Taketo Sano

My name is Taketo Sano. I am a mathematician specializing in low-dimensional topology and knot theory, with a particular interest in Khovanov homology. Since 2025, I have been working as a Research Scientist in the Mathematical Application Research Team at RIKEN iTHEMS.

I received my Ph.D. in Mathematical Sciences from the University of Tokyo under the supervision of Prof. Mikio Furuta. Before pursuing graduate studies, I worked as a software engineer in the tech industry from 2007 to 2016.

I am also the father of two children—a 11-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son (as of 2026).

contact: taketo.sano @ riken.jp

Upcoming / Recent Talks

(Upcoming) April 28, 2026, A y-ification of Khovanov homology
The University of Tokyo / Tuesday Seminar on Topology
[Link]
Mar 30, 2026, A y-ification of Khovanov homology
Columbia University / Symplectic Geometry, Gauge Theory, and Categorification Seminar
[Link]
Mar 24, 2026, A y-ification of Khovanov homology
Johns Hopkins University / Topology Seminar
[Link]
Mar 18, 2026, A y-ification of Khovanov homology
University of Virginia / Algebra Seminar
[Link]
Mar 16, 2026, An introduction to Khovanov homology
University of Virginia / Algebra Seminar
[Link / Slides]

Recent Work

A y-ification of Khovanov homology (2026)
[arXiv]
Cobordism maps in Khovanov homology and singular instanton homology II, with Hayato Imori, Kouki Sato and Masaki Taniguchi.
[arXiv]
Cobordism maps in Khovanov homology and singular instanton homology I, with Hayato Imori, Kouki Sato and Masaki Taniguchi (2025)
[arXiv]
A diagrammatic approach to the Rasmussen invariant via tangles and cobordisms, with KeeTaek Kim (2025)
[arXiv / Slides]
More on arXiv.

Publications

Symmetries of equivariant Khovanov homology, with Mikhail Khovanov (2025)
To be published in Fundamenta Mathematicae.
[arXiv / Slides]
Computations of HOMFLY homology, with Keita Nakagane.
Journal of Knot Theory and Its Ramifications, Vol. 34, No. 12, 2550062 (2025)
[DOI / arXiv]
Involutive Khovanov homology and equivariant knots.
Algebraic & Geometric Topology, 25-8 (2025), 5059--5111.
[DOI / arXiv / Slides]
A family of slice-torus invariants from the divisibility of reduced Lee classes, with Kouki Sato.
Topology and its Applications, Vol. 357, 109059 (2024).
[DOI / arXiv]
A Bar-Natan homotopy type.
International Journal of Mathematics, Vol. 34, No. 02, 2350008 (2023).
[DOI / arXiv]
Fixing the functoriality of Khovanov homology: a simple approach.
Journal of Knot Theory and Its Ramifications, Vol. 30, No. 11, 2150074 (2021).
[DOI / arXiv]

A description of Rasmussen's invariant from the divisibility of Lee's canonical class.
Journal of Knot Theory and Its Ramifications, Vol. 29, No. 06 (2020).
[DOI / arXiv]

Essays

Becoming a Mathematician, April 2023.
In Honor of Professor Mikio Furuta, March 2025.

My daugther drawing a squid at my research institute.

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