Dr. Nakano’s research explores the molecular and cellular mechanisms that control the formation and mineralization of bone, dentin, and enamel. Her work includes the regulation of phosphatases in bone mineralization, the differentiation of odontoblasts during dentin development, and how enamel formation is influenced by alternative splicing and splicing-derived microRNAs. By revealing how genetic mutations, alternative splicing, extracellular matrix proteins, signaling molecules, ion channels, microRNAs, and environmental factors affect craniofacial mineralization, her studies identify key mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets for inherited and acquired defects in mineralized tissues.