Across Life Cycle Phases: Evidence from Hydrozoa (2025)
    Integrative and Comparative Biology DOI OpenAlex
  • Structural, molecular and developmental evidence for cell-type diversity in cnidarian mechanosensory neurons (2025)
    Nature Communications 8 citations DOI OpenAlex
  • Structural molecular and developmental evidence for cell-type diversity in cnidarian mechanosensory neurons (2024)
    Research Square DOI OpenAlex
  • Structural molecular and developmental evidence for cell-type diversity in cnidarian mechanosensory neurons (2024)
    bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) DOI OpenAlex
  • Cnidarian hair cell development illuminates an ancient role for the class IV POU transcription factor in defining mechanoreceptor identity (2021)
    eLife 24 citations DOI OpenAlex
  • Author response: Cnidarian hair cell development illuminates an ancient role for the class IV POU transcription factor in defining mechanoreceptor identity (2021)
    1 citation DOI OpenAlex
  • Cnidarian hair cell development illuminates an ancient role for the class IV POU transcription factor in defining mechanoreceptor identity (2021)
    bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) 1 citation DOI OpenAlex
  • Expression Analysis of Cnidarian-Specific Neuropeptides in a Sea Anemone Unveils an Apical-Organ-Associated Nerve Net That Disintegrates at Metamorphosis (2020)
    Frontiers in Endocrinology 22 citations DOI OpenAlex
  • Genotyping of Sea Anemone during Early Development (2019)
    Journal of Visualized Experiments DOI OpenAlex
  • Genotyping of Sea Anemone during Early Development (2019)
    Journal of Visualized Experiments 5 citations DOI OpenAlex
  • Author response: CRISPR knockouts reveal an endogenous role for ancient neuropeptides in regulating developmental timing in a sea anemone (2018)
  • CRISPR knockouts reveal an endogenous role for ancient neuropeptides in regulating developmental timing in a sea anemone (2018)
    eLife 57 citations DOI OpenAlex

View all publications on OpenAlex →

Federal Grants 1 $1,150,000 total

NSF PI Aug 2021 - Jul 2027

CAREER: Neuropeptidergic control of life cycle transition in Cnidaria

Animal Developmental Mechanism $1,150,000

Collaboration Network

20 Collaborators 13 Institutions 6 Countries

Top Collaborators

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