Dr. Ito’s research is in the elucidation of the molecular mechanism of carcinogenesis. He discovered the major oncoprotein of polyomavirus, middle T antigen that triggered the discovery of well known tumor suppressor, p53. More recently, his group identified RUNX transcription factors that are critical regulators of development and cancer, reported RUNX2 cDNA sequence for the first time and became a major contributor to establish the RUNX field. Most recently, he discovered RUNX3 is a tumor suppressor of gastric, colon and many other solid tumors.