Masato Sato

Dr. Masato Sato is an orthopaedic surgeon and translational scientist who has spent over two decades turning cartilage regeneration from laboratory concept into approved clinical therapy. A pioneer of chondrocyte cell sheet transplantation for knee osteoarthritis, he led its first-in-human application and its approval as Advanced Medical Care in Japan; the technique has since been successfully applied to more than 65 patients in Taiwan. Exploiting the immune privilege of cartilage, he developed allogeneic chondrocyte sheets from polydactyly donor tissue and launched industry-partnered clinical trials, opening a scalable, off-the-shelf pathway for joint preservation. His program uniquely integrates surgery, automated cell sheet manufacturing, small RNA and extracellular vesicle biology, photoacoustic cartilage diagnostics, and regulatory science.

Clinical & Research Activities: 2023–present — Principal Investigator, large-scale multi-center clinical study of platelet-rich plasma for knee osteoarthritis (JSRM–JOA joint initiative), and AMED supported Clinical Trial; 2019–present — Principal Investigator, Advanced Medical Care and clinical studies of autologous chondrocyte sheets for osteoarthritis; 2014–present — Principal Investigator, Clinical studies of allogeneic chondrocyte sheets for osteoarthritis; 2010–2018 — Leeder, Non-invasive cartilage diagnosis using laser-induced photoacoustic measurement; 2004–2018 — Principal Investigator, Clinical studies of autologous chondrocyte sheets for joint repair.

Appointments: 2003–present — Tokai University School of Medicine — Assistant Professor (2003), Associate Professor (2007), Professor (2013); Head, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tokai University Hospital (2019); Director, C-MiRA (2020); 2001–2003 — Chief, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Self-Defense Force Hospital Yokosuka; 1991–1997 — Resident and Senior Resident, National Defense Medical College and Self-Defense Force Hospitals.

Education: Ph.D. in Medicinal Sciences, National Institution for Academic Degrees, 2001 (Graduate study: National Defense Medical College, 1997–2001); M.D., National Defense Medical College, Japan, 1991.

Leadership & Professional Service: A s Director of the Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine, he chairs its committees for institutional accreditation and appropriate evaluation of regenerative medicine and helped shape the Yokohama Declaration promoting evidence-based, exploratory therapies over unverified out-of-pocket treatments. He chairs the MHLW Working Group for Review of Regenerative Medicine and serves as an expert member for AMED, PMDA, and JSPS..

President & Director, Japanese Society of Cartilage Metabolism, Delegate, Japanese Orthopaedic Association, Fellow, International Cartilage Regeneration & Joint Preservation Society and International Orthopaedic Research Society, Associate Editor, Regenerative Therapy and Journal of Orthopaedic Science.