- Kochi Medical School◆Center for Innovative and Translational Medicine
TOP Overview Organization Perspective Educational program






Innovative Medicine Group

 

Koichi Honke

Glycans, Lipids and Biomembranes Team　Koichi Honke, M.D., Ph. D.


Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Kochi Medical School　


Education
1977-1983　　Hokkaido University Medical School, Sapporo, Japan
1983-1986　　Department of Biochemistry, Cancer Institute, Hokkaido University Medical School, Japan
Career
1987-1995　　Research Associate to Lecturer at the Deapartment of Biochemistry, Cancer Institute, Hokkaido University Medical School, Japan,
1995-1999　　Chief Researcher at the Osaka Medical Center for Maternal and Child Health, Japan
1999-2003　　Associate Professor at the Department of Biochemistry, Osaka University Medical School, Japan
2003-present　Professor at the Department of Biochemistry, Kochi University Medical School, Japan 2008-present　Director at the Kochi System Glycobiology Center, Kochi University Medical School, Japan

Award
1997, 2012 JB Award (Japanese Biochemical Society)

Selected papers
1) Functional Compartmentalization of the Plasma Membrane of Neurons by a Unique Acyl Chain Composition of Phospholipids.
Kuge H, Akahori K, Yagyu KI, Honke K.
J Biol Chem 2014; 289:26783-26793

2) Expressed glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored horseradish peroxidase identifies co-clustering molecules in individual lipid raft domains.
Miyagawa-Yamaguchi A, Kotani N, Honke K.
PLoS One. 2014; 9:e93054

3) Biochemical visualization of cell surface molecular clustering in living cells.
Kotani N, Gu J, Isaji T, Udaka K, Taniguchi N, Honke K.
Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2008; 105:7405-7409
     

 

  

Outline of Research：

 

　We intend to approach biological systems from the viewpoint of biomembranes. Biomembranes consist of lipids and glycans that are not a direct product of the gene. Additionally, membrane proteins that are a direct product of the gene are integrated into them, forming a functional unit. So far, understanding of the expression mechanism of proteins is considerably progressed by genomics and proteomics research. However, little is known about the mechanism of how expressed proteins are collected to the particular site of the plasma membrane. In order to answer this question, we will study the following themes.
■Theme 1: Intracellular distribution of particular membrane lipids and the mechanism underlying generation of its polarity.
■Theme 2: Identification of functional proteins collected to the particular membrane lipid domain and their assembling mechanisms.
Keiko Udaka
Anti-tumor Immunotherapy Team　Keiko Udaka, M.D., Ph. D.

Professor, Department of Immunology, Kochi Medical School

Education

1982　Bachelor of Medicine, School of Medicine, Ehime University, M.D.

1986　PhD, Graduate school of Medicine, Ehime University

Career
1985＊88　Postdoctoral fellow, Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania
1988＊91　Postdoctoral fellow,
　　　　　　Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1991＊93　Research fellow, the Humboldt Foundation
　　　　　　Department of Immunogenetics, Max-Planck Institute of Biology in Tuebingen
1994＊94　Assistant professor with no stipend, Department of Immunology, Juntendo University
1994＊99　Assistant professor, Department of Biophysics, Kyoto University
1999＊02　Associate professor, Department of Biophysics, Kyoto University
2003＊03　Professor, Department of Immunology, Kochi Medical School

2003　　　 Professor, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Kochi University

Selected papers
1) A naturally occurring peptide recognized by alloreactive CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes in association with a class I MHC protein.
Keiko Udaka, Theodore J. Tsomides, Herman N. Eisen.
Cell　1992 69: 989-998
2) Empirical evaluation of a dynamic experiment design method for prediction of MHC class I-binding peptides.
Keiko Udaka, Hiroshi Mamitsuka, Yukinobu Nakaseko and Naoki Abe.
J Immunol 2002 169:5744-5753
3) Lipid-mediated presentation of MHC class II molecules guides thymocytes to the CD4 lineage.
Komaniwa S, Hayashi H, Kawamoto H, Sato S.B, Ikawa T, Katsura Y and Udaka K.
Eur J Immunol 2009　39：　96＊112
   
  Outline of Research： “Developing an immunotherapy against tumors”
 


　 Anti-tumor immunotherapy has once been thought to be difficult due to self-tolerance. However, recent development of anti-cancer immunotherapy clearly demonstrates its potential as a major arsenal against malignant tumors while keeping damage to normal tissues to the minimum. We have been developing a peptide-based immunotherapy to induce tumor antigen-specific T cells. The immune checkpoint inhibitors, currently introduced for clinical use, rely on tumor-specific T cells naturally occurring in patients and only a part of the patients respond to the therapy.
　 In collaboration with NEC, we have developed a computational method to identify MHC class I- and class II-binding peptides which can induce tumor-specific cytotoxic T cells (CTL) and helper T cells (Th), respectively. We further investigated the mechanism how antigen presentation takes place in tumor tissues. Using this knowledge we are able to develop a next generation immunotherapy which induces active recruitment of T cells into tumor tissues, thereby destructing tumors efficiently in vivo.

Motoaki Saito
Urinary Disorders Research Team　Motoaki Saito, MD, PhD.

Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Kochi Medical School

 

Education:
Tottori Univ, Faculty of Med, Japan / M. D. / 1991 / Medicine
Tottori Univ, Faculty of Med, Japan / PH. D. / 2000 / Medicine

Career:
1991-1993: Resident at Department of Urology, Tottori University Hospital
1993-1996: Postdoctoral Associate at the Section of Urology, Yale University School of Medicine
1995-2004: Assistant Professor at Department of Urology, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine
2004: Junior Associate Professor at Department of Urology, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine
2004-2008: Junior Associate Professor at Department of Pathophysiological and Therapeutic Science, Division of Molecular Pharmacology, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine
2008-2013: Associate Professor at Department of Pathophysiological and Therapeutic Science, Division of Molecular Pharmacology, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine
2013-: Professor at Department of Pharmacology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University

Award:
The first prize of Japan Continence Society (Japan Neurogenic Bladder Society) (2001)
The best basic research award of 7th Hellenic Andrology Association Biannual Meeting (2006)
Hiromaru Prize (2006)
The first prize of 98th Japan Urological annual meeting (Andrology/ Infertility/ Sexal medicine) (2009)
The first prize of 23rd Japanese Society for Sexal Medicine annual meeting (2012)
International Journal of Urology Reviewer of the Year 2011 and 2012 (2011 and 2012)
Selected papers
1) Shimizu T, Shimizu S, Higashi Y, Nakamura K, Yoshimura N, Saito M.
A Stress-related Peptide Bombesin Centrally Induces Frequent Urination through Brain Bombesin Receptor Types 1 and 2 in the Rat.
J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2016 Mar;356(3):693-701.
2) Shimizu S, Shimizu T, Tsounapi P, Higashi Y, Martin DT, Nakamura K, Honda M, Inoue K, Saito M.
Effect of Silodosin, an Alpha1A-Adrenoceptor Antagonist, on Ventral Prostatic Hyperplasia in the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat.
PLoS One. 2015 Aug 26;10(8):e0133798. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133798. eCollection 2015.
3) Saito M, Tsounapi P, Oikawa R, Shimizu S, Honda M, Sejima T, Kinoshita Y, Tomita S:
Prostatic ischemia induces ventral prostatic hyperplasia in the SHR; possible mechanism of development of BPH.
Sci Rep 4: 3822, 2014
   
  Outline of Research：
 


Mechanisms for stress induced frequent urination
　Generally we have experiences of temporary frequent urination when we are under transient stress conditions. On the other hand, some people visit a hospital by psychogenic frequent urination, which can significantly impact their quality of life. Therapy for psychogenic frequent urination includes psychotherapy and psychopharmacological therapy, however the efficacy of these therapies is not very high. By performing cystometrogram, we have demonstrated that intracerebroventricularly administered stress-related neuropeptides (bombesin and angiotensin II)-induced micturition pattern in rats is quite similar to the pattern in human patients with psychogenic frequent urination. We are now investing molecular mechanisms for frequent urination in order to further clarify the relationship between changes of brain neurotransmitters in response to stress and regulation mechanisms for micturition.

Molecular mechanisms and informative treatment strategies for lower urinary tract symptoms
　Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common disorder among elderly men. BPH often starts after the age of 40 years and affects about 80% of men over the age of 80. BPH causes several lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) such as storage, voiding and post-micturition symptoms affecting lower urinary tract. The pathogenesis of BPH/benign prostatic enlargement (BPE) is thought to be multifactorial, however, it is not fully understood. A recent clinical study proposed that hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis are associated with the etiology of BPH/LUTS. Furthermore, we have previously demonstrated that the decreased prostatic blood flow is responsible for the prostatic hyperplasia by using animal models. Therefore, we consider a possible mechanism that chronic ischemia in the prostate which causes an increase in the production of reactive oxygen species and pro-inflammatory cytokines, and subsequently up-regulates growth factors which induce epithelial and stromal proliferation in the prostate. We are currently investigating the precise molecular mechanisms through how chronic ischemia in the prostate generates the LUTS by employing a pharmacological approach.



Shigenobu Matsuzaki


Phage Therapy Team　Shigenobu Matsuzaki, Ph. D.

Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Kochi Medical School

Education:

Graduated from Department of Literature and Science, Yamaguchi University, Japan, in1977.
Hiroshima University Postgraduate School from 1978 to 1985.
Research associate at Kochi Medical School from 1986 to 2003
International researcher of the Ministry of Education at Harvard Medical School, USA, from 1996 to 1997.
Associated Professor at Kochi University Medical School from 2003 to 2010.
Received Ph.Ds (1986 from Hiroshima University; 2003 from Kochi Medical School).


Selected papers
1) Perspective: The age of the phage.
Matsuzaki S, Uchiyama J, Takemura-Uchiyama I, Daibata M.
Nature. 2014 May 1;509(7498):S9.

2) Experimental phage therapy against lethal lung-derived septicemia caused by Staphylococcus aureus in mice.
Takemura-Uchiyama I, Uchiyama J, Osanai M, Morimoto N, Asagiri T, Ujihara T, Daibata M, Sugiura T, Matsuzaki S.
Microbes Infect. 2014 Jun;16(6):512-7.

3) Intragenus generalized transduction in Staphylococcus spp. by a novel giant phage.
Uchiyama J, Takemura-Uchiyama I, Sakaguchi Y, Gamoh K, Kato S, Daibata M, Ujihara T, Misawa N, Matsuzaki S.
ISME J. 2014 Sep;8(9):1949-52.
   
  Outline of Research：
  　

　The recent worldwide spread of pathogenic bacteria that are resistant to a variety of antibiotics threatens to reduce modern medicine to a state reminiscent of the preantibiotic era. To overcome this, it will be necessary to use antibiotic-independent remedial strategies, in addition of aptitude use for antibiotics.
　Bacteriophage (phage) therapy, in which the phage itself or its products (such as endolysin) act as an antibiotic agent, is a possible alternative to antibiotic therapy. Although phage therapy was originally introduced around 1920, it was later abandoned because of the subsequent successful discovery and mass production of effective antibiotics in the 1940s-1950s. However, the ongoing bacterial evolution of multidrug resistance has recently motivated the scientific community to reevaluate the therapeutic potential of phage for diverse bacterial infections that are virtually incurable by conventional antibiotic therapy. We have also evidence of the efficacy of phage therapy against fatal Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli infections in animal models.
　In this study, we will try to develop a phage set (“phage bank”) that can be used in phage therapies, based on our current knowledge and experience with phage. The criteria that must be met by members of the phage bank are as follows: (1) the phage can lyse all strains of the target bacterial species; (2) their biological and genetic properties are well defined; and (3) their effectiveness and safety as therapeutic phage have been confirmed with infection and treatment experiments in an animal infection model. We also intend to develop a phage therapy system using the phage lytic enzyme (lysin), directed against infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria such as S. aureus and E. faecalis, in addition to the method based on live phage.
　After effective phage banks have been established, we will try to introduce phage therapy into the veterinary field, to evaluate its future applications to humans.

Masahiro Yamaguchi


Neural Circuit Function Team　Masahiro Yamaguchi, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Physiology (Integrative Physiology), Kochi Medical School

Education
1987 Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University; M.D.
1994 Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University; Ph.D.
Career
1987 Resident: Kyoto University Hospital
1988 Physician: Shizuoka General Hospital
1994 Postdoctoral Fellow: Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University
1995 Research Fellow: Japan Society of Promotion of Science
1996 Research Fellow: Japan Science and Technology Agency, PRESTO
　　　Research Fellow: Brain Science Institute, RIKEN
1999 Assistant Professor: Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, the University of Tokyo
2000 Lecturer: Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, the University of Tokyo
2016 Professor: Department of Physiology (Integrative Physiology), Kochi Medical School, Kochi University

Selected Papers
1)Mapping of learned odor-induced motivated behaviors in the mouse olfactory tubercle.
Murata K, Kanno M, Ieki N, Mori K, Yamaguchi M.
Journal of Neuroscience. 35: 10581-10599 (2015)

2)Top-down inputs from the olfactory cortex in the postprandial period promote elimination of granule cells in the olfactory bulb.
Komano-Inoue S, Manabe H, Ota M, Kusumoto-Yoshida I, Yokoyama TK, Mori K, Yamaguchi M.
European Journal of Neuroscience. 40: 2724-2733 (2014)

3)Elimination of adult-born neurons in the olfactory bulb is promoted during the postprandial period.
Yokoyama TK, Mochimaru D, Murata K, Manabe H, Kobayakawa K, Kobayakawa R, Sakano H, Mori K, Yamaguchi M.
Neuron. 71: 883-897 (2011)
   
  Outline of Research：Understanding the neural circuit mechanism of emotion-based learning and memory through the analysis of olfactory system
  　

　 Throughout the evolution, the brain has been endowed with the fundamental role to direct proper behaviors in the changing external world. The brain learns to direct novel behaviors in response to new environment, and gives rise to emotion and motivation to urge behaviors. It is therefore essential to understand the mechanisms of how information from the external world is translated into appropriate behaviors, how learning and memory are operated, and how emotion and motivation are generated, in the neural circuit of the brain.
　We are addressing these questions by using olfactory system as a model system. Odor information elicits strong emotion and motivation, and induces fundamental behaviors including food eating, escaping from dangers, mating and social interaction.
In addition, the olfactory system has a unique property that new neurons are continually generated even in adulthood. New neurons are considered to participate in the reorganization of neural circuit and potentiate the ability of learning and memory.

　We are addressing two major points using mice and rats:
Theme 1. Neural circuit mechanisms for acquiring odor-induced motivated behaviors
Theme 2. Mechanisms of neural circuit reorganization by new neurons
　We use a variety of research methods including behavior analysis, electrophysiological exanimations of freely-behaving animals and brain slices, brain imaging, optogenetics, and cellular and molecular-level analysis. We are analyzing various olfactory behaviors including attraction to food odor and escape from danger-notifying odor, as well as pheromone-based recognition of mating partner and colleagues.
　Theme 1 leads to the understanding of how emotion and motivation are generated in the brain and regulated by odor input, which helps us to live happily and comfortably through the utilization of odors. We are actually planning to address the mechanisms in human brain how odor induces our emotion and motivation.
　Theme 2 gives us a hope that our brain can rejuvenate and develop even after maturity. This will contribute to the restorative medicine and also to the field of education and the improvement of QOL of the elderly.
   
Regenerative Medicine Group

 


Kazuhiro Hanazaki

 


Liver Regeneration Team 　Kazuhiro Hanazaki, M.D., Ph. D.

Professor, Department of Surgery, Kochi Medical School


Biography
1984: Niigata University School of Medicine Department of Medicine graduation
1984: Shinshu University School of Medicine second surgical He joined
1992: Degree (Doctor of Medicine)
1992 - 1998: Nagano Red Cross Hospital (Deputy General Manager)
1998 - 2001: Shinshu University School of Medicine Second Department of Surgery (lecturer)
2000 - 2001: Baylor College of Medicine, USA Surgery (lecturer)
2002 - 2003: Shinshu University School of Medicine first surgery (lecturer)
September 2003 - March 2006: Nagano Prefecture Koseiren Shinonoi (Shinonoi) General Hospital (chief medical director)
April 2006: Kochi Medical School outside Sciences Surgery 1 (Professor)
April 2008 - March 2012: Kochi Medical School Hospital deputy director (concurrently)
April 2012 - 2014 March: Kochi Medical School Hospital Clinical Dean of Engineering (concurrently)
April 2012 - up to now: Kochi Medical School Hospital adviser (concurrently)
2014 April - up to now: Kochi Medical School Hospital surgery director (concurrently)
Career
Japanese Society for Artificial Organs (Vice Chairman, Board of Directors and Trustees) - Japan artificial pancreas-related Society Council (representative caretaker) and Japan Surgical Society (guidance physicians, delegates, surgeon working environment improvement committee, election management electoral system Exploratory Committee - gender Equality Committee) Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Surgery (Medical Advisor and Trustees curriculum Committee and future initiative committee) - Japan clinical surgical Society (councilor, academic committee) - Japan hepatobiliary pancreatic Science Society (advanced skills guidance physicians and evaluation Rep) - Japan Gastroenterology Society (guidance physicians and councilor) - Japan surgical infectious diseases Society (councilor) - Japan surgical metabolism nutrition Society (councilor), Chinese medicine surgery forum (caretaker) and Japan Society of Hepatology (teaching physician) Surgery Today (Members of The Editorial Board) · International Cancer Conference Journal (Members of The Editorial Board) · Member of IAP (international association of pancreatology) · Member of ESAO (European society for artificial organs) · Member of IFAO (international federation for artificial organs) · The Best Doctors in Japan 2010-2015 Japan Society for the Promotion of Scientific Research Jury (2007 - 2009, 2014 - 2016), Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Research Fellow, etc. Committee Expert Committee (2010 - 2012)

 

Selected papers
1) An artificial pancreas provided a novel model of blood glucose level variability in beagles.
Munekage M, Yatabe T, Kitagawa H, et al. J Artif Organs, 18(4): 387-390, 2015

2) Tight glycemic control using an artificial pancreas is useful for surgical patients with uncontrolled perioperative hyperglycemia.
Hanazaki K, Munekage M, Kitagawa H, Namikawa T. Ann Surg, 263(3):e50, 2016

3) Current topics in glycemic control by wearable artificial pancreas or bedside artificial pancreas with closed-loop system.
Hanazaki K, Munekage M, Kitagawa H, et al. J Artif Organs, 2016 May 3. [Epub ahead of print]

 
   
  Outline of Research：
   


　Development of liver regeneration study will play an important role in the improvement of several problems in liver transplantation such as serious shortage of donor and difficult management of donors and recipients before and after liver transplantation. Of note, elucidation of liver regeneration is required to counterpart liver failure after not only liver transplantation but also major hepatectomy.
　Recently, Beppu et al. (J Gastroenterol 2015) suggested that branched chain amino acid (BCAA) promoted remnant functional liver volume and/or liver function after major hepatectomy. Namely, BCAA may improve nutritional status and liver regeneration. Furthermore, some amino acids, such as BCAA, glutamine, arginine and L-carnitine, will promote liver regeneration and deterioration of theses amino acids reduce ability of liver regeneration.
　Our previous study reported that BCAA treatment improved nutritional status and prevented sarcopenia of upper arm muscle after hepatectomy, and also it suppressed early postoperative recurrence after hepatic resection.
　Unfortunately, however, detailed mechanism between BCAA and liver regeneration remains unclear. Therefore, we will try to investigate the precise mechanism using 70% hepatectomized rat model and promote study of liver regeneration.

 

Yoshio Terada
Kidney Regeneration Team 　Yoshio Terada, M.D., Ph. D.

Professor, Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nephrology, Kochi Medical School


Work Experience
Graduate of Tokyo Medical &Dental University (1984.3)
Visiting fellow, Laboratory of Kidney Electrolyte, and Metabolism, National Institutes of Health (1988.1-1991.3)
Assistant Professor of Homeostasis medicine &Nephrology, Tokyo Medical &Dental University (1994.11-2002.3)
Associate Professor of Homeostasis medicine &Nephrology, Tokyo Medical &Dental University (2002.4-2008.3)
Professor and Chairman, Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nephrology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University (2008.4-)

Selected papers
1) Terada Y, Tomita K, Nonoguchi H, Yang T, Marumo F: Different localization and r egulation of two types of vasopressin receptor messenger RNA in microdissected rat nephron segments using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. J Clin Invest 92: 2339-2345, 1993

2) Terada Y, Tomita K, Homma MK, Nonoguchi H, Yang T, Yamada T, Yuasa Y, Krebs EG, Marumo F: Sequential activation of raf-1 kinase, MAP kinase kinase, MAP kinase, and S6 kinase by hyperosmolality in renal cell. J Biol Chem 269: 31296-31301, 1994

3) Taniguchi K, Kohsaka H, Inoue N, Terada Y, Ito H, Hirokawa K, Miyasaka N: Introduction of p16INK4a sequence gene as a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Nature Med 5: 760-767, 1999

   
  Outline of Research： New therapeutic approach to kidney diseases by regenerative medicine
   


Background:
The molecular basis of the events leading to tubular regeneration after AKI (acute kidney injury) is only partially established. The mechanisms that lead to renal cell proliferation and regeneration must be better understood before novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of ischemic AKI can be explored. Evidence has suggested that regeneration processes may recapitulate developmental processes in order to restore organ or tissue function. Regeneration processes may be similar to developmental processes. Embryonic genes such as Wnt-4, Ets-1, and Delta-Notch pathway are markedly induced in the mature kidney after ischemic renal injury and apparently play crucial roles in the regeneration and repair of the organ.
1) Dedifferentiation of renal tubular cell
We have reported that embryonic genes such as Wnt-4, Ets-1, and Delta-Notch pathway are markedly induced in the mature kidney after ischemic renal injury. We and other researchers have called this phenomena as“dedifferentiation”of renal tubular cells. We proposed that the dedifferentiation of renal tubular cells after AKI plays a key role in regeneration of renal tubular cells.
2) Regenerative medicine of renal disease using growth factors or genes
We also examine the possible approach of regeneration using growth factors or gene transfer. Some growth factors such as hepatocyte growth factor or erythropoietin cause proliferation of renal tubular cells and prevent apoptpsis. These growth factors may be potency for regeneration of renal tubular cells in vivo. We are planning to examine the effects these factors in AKI.
3) Regenerative medicine of renal disease using iPS cells and ES cells
We already reported that ES cells which were stably transfected with Wnt-4 gene can differentiate renal tubular cells in presence of Activin A and HGF (hapatocyte growth factor). It may be possible to differentiate iPS cells to renal tubular cells using same methodology. We will examine these approachs for regenerative medicine of renal disease

Nagamasa Maeda
Cord Blood Stem Cell Team 　Nagamasa Maeda, M.D., Ph. D.

Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kochi Medical School

Education
1984 Graduated Kochi Medical School
1989 Completed a medical degree at Kochi graduated Medical School
1989 M.D. at Kochi Medical School
Career
1989 Research Fellow at the Department Immunology of Kochi Medical
1990 Medical Staff at Kochi Medical School Hospital
1993 Medical Staff at the Department of Medicine at Kochi Medical School
1995 Research Fellow at the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Osaka University
1996 Assistant Professor at Kochi Medical School
1997 Lecturer at Kochi Medical School
2004 Associate Professor at Kochi Medical School
Membership
Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Japan Society of Immunology
Japan Society of Reproductive Immunology
Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecologic Endoscopy

Japan Society of Endometriosis

 

Selected papers
1) Maeda N, Izumiya C, Yamamoto Y, Oguri H, Kusume T, Fukaya T.
Increased killer inhibitory receptor KIR2DL1 expression among natural killer cells in women with pelvic endometriosis.
Fertil Steril. 77:297-302, 2002 (IF 4.174)

2) Maeda N, Izumiya C, Taniguchi K, Matsushima S, Fukaya T.
Role of NK cells and HLA-G in endometriosis.
Front Biosci. 4:1568-1581, 2012 Review (IF 3.286)

3) Syngeneic transplantation of newborn splenocytes in a murine model of neonatal ischemia-reperfusion brain injury.
Wang F, Shen Y, Tsuru E, Yamashita T, Baba N, Tsuda M, Maeda N, Sagara Y.

J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2015 May;28(7):842-7.
   
  Outline of Research：
 

 

Cerebral palsy is caused by brain damage occurred in fetal and neonatal period, and is a incurable diseases that impairs physical and mental capabilities for life. There is no fundamental therapy for cerebral palsy, without a symptomatic treatment such as rehabilitation. Recently in our university, there is increasing possibility of clinical trials for cerebral palsy treatment using umbilical cord blood stem cell. Beside the clinical studies, basic research to investigate the mechanisms of the recovery from brain injury and also improvement the methods of treatment. Our research team has created a mouse model for cerebral palsy. We evaluate the functional improvement after treatment, and investigate the blood stem cell differentiation and interaction with other stem cells particularly with neural stem cells by using the our mouse of cerebral palsy.
1. Identificationof inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the brain from cerebral palsy model mouse and activation of neural stem cell
2. Mechanism of function improvement by umbilical blood stem cell blood transfusion
3. Molecular mechanism of nerve regeneration by umbilical cord blood stem cell blood transfusion with the neural stem cell activation. Revival of a nervous tissue and restored
4. Analysis of cell surface marker and functional property of umbilical blood stem cell
5. Activation of tumor immunity using umbilical cord blood stem cell


     
Information Healthcare Science Group

 


Yoshiyasu Okuhara

 


Medical Data-mining Team 　Yoshiyasu Okuhara, Ph. D.

Professor, Center of Medical Information Science, Kochi Medical School


Studies and Degrees:
1975-1984 Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
March, 1979, Bachelor of Science(Physics)
March, 1981, Master of Science(Physics)
March, 1984, Ph.D.(Physics)

Professional Activities:
1984.4-1985.1 Post Doctoral Fellow at the Institute for Nuclear Study, University of Tokyo, Tanashi-city, Tokyo, Japan
1985.2-1987.1 Post Doctoral Fellow at Queen's University, Department of Physics, Kingston, Canada
1989.9-1990.8 Research Associate at University of Manitoba, Department of Physics, Winnipeg, Canada
1990.9-1991.2 Research Associate at University of Alberta, Department of Physics, Edmonton, Canada
1991.2-1993.12 Assistant Professor at the Center of Medical Information Science, Kochi Medical School
1999.4- Associate Professor at the Center of Medical Information Science, Kochi Medical School
2007.7- Professor at the Center of Medical Information Science, Medical School, Koch University

 

Selected papers
１．Okuhara Y, Castel B, Johnstone I.P, Toki H.: Nuclear spin response to inelastic proton scattering:finite geometry and absorption effects. Physics Letters B186 :113-118, 1987

２．Okuhara Y, Kitazoe Y, Narita Y, Kurihara Y, Matsuura K, Saibara T, Onishi S, Kagiyama A, Inaoka N: New approach to the medical information system for quality management in patient care: development of problem mapping system. Journal of Medical Systems 23:377-387, 1999

3．Yutaka Hatakeyama, Hiromi Kataoka, Noriaki Nakajima, Teruaki Watabe, Yoshiyasu Okuhara:Estimation Algorithm of Butyrylcholinesterase for Cirrhosis using Neural Network, IC-MED Vol. 3, No. 2, Page 77-86,2009
   
  Outline of Research：
 


　Recent advances in information technology have made it possible to accumulate vast amounts of medical data at many medical facilities, including university hospitals. This allows research in various fields to accelerate at an unprecedented pace, including large-scale group-based medical research, and brings about radical transformations.
　This reality leads to the creation of the new science area of " Information Healthcare Science " based on the large-scale digitized medical information, and the proposal to a preventive medicine and the medical policy to be timely is enabled. Thus, the research results are related to a large contribution to the society.
　When Kochi University Hospital opened in 1981, the Center of Medical Information Science developed its own integrated medical information system (IMIS) that was unlike any other system in the world, and using medical data for 320,000 people collected over the past 35 years, leading-edge research has been conducted in medicine, information sciences, and information engineering. By utilizing digital medical data that have been continuously accumulated over a long period of time by the IMIS, analyses of the pathologic changes in metabolic diseases have shown that changes can be predicted and that medical data analysis is useful for predicting the state of diseases that progress over a long period of time, such as lifestyle diseases.
　Recently, we have developed a large-scale new medical data warehouse which saves anonymized medical data from IMIS. By using this database, it is possible to analyze pathologic changes, including age-related factors, in individual patients. Based on such analysis, human health is analyzed by a computer using information science and statistical techniques to develop a model for predicting pathologic changes, a model to predict disease-onset risk factors and processes to identify disease factors, which are the bases for “Information Healthcare Science”.
　The following three things are advanced to achieve these objectives: 1) analytic data warehouses need to be expanded and completed for research and education purposes; 2) candidate parameters for pathologic changes must be established for each disease; and 3) in order to make it possible to use analysis techniques for medical data that are often diverse, incomplete and biased, data cleansing methods must be established for each parameter.
　Moreover, we are going to construct "Patho-velocitology(Kinematics of Pathogenesis)" that is the knowledge system of a new medical science to understand the transition of human health status from the laboratory data as a dynamic remodeling of the pathogenetic process.

Yoshiyasu Okuhara
Disease Prediction Team 　Yoshiyasu Okuhara, Ph. D.

Professor, Center of Medical Information Science, Kochi Medical School


Studies and Degrees:
1975-1984 Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
March, 1979, Bachelor of Science(Physics)
March, 1981, Master of Science(Physics)
March, 1984, Ph.D.(Physics)

Professional Activities:
1984.4-1985.1 Post Doctoral Fellow at the Institute for Nuclear Study, University of Tokyo, Tanashi-city, Tokyo, Japan
1985.2-1987.1 Post Doctoral Fellow at Queen's University, Department of Physics, Kingston, Canada
1989.9-1990.8 Research Associate at University of Manitoba, Department of Physics, Winnipeg, Canada
1990.9-1991.2 Research Associate at University of Alberta, Department of Physics, Edmonton, Canada
1991.2-1993.12 Assistant Professor at the Center of Medical Information Science, Kochi Medical School
1999.4- Associate Professor at the Center of Medical Information Science, Kochi Medical School
2007.7- Professor at the Center of Medical Information Science, Medical School, Koch University

 

Selected papers
１．Okuhara Y, Castel B, Johnstone I.P, Toki H.: Nuclear spin response to inelastic proton scattering:finite geometry and absorption effects. Physics Letters B186 :113-118, 1987

２．Okuhara Y, Kitazoe Y, Narita Y, Kurihara Y, Matsuura K, Saibara T, Onishi S, Kagiyama A, Inaoka N: New approach to the medical information system for quality management in patient care: development of problem mapping system. Journal of Medical Systems 23:377-387, 1999

3．Yutaka Hatakeyama, Hiromi Kataoka, Noriaki Nakajima, Teruaki Watabe, Yoshiyasu Okuhara:Estimation Algorithm of Butyrylcholinesterase for Cirrhosis using Neural Network, IC-MED Vol. 3, No. 2, Page 77-86,2009
   
  Outline of Research：
 


　Recent advances in information technology have made it possible to accumulate vast amounts of medical data at many medical facilities, including university hospitals. This allows research in various fields to accelerate at an unprecedented pace, including large-scale group-based medical research, and brings about radical transformations.
　This reality leads to the creation of the new science area of " Information Healthcare Science " based on the large-scale digitized medical information, and the proposal to a preventive medicine and the medical policy to be timely is enabled. Thus, the research results are related to a large contribution to the society.
　When Kochi University Hospital opened in 1981, the Center of Medical Information Science developed its own integrated medical information system (IMIS) that was unlike any other system in the world, and using medical data for 320,000 people collected over the past 35 years, leading-edge research has been conducted in medicine, information sciences, and information engineering. By utilizing digital medical data that have been continuously accumulated over a long period of time by the IMIS, analyses of the pathologic changes in metabolic diseases have shown that changes can be predicted and that medical data analysis is useful for predicting the state of diseases that progress over a long period of time, such as lifestyle diseases.
　Recently, we have developed a large-scale new medical data warehouse which saves anonymized medical data from IMIS. By using this database, it is possible to analyze pathologic changes, including age-related factors, in individual patients. Based on such analysis, human health is analyzed by a computer using information science and statistical techniques to develop a model for predicting pathologic changes, a model to predict disease-onset risk factors and processes to identify disease factors, which are the bases for “Information Healthcare Science”.
　The following three things are advanced to achieve these objectives: 1) analytic data warehouses need to be expanded and completed for research and education purposes; 2) candidate parameters for pathologic changes must be established for each disease; and 3) in order to make it possible to use analysis techniques for medical data that are often diverse, incomplete and biased, data cleansing methods must be established for each parameter.
　Moreover, we are going to construct "Patho-velocitology(Kinematics of Pathogenesis)" that is the knowledge system of a new medical science to understand the transition of human health status from the laboratory data as a dynamic remodeling of the pathogenetic process.

Akihito Yokoyama

investigation team for correlation between comorbidities and chronic respiratory diseases


Akihito Yokoyama, M.D., Ph. D.


Professor, Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Kochi Medical School

Education
1983　Graduated from Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University

Career
1983　Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University Hospital
1984　Saiseikai-Takaoka Hospital
1986　Research fellow, University of Chicago
1989　Assistant professor, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University
1991　Assistant professor, Ehime University
2000　Lecturer, Ehime University
2003　Lecturer, Hiroshima University
2005　Associate professor, Hiroshima University
2007　Professor, Kochi University
2114＊present　Director, Kochi University Hospital

Selected papers
1) Airflow limitation in smokers is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis.
Iwamoto H, Yokoyama A, Kitahara Y, Ishikawa N, Haruta Y, Yamane K, Hattori N, Hara H, Kohno N.
Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2009;179(1):35-40.

2) Chronic hepatitis C virus infection is associated with more severe asthma.
Nakashima T, Yokoyama A, Ohnishi H, Yamasaki M, Shiode M, Haruta Y, Hattori N, Hozawa S, Yamakido H, Kohno N.
Allergol Int. 2011;60(3):299-304.

3) Cross-sectional and prospective study of the association between lung function and prediabetes.
Yamane T, Yokoyama A, Kitahara Y, Miyamoto S, Haruta Y, Hattori N, Yamane K, Hara H, Kohno N.
BMJ Open. 2013;3(2).

 
   
  Outline of Research：
 


The chronic respiratory diseases such as bronchial asthma and COPD, often involve a variety of diseases as comorbidities. These disease groups are sometimes expressed as "comorbidome". We have been trying to clarify the relationship between COPD and cardiovascular disease. We found that arteriosclerosis and COPD of the carotid artery is deeply related. Furthermore, we found that insulin resistance in the muscle was associated with reduced lung function. We also revealed the association of severe asthma and hepatitis C infection. We would like to investigate the mechanisms for association between chronic lung diseases and comorbidities to clarify the causal relationship with comorbidities.


Hiroaki Kitaoka

Genetic Analysis Team of Cardiovascular Disease

Hiroaki Kitaoka, M.D., Ph. D.

Professor, Department of Cardiology, Neurology and Aging Science, Kochi Medical School

Education
1982-1988 Kochi Medical School, Kochi, Japan

Career
1988-1990 Resident at the Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Kochi Medical School, Japan
1990-1991 Susaki Kurosio Hospital, Japan
1991-1994 Resident at the National Cardiovascular Center, Osaka, Japan
1994-2009 Assistant Professor　at the Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Kochi Medical School, Japan
2009-2013 Associate Professor at the Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Kochi Medical School, Japan
2013-present Professor at the Department of Medicine and Geriatrics (Department of Cardiology, Neurology and Aging Science), Kochi Medical School, Japan

Selected papers
1) Lifelong left ventricular remodeling of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy caused by a founder frameshift deletion mutation in the cardiac Myosin-binding protein C gene among Japanese. Kubo T, Kitaoka H, Okawa M, Matsumura Y, Hitomi N, Yamasaki N, Furuno T, Takata J, Nishinaga M, Kimura A, Doi YL.
J Am Coll Cardiol. 2005 Nov 1;46(9):1737-43

2) Left ventricular remodeling of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: longitudinal observation in rural community. Kitaoka H, Kubo T, Okawa M, Hitomi N, Furuno T, Doi YL. Circ J. 2006 Dec;70(12):1543-9.

3) Prevalence and distribution of sarcomeric gene mutations in Japanese patients with familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Otsuka H, Arimura T, Abe T, Kawai H, Aizawa Y, Kubo T, Kitaoka H, Nakamura H, Nakamura K, Okamoto H, Ichida F, Ayusawa M, Nunoda S, Isobe M, Matsuzaki M, Doi YL, Fukuda K, Sasaoka T, Izumi T, Ashizawa N, Kimura A. Circ J. 2012;76(2):453-61.

 
   
  Outline of Research：
 


　The aims of our research are to clarify the genotype-phenotype correlations in cardiovascular diseases and to develop new methods of diagnosis and novel treatments for prevention and better prognosis.
　First, mutation screenings of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) populations often report that mutation detection in known genes is around 50 % of study subjects. This law detection rate leads the possibility of other defects in unknown disease genes. We are going to identify novel disease-causing genes.
　Secondly, our study showed that not all patients with the identical mutation in cardiac myosin-binding protein C gene presented same or similar clinical phenotype even within the same family. These data suggests that phenotypic heterogeneity of HCM can also be affected by modifier factors. We are planning to find other genetic (the existence of modifier gene and/or polymorphisms) and/or environmental factors (differences in lifestyle, exercise, and so on).
　Thirdly, we will perform genetic analysis in other cardiomyopathies and clarify the genotype-phenotype correlations. Fourthly, genetic screening will be performed in arrhythmic diseases including long QT syndrome and Brugada syndrome and we are going to establish the genotyping as tools for practical clinical applications.
　Finally, we are going to investigate the mechanisms by which genetic alterations result in the characteristic pathological, morphologic and functional features of cardiovascular diseases including multifactorial disorders such as atherosclerosis and hypertension.


Toshiji Saibara

Prevention of Liver Cancer and Lifestyle-related Disease Team


Toshiji Saibara, M.D., D.Med.Sci.


Professor, Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Kochi Medical School

Education
1974-1980 Kyoto University School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan

Career
1980-1981 Resident, Department of Internal Medicine, Kyoto University School of Medicine, Japan
1981-1990 Research Assistant, First Department of Internal Medicine, Kochi Medical School, Japan
1990-1992 Adjunct Professor, Department of Urology, Boston University School of Medicine, MA, USA
1993-2003 Asistant Professor, First Department of Internal Medicine, Kochi Medical School, Japan
2003-2007 Associated Professor, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kochi Medical School, Japan
2007-2009 Adjunct Professor, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kochi Medical School, Japan
2009- Professor, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology , Kochi Medical School, Japan

Award
2000 Grant-in-Aid of the Japan Medical Society
2005 Award of the Japanese Society for Clinical molecular morphology

 

Selected papers
1) Kamada Y, Ono M, Hyogo H, et al. A novel noninvasive diagnostic method for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis using two glycobiomarkers. Hepatology. 2015 Nov;62(5):1433-43.

2) Taniuchi K, Furihata M, Saibara T. KIF20A-mediated RNA granule transport system promotes the invasiveness of pancreatic cancer cells. Neoplasia. 2014 Dec;16(12):1082-93.

3) Hasegawa T, Yamao K, Hijioka S, et al. Evaluation of Ki-67 index in EUS-FNA specimens for the assessment of malignancy risk in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Endoscopy. 2014 Jan;46(1):32-8.

 
   
  Outline of Research：
 


Digestion and absorption have been regarded for long as the major functions of the gastrointestinal organs. The recent increase of obese population, however, obviated their essential role in maintaining homeostasis of glucose, lipids and protein metabolism. In fact, patients with life-style related diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension and dyslipidemia are at a risk of developing transformed cells in the liver, pancreas and colon. Amongst these tumors, hepatitis C virus-induced hepatocellular carcinoma augmented by obesity and excessive alcohol consumption is the major concern here in Kochi. Our goal is to obtain an obvious epidemiological reduction in the incidence of malignant gastrointestinal tumors in Kochi before the year of 2030.
　In our project, we are to utilize the data base of Kochi Medical School Hospital accumulated over 30 years on type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia and hypertension for elucidating the relationship between therapeutic strategies and their beneficial effects on metabolic disorders in gastrointestinal organs. In addition, we are to investigate animal models of life-style related diseases for translational researches. Your contribution is indispensable to expanding your knowledge and to obtain novel therapeutic strategies applicable for patients in need.


Tetsuji Naka

Cancer, Inflammation and Immune Disease Team


Tetsuji Naka.


Professor, Department of Clinical Immunology, Kochi Medical School

Education
1981-1987 Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama

Career
1990-1992 Medical Staff at the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Toneyama National Hospital
1995-1998 Medical Staff at the Department of Medicine III, Osaka University Hospital
1998-2006 Assistant Professor at the Department of Medicine III, Osaka University Medical School
2006-2006 Associate Professor at the Department of Medicine III, Osaka University Medical School
2006-2016 Chief Project Leader at the National Institute of Biomedical Innovation (Currently: National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition)
2016-Present Professor at the Center of Intractable Immune Disease, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University

Award
1997 Award of Cytokine Society
2000 Award of American Association for Cancer Research
2001 Award of Japanese Society of Allergology
2002 Award of Japanese Society of Allergology

 

Selected papers
1) Structure and function of a new STAT-induced STAT inhibitor. Naka T, Narazaki M, Hirata M, Matsumoto T, Minamoto S, Aono A, Nishimoto N, Kajita T, Taga T, Yoshizaki K, Akira S, Kishimoto T. Nature 1997;387(6636):p.924-9.

2) IL-6 blockade inhibits the induction of myelin antigen-specific Th17 cells and Th1 cells in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Serada S, Fujimoto M, Mihara M, Koike N, Ohsugi Y, Nomura S, Yoshida H, Nishikawa T, Terabe F, Ohkawara T, Takahashi T, Ripley B, Kimura A, Kishimoto T, Naka T. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2008;105(26):p.9041-6.

3) iTRAQ-based proteomic identification of leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein as a novel inflammatory biomarker in autoimmune diseases. Serada S, Fujimoto M, Ogata A, Terabe F, Hirano T, Iijima H, Shinzaki S, Nishikawa T, Ohkawara T, Iwahori K, Ohguro N, Kishimoto T, Naka T. Ann Rheum Dis 2010;69(4):p.770-4.

4) Leucine-rich alpha2 -glycoprotein as a potential biomarker for joint inflammation during anti-interleukin-6 biologic therapy in rheumatoid arthritis. Fujimoto M, Serada S, Suzuki K, Nishikawa A, Ogata A, Nanki T, Hattori K, Kohsaka H, Miyasaka N, Takeuchi T, Naka T. Arthritis Rheumatol 2015;67(8):p.2056-60.

5) Suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 gene therapy induces potent antitumor effect in patient-derived esophageal squamous cell carcinoma xenograft mice. Sugase T, Takahashi T, Serada S, Nakatsuka R, Fujimoto M, Ohkawara T, Hara H, Nishigaki T, Tanaka K, Miyazaki Y, Makino T, Kurokawa Y, Yamasaki M, Nakajima K, Takiguchi S, Kishimoto T, Mori M, Doki Y, Naka T. International journal of cancer 2017 in press.

 
   
  Outline of Research：
 


We intend to clarify pathogenesis of intractable diseases including cancers and inflammatory/autoimmune disorders by the “bidirectional approach” that includes not only the research pathway from bench to clinic but also the pathway from clinic to bench. We thereby try to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic agents to these intractable diseases.
　Nowadays, based on the accumulated findings of the basic immunology, a number of biologic agents have been generated and have shown great efficacy on intractable immune disorders. This “from bench to clinic” approach is called translational research and is expected to achieve more success in the future. Recently, on the other hand, advances in the technology of omics analysis enabled us to identify disease-related molecules by analyzing small amounts of clinical samples. This means that, by analyzing samples from patients with intractable diseases, researchers can increase the knowledge on the pathogenesis of diseases and accelerate the development of agents for diagnosis and treatment. In collaboration with a number of medical school departments and pharmaceutical companies, we not only perform translational research initiated from our basic studies but also take reverse-translational approaches initiated from the analyses of clinical samples from patients. Following themes are currently under investigation to overcome current .
■Theme 1: Development of a new gene therapy against intractable cancers by using cytokine signal inhibitors SOCS.
■Theme 2: Clinical application of LRG as a new inflammatory biomarker to evaluate disease activity of intractable immune disorders.
■Theme 3: Development of new anti-cancer antibodies by targeting novel cell-surface tumor antigens.
     
Social Cooperation Group

Kingo Nishiyama
Emergency Medicine Team


Kingo Nishiyama.


Professor, Department of Disaster and Emergency Medicine, Kochi Medical School


   
  Outline of Research：
 

On March 11 2011, Tohoku earthquake happened and induced huge tsunami that resulted in quite unexpected great damage. Kochi University dispatched 10 medical teams including DMAT（Disaster Medical Assistance Team）and many departments dispatched many medical stuffs to support Tohoku. Now, citizens of Kochi prefecture pay great attention to the Nankai Trough Quake expected to occur in the near future. On October 1 2011, Department of Disaster and Emergency Medicine financially maintained by the donation of Kochi prefecture was opened. Reconsideration of damage assumption and medical care planning for the Nankai Trough Quake is ongoing by the national government and the prefectural government. Because Kochi prefecture is surrounded by the mountains and the Pacific Ocean, it is expected to be isolated in the quake. Also many medical institutions are supposed to suffer and many in-hospital patients are supposed to be evacuated. Because Kochi University Hospital is not supposed to be flooded, we must achieve an important mission as a center for disaster medicine especially in the central area of Kochi prefecture. On September 1 2012, the national disaster drill was performed for the Nankai Trough Quake, we joined as the gathering base for DMAT and the SCU (Staging Care Unit) for the wide-area medical transportation. On July 28 2012, in-hospital disaster drill for mass casualties (Disaster ABC course) was performed for the first time in the Shikoku District. Development of education programs and bringing up medical stuff for disaster medicine are necessary from now on. Also planning for medical practice in acute phase to chronic phase of the disaster is necessary; 1) acute phase: including medical care for mass casualties, wide-area medical transportation, and taking measure for hospital evacuations, 2) subacute phase: including medical care for displaced persons and temporary medical base building, 3) chronic phase: including reconstruction of routine medical care system.


Narufumi Suganuma
Eco-Children Team 　Narufumi Suganuma, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Environmental Medicine, Kochi Medical School

 

EDUCATION
1993 MD　Okayama University School of Medicine, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
1998 PhD　Graduate School of Okayama University, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
2000 - 　External Programme of MSc for Epidemiology: Principle and Practice
　　　　　　London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK (Not completed)

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING & EMPLOYMENT
1993 - 1995　Resident, Tokyo Metropolitan Hospital in Otsuka, Tokyo, Japan
1998 - 1999　Internist (full-time), Mizushima Central Hospital, Kurashiki, Japan
1999 - 2003　Lecturer of Epidemiology and International Health, Department of Environmental Health, Fukui Medical University School of Medicine, Fukui, Japan
2003　Lecturer of Epidemiology and International Health, Department of International and Social Medicine, University of Fukui School of Medicine (re-organized)
2004 -　　　　Assistant Professor of Environmental Health, Department of International and Social Medicine, University of Fukui School of Medicine
2006 - 2007　Associate Professor of Environmental Health, Department of International and Social Medicine, University of Fukui School of Medicine
2007 -　　　　Professor and Chief, Department of Environmental Medicine, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University

2010 -　　　　Vice President, Kochi University

 

Selected papers
1: Suganuma N, Kusaka Y, Hering KG, Vehmas T, Kraus T, Arakawa H, Parker JE, Kivisaari L, Letourneux M, Gevenois PA, Tuengerthal S, Crane MD, Shida H, Akira M, Henry DA, Nakajima Y, Hiraga Y, Itoh H, Hosoda Y. Reliability of the proposed international classification of high-resolution computed tomography for occupational and environmental respiratory diseases. J Occup Health. 2009;51(3):210-22. Epub 2009 Apr 17. PubMed PMID: 19372629.

2: Arakawa H, Fujimoto K, Honma K, Suganuma N, Morikubo H, Saito Y, Shida H, Kaji Y. Progression from near-normal to end-stage lungs in chronic interstitial pneumonia related to silica exposure: long-term CT observations. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2008 Oct;191(4):1040-5. PubMed PMID: 18806140.

3: Arakawa H, Honma K, Saito Y, Shida H, Morikubo H, Suganuma N, Fujioka M. Pleural disease in silicosis: pleural thickening, effusion, and invagination. Radiology. 2005 Aug;236(2):685-93. PubMed PMID: 16040925.
   
  Outline of Research：
 

 

1. -For the Brighter Future for the Healthy Children-
Kochi University as one of the fifteen Unit Center for the Japan Environment & Children’s Study (JECS)
Since the 1997 Declaration of the Ministers of Environment of the Eight Nations (G8) on Children’s Environmental Health, increasing number of countries worldwide has been conducting the research on children’s health and environment as well as the risk assessment, and have been working on setting up standards to provide healthy environment for children. There have been various cohort studies within the countries, with the scale of several hundred to 20,000 participants. The USA, Denmark, and Norway are running the national-level epidemiological studies, recruiting 100,000 participants each. Following this global trend, Japan is now launching the Japan Environment & Children’s Study (JECS) from January 2011. The study is based on the hypothesis that children’s exposure to chemicals during their early life stage - embryonic to pediatric could be crucial for their life-long health. In the JECS, 100,000 pregnant women nationwide will be recruited through fifteen Unit Centers, and it is a twenty-one-year project of research and analysis.
As one of the fifteen Unit Centers and the only one in the Shikoku Island, Kochi University has set up the Center for Children’s and Environmental Health, and will start the research which targets expecting mothers in their early stage. The study will be continued until the children reach thirteen years old. Making the best use of the local networks already established in Kochi, and with the support by various institutes, such as local bureaus, OB/GYNs, and pediatricians, it is our target to recruit 5,000 pregnant women between January 2011 and December 2013, in the cities of Kochi, Nangoku, and Shimanto, and the municipality of Yusuhara. Using the opportunity to conduct the JECS, Kochi University will also carry out its own projects in the field of environmental health specific to Kochi, as well as comparison studies between our reseach and cohort studies overseas.

2. What is happening with Children today? The importance of the JECS-

In Japan, the diseases which could be possibly caused by environmental factors, such as the chemical exposures and unhealthy lifestyle, have been increasing. For instance, the number of asthma patients has tripled in the last twenty years, congenital abnormalities have doubled in the last twenty five years, and there are 1. 5 times as many obese children as thirty years ago. The JECS sheds the light on the effect of chemical exposures and social/lifestyle factors on 1) pregnancy/reproductive health; 2) birth defects; 3) mental/neuronal development; 4) immunity/allergies and; 5) metabolism/internal secretion. Collaborating with other university departments, our goal is to provide healthier environment for the next generations and to raise specialists in environmental medicine, through interdisciplinary and long-term analysis on environmental factors, which are complicatedly intertwined with social and lifestyle factors.


Masataka Yokoyama
Anesthesiology and Perioperative Research Team 　Masataka Yokoyama, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Kochi Medical School

 

EDUCATION
1980 MD Okayama University School of Medicine, Okayama 700-8558, Japan

CAREER
1980-1982 Resident, Department of Anesthesiology, Okayama University Hospital
1982-1990 Assistant Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Kochi Medical School
1990-1992 Research fellow, University of Kansas Medical Center
1992-2002 Assistant Professor, Department of Anesthesiology and Resuscitology, Okayama University Hospital
2002-2009 Associate Professor, Department of Anesthesiology and Resuscitology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences
2009-Precent Professor, Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine,Kochi Medical School

Selected papers
1) Obata N, Mizobuchi S, Itano Y, Matsuoka Y, Kaku R, Tomotsuka N, Morita K, Kanzaki H, Ouchida M, Yokoyama M. Decoy strategy targeting the brain-derived neurotrophic factor exon I to attenuate tactile allodynia in the neuropathic pain model of rats. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2011 Apr 29;408(1):139-44.

2) Omori M, Yokoyama M, Matsuoka Y, Kobayashi H, Mizobuchi S, Itano Y, Morita K, Ichikawa H. Effects of selective spinal nerve ligation on acetic acid-induced nociceptive responses and ASIC3 immunoreactivity in the rat dorsal root ganglion. Brain Res. 2008 Jul 11;1219:26-31

3) Yokoyama M, Hanazaki M, Fujii H, Mizobuchi S, Nakatsuka H, Takahashi T, Matsumi M, Takeuchi M, Morita K. Correlation between the distribution of contrast medium and the extent of blockade during epidural anesthesia. Anesthesiology. 2004 Jun;100(6):1504-10
   
  Outline of Research：
 

 

At the Kochi University Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, we contribute to improving the health of the community in all areas of anesthesiology, including cardiac, thoracic, obstetrics, neurological, pain, and intensive care. Our mission is to be the world leader in patient care, advancing basic science and clinical research, and training tomorrow's leaders in academic anesthesiology and intensive care medicine. Faculty members are deeply committed to achieving excellence in education. Our academic programs emphasize excellence in clinical practice and advanced research. A number of graduates and research students have progressed to undertake research degrees.

Our department conducts a broad range of epidemiological, clinical and basic science research. Experts from multiple disciplines study specific pathology and disorders in order to improve human health and well-being. The specific research areas are as follows: 1) postoperative cognitive dysfunction, 2) neuropathic pain 3) respiration and circulation dynamics, 4) perioperative nutrition, and 5) perioperative outcomes.
     
Innovative Medical Engineering Group

Takuji Yamagami
Interventional Radiology Team 　Takuji Yamagami, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Radiology, Kochi Medical School

Selected papers
1)Yamagami T, Arai Y, Matsueda K, Inaba Y, Sueyoshi S, Takeuchi Y: The cause of nontumorous defects of portal perfusion in the hepatic hilum revealed by CT during arterial portography. AJR Am J Roentgenol 172: 397-402, 1999

2)Yamagami T, Kato T, Iida S, Tanaka O, Nishimura T: Value of transcatheter arterial embolization with coils and n-butyl cyanoacrylate for long-term hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy. Radiology 230: 792-802, 2004

3)Yamagami T, Yoshimatsu R, Kajiwara K, Ishikawa M, Matsumoto T, Kakizawa H, Toyoda N, Hasebe T, Awai K: Effectiveness of combined use of imprint cytological and histological examination in CT-guided tissue-core biopsy. Eur Radiol 24: 1127-1134, 2014
   


Masahiko Ikeuchi
Orthopaedics-related Engineering Team 　Masahiko Ikeuchi, MD

Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kochi Medical School


Education

1989-1995 Kochi Medical School, Japan

Career

1995-1998 Orthopaedic surgeon, Kochi Medical School, Japan
1999-2001 Orthopaedic surgeon, Hosogi Hospital, Japan
2001-2002 Orthopaedic surgeon, Tokyo teishin hospital, Japan
2002-2003 Orthopaedic surgeon, Kochi red cross hospital, Japan
2003-2007 Assistant professor, Kochi Medical School, Japan
2007-2008 Research fellow, Iowa University Medical School, USA
2009-2012 Lecturer, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Japan
2013-2014 Associate professor, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Japan
2014-present Professor, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Japan

 

Selected papers
1) Ikeuchi M, Yamamoto H, Shibata M, Otani M (2001). Mechanical augmentation of the vertebral body by calcium phosphate cement injection. J Orthop Sci 6: 39-45.

2) Izumi M, Ikeuchi M, Mitani T, Taniguchi S, Tani T (2010). Prevention of venous stasis in the lower limb by transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 39, 642-645.

3) Ikeuchi M, Ushida T, Izumi M, Tani T (2011). Percutaneous radiofrequency treatment for refractory antero-medial pain of osteoarthritic knees. Pain Med 12: 546-51.
   
  Outline of Research：
 
(1) Pulmonary embolism is a fatal postoperative complication arising from the deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the limbs. As the so-called ‘post-operative’ DVT is ‘intra-operative’ in origin in most cases, any prophylactic measure should start during, rather than after the operation. The intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) devices for the legs, commonly used as a mechanical prevention of DVT, are not applicable to the legs undergoing operation despite the highest incidence of DVT. Our method of thromboprophylactic transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TpTENS) can circumvent this problem. TpTENS using a pair of sterilized surface stimulating electrodes can be carried out during hip and knee surgeries to prevent DVT in the leg under operation, overcoming the inherent limitations of IPC. Our experimental data in humans, detailed previously, confirmed that TpTENS applied to the peroneal nerve at a rate of 10/s promoted the ‘pump action’ with an artificial muscle contraction, increasing the popliteal vein velocity and flow volume more than when performing IPC.
We are currently conducting a prospective trial on hip and knee surgeries to verify the clinical value of this technique in the prevention of DVT. We are also developing neurostimulating equipment with optimal characteristics specified for this purpose, since a TpTENS device should be commercialized to make this technique popular as a simple, easy to use, and readily available one.

(2) Japan is moving toward an aging society at an unprecedented speed, resulting in a steady increase in the number of elderly people who are chairbound or bedridden. We have developed specially designed assistive devices for people who have difficulty in walking and transferring unassisted to help them maintain mobility and continue an active lifestyle. We are currently developing a special machine of walking exercises for the elderly with gait disturbance. Unlike conventional wheeled walkers requiring much open space for training, our machine contains an electronically controlled treadmill on a turntable with stable support for protecting against falls, allowing the user to safely train using walking exercises not only in a forward direction but also backwards and diagonally.


Keiji Inoue
Photodynamic Medicine Team 　Keiji Inoue, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Urology, Kochi Medical School

 

Education
1989 MD, Kochi Medical School
1994 PhD, Graduate School in Kochi Medical School

Career
1996-1997 Instructor at Department of Urology in Kochi Medical School
1997–1999 Post-Doctoral Reseach Fellow at Department of Cancer Biology in MD Anderson Cancer Center
2002–2005 Assistant Professor at Department of Urology in Kochi Medical School
2005–2016 Associate Professor at Department of Urology in Kochi Medical School
2016-Present Professor at Department of Urology in Kochi Medical School

Award
1999 AACR-AFLAC Scholar in Cancer Research Award
2005 Olympus Award from the Japanese Society of Endourology and ESWL
2012 Aso Award from the Japanese Society of Endourology
2013 Award from the Japanese Urological Association
2013 Award from the ALA and Porphyrin Research Society

 

Selected papers
1) Inoue K, Takashi K, Kamada M, Shuin T, Kurabayashi A, Furihata M, Fujita H, Utsumi K, Sasaki J: Regulation of 5-aminolevulinic Acid-mediated Protoporphyrin IX-accumulation in Human Urothelial Carcinomas. Pathobiology, 76 (6): 303-14, 2009.

2) Inoue K, Fukuhara H, Shimamoto T, Kamada M, Iiyama T, Miyamura M, Kurabayashi A, Furihata M, Tanimura M, Watanabe H, Shuin T: Comparison between Intravesical and Oral Administration of 5-aminolevulinic Acid in the Clinical Benefit of Photodynamic Diagnosis for Non-muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer. Cancer 118 (4): 1062-74, 2012.

3) Inoue K, Fukuhara H, Kurabayashi A, Furihata M, Tsuda M, Nagakawa K, Fujita H, Utsumi K, Shuin T: Photodynamic Therapy involves Anti-Angiogenic Mechanism and is Enhanced by　Ferrochelatase Inhibitor in Urothelial Carcinoma. Cancer Sci. 104 (6): 765-72, 2013.
   
  Outline of Research：
 

 

　5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), developed by Malik et al. in 1987, has recently been attracting attention as a third-generation photosensitive substance. 5-ALA is a natural amino acid that has existed in animals and plants for 3.6 billion years, and is a common precursor of hemoglobin and chlorophyll. 5-ALA is an endogenous porphyrin synthesized from succinyl CoA and glycine by 5-ALA-synthesizing enzymes in mitochondria. It is converted to protoporphyrinogenⅨ and then to a photoactive substance, protoporphyrinⅨ (PpⅨ), in mitochondria through several precursors in the cytoplasm, such as porphobilinogen, uroporphyrinogen III, and coproporphyrinogen III. Intracellular iron is then inserted into PpⅨ by a catalyst, ferrochelatase, and metabolized to heme and bilirubin. Exogenously administered 5-ALA is rapidly incorporated into the cytoplasm and biosynthesized into PpⅨ in mitochondria, similarly to endogenous ALA, but the negative feedback mechanism acts depending on the heme synthesis level in the metabolic process of PpⅨ in normal cells, and PpⅨ synthesis is the rate-limiting step. In contrast, in cancer cells, elevations of the -transporter (gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor) and porphobilinogen diaminase activity levels promote PpⅨ biosynthesis. Moreover, PpⅨ metabolism is inhibited due to enhanced transferrin receptor activity and reduced ferrochelatase activity, resulting in the marked progression of PpⅨ biosynthesis and accumulation. These phenomena involved in PpⅨ biosynthesis and metabolism are considered to be due to the common biological characteristic of cancers: preference for anaerobic metabolism of various abnormal enzyme activities and cancers (Warburg effect).

　Since PpⅨ possesses photoactivity, it emits red fluorescence when it is excited by light irradiation at a specific wavelength, mainly visible blue light (375-445 nm), and cancer cells can be accurately identified by detecting the fluorescence. This is the mechanism of PDD employing 5-ALA (ALA-PDD).

　Similarly, when PpⅨ is excited by light irradiation at a specific wavelength and low output, mainly visible red light (600-740nm) or visible green light (480-580nm), reactive oxygen, such as singlet oxygen, is produced in and injures cancer cells upon energy conversion from the excited state, in which PpⅨ absorbs photo energy, to the baseline condition. This is the mechanism of PDT employing 5-ALA (ALA-PDT).

　ALA-PDD and ALA-PDT are photodynamic technologies based on the common biological characteristic of cancers, and are expected as new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for many cancers.




Michiya Kobayashi
Study Group for Endoscopic Surgery 　Michiya Kobayashi, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Human Health and Medical Sciences,Hospital Administration Section

 

Education
Graduate from Kochi Medical School in 1984.
Research fellow 1986-1988 at John A Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii (Department of Pathology, Kuakini Medical Center)
Graduate from post-graduate school of Kochi Medical School in 1988.

Career
1989 Assistant Department of Surgery, Kochi Medical School
1996 Assistant Professor
2004 Associate Professor
2006 11 Professor of Department Human Health and Clinical Sciences, Hospital Administration section
　　　　Director of Cancer Treatment Center, Kochi Medical School Hospital
2012 4 Director of Minimally Invasive Surgery Education and Training Center
2012 4 Professor of Department of Surgery, Clinical Oncology and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Kochi MedicalSchool　

Award
1999.9 The Clinical Electron Microscopy of Clinical Molecular Morphology　Best Paper Award
2005.4 SAGES 2005 (Society for American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons) Distinction Award
2013.9 The Japanese Society for Clinical Molecular Morphology Yasuzumi Memorial Award
2014.6 Excellence in Reviewing 2013, European journal of Surgical Oncology & ELSEVIER
2014.9 All-japan Federation of National Health Insurance Organizations Award
2015.2 Kochi Federation of National Health Insurance Organizations Award
2015.6 Outstanding Contribution in Reviewing, European Journal of Surgical Oncology　& ELSEVIER

 

Selected papers
1) Laparoscopic lymph node dissection around the inferior mesenteric artery for cancer in the lower sigmoid colon and rectum: is D3 lymph node dissection with preservation of the left colic artery feasible?. Kobayashi M, Okamoto K, Namikawa T, Okabayashi T, Araki K. Surg Endosc 20(4)Apr:563-569

2) Laparoscopic incisional hernia repair: a new mesh fixation method without stapling. Kobayashi M, Ichikawa K, Okamoto K, Namikawa T, Okabayashi T, Araki K. Surg Endosc 20(10)Oct:1621-1625

3) Laparoscopic D3 lympha node dissection with preservation of the superior rectal artery for the treatment of proximal sigmoid and descending colon cancer. Kobayashi M, Okamoto K, Namikawa T, Okabayashi T, Sakamoto J, Hanazaki K. J Laparoendosc Advanced Surg Tech A 17(4)Aug:461-466
   
  Outline of Research：
 

 

Pursuing the safety and efficacy of Endoscopic surgery
One of the most important advantages of endoscopic surgery is that the patients have less postoperative pain due to minimal invasiveness to the body. Especially, laparoscopic surgery, on which our research team is focusing, consistently showed its feasibility and efficacy compared to open surgery in treating wide variety of abdominal diseases. For surgeons, the magnified surgical fields by scopes enable surgeons to perform very sharp surgery. The closed-up fields visualized at high resolution also allow the recognition of the details of anatomy, which could not be found during conventional open surgery.
However, the minimally invasive surgery have its own drawback related to limited working space (abdominal cavity), and several severe postoperative complication had been reported. In order to reduce such rare but critical postoperative complications, the approached listed below is of importance.
●Education and training for laparoscopic surgery: Training center in Kochi Medical School was established in 2012 for medical students, residences, staffs, and also for expert surgeons. We are currently preparing for the education program to meet the requirement of FLS(Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery) and FES（The Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery).
●Early introduction of new surgical equipment: We introduce the latest and convenient surgical devices and whole systems into the daily practice as soon as possible. Robotic-assisted colorectal surgery and gastric surgery was started from 2015.
●Developing new devices：We are currently planning to work with private corporations to develop new devices to enhance the safety for patients and convenience for surgeons.




Kazumasa Orihashi
Mini-Invasive Surgery Team 　Kazumasa Orihashi, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Surgery, Kochi Medical School

 

Education
1982　Graduated from Hiroshima University School of Medicine
1992　Ph.D. Hiroshima University

Career
1988-1999　　Research Associate, Hiroshima University School of Medicine
1988-1990　　Visiting Associate, Albert Einstein College of Medicine (USA)
1999-2006　　Assistant Professor, Hiroshima University School of Medicine
2006-2011　　Associate Professor, Hiroshima University School of Medicine
2011-present　Professor, Department of Surgery II, Kochi Medical School

Award
2000　Best Paper Award, Japanese Society for Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists

 

Selected papers
1) Orihashi K, Takahashi S, Ozawa M, Herlambang B, Takasaki T, Sato K, Kurosaki T, Imai K, Sueda T. Three-dimensional echo-guided suture of atrial septal defect with Maniceps in an experimental model. Hiroshima J Med Sci 2010;59:57-63.

2) Orihashi K, Sueda T, Okada K, Imai K, Ban K, Hamamoto M. Real-time three dimensional echo-guided closure of atrial septal defect: an experimental model. Interactive Cardiovasc Thorac Surg 2005;4:391-395.

3) Orihashi K, Matsuura Y, Sueda T, Watari M, Okada K, Sugawara Y, Ishii O. Aortic arch branches are no longer blind zone for transesophageal echocardiography: a new eye for aortic surgeons. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 120: 466-72, 2000
   
  Outline of Research：
 

 

Invasive cardiovascular surgery can lead to an unfavorable outcome after surgery. This section is aimed to develop an innovative devices or procedures as well as simulation system for educating transesophageal echocardiography which is used for guide the surgical procedures.

1) "flap-type" device for treating aortic dissection
Various complications in aortic dissection are caused by intimal tear. This device occludes the tear by a membrane and facilitates thrombus formation in the false lumen.

2) off-pump intracardiac repair system
Endoscopic or robotic surgeries are popular but still necessitate cardiopulmonary bypass and cardiac arrest. This project is aimed to develop a new device or method for intracardiac repair without cardiac arrest, guided by 3D echo images.

3) Simulation system for education of transesophageal echocardiography
The above treatments can be achieved under real-time 3D echo images. Since it is not easy to master the probe manipulation in relation to image orientation. This project is aimed to develop a new simulation system to facilitate a comprehension of image orientation by displaying tomograms from computed tomography data according to the probe manipulation.

     
Research Support Group

Mitsuhiko Miyamura
Translational Research Support Team 　Mitsuhiko Miyamura, Ph. D.

Professor, Department of Pharmacy, Kochi Medical School Hospital

Education
June 1998　Ph.D. , Kochi Medical School, kochi /Japan
March 1982　Pharmacy Master, Tokushima University , Tokushima /Japan
Career
Apr.1982　pharmacist, Department of Pharmacy Kochi Medical School Hospital ,kochi / Japan.
Oct.2003　Assistant manager, Department of Pharmacy Kochi Medical School Hospital ,kochi / Japan
May.2009　 Professor,　Kochi University ,kochi /Japan
　　　　　 Director , Department of Pharmacy ,Kochi Medical School Hospital ,kochi /Japan

Mar. 2010　Visiting Professor,　Jiamusi University, Heilongjiang Province /China

Apr. 2010 Part-time teacher, University of Kochi, Kochi /Japan
Apr. 2013 Special appointment Professor, Tokushima Bunri University Faculty of pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima/Japan
Jan. 2014 Part-time teacher, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Tokyo/Japan

Award
Nov. 2007 Encouraging Prize, Chugoku-Shikoku Branch, The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

Selected papers
1) Effects of sho-saiko-to extract on fibrosis and regeneration of the liver in rats. Miyamura M, Ono M, Kyotani S, Nishioka Y. J Pharm Pharmacol., 50(1), 97-105, 1998.

2) Swallowing function improvement effect of ginger (Zingiber officinale). Abe N, Hirata A, Funato H, Nakai M, Iizuka M, Yagi Y, Shiraishi H, Jobu K, Yokota J, Moriyama H, Ukeda H, Hyodo M, Miyamura M, Food Science and Technology Research, 21(5), 705-714, 2015.

3) Bangle (Zingiber purpureum) Improves Spatial Learning, Reduces Deficits in Memory, and Promotes Neurogenesis in the Dentate Gyrus of Senescence-Accelerated Mouse P8. Nakai M, Iizuka M, Matsui N, Hosogi K, Imai A, Abe N, Shiraishi H, Hirata A, Yagi Y, Jobu K, Yokota J, Kato E, Hosoda S, Yoshioka S, Harada K, Kubo M, Fukuyama Y, Miyamura M. J Med Food,19(5),435-41, 2016.

   
  Outline of Research：
 


Clinical pharmacology connects the gap between medical practice and laboratory science. The main objective is to promote the safety of drug therapy, maximise the drug effects and minimise the side effects. We research pharmacognosy to isolate active constituents of natural resource and examine their pharmacological actions using animal models. After the fundamental experiments, we approach clinical research and intend to the new drug development. Moreover, we research the scientific verification of herbal medicines and Chinese medicines which have been used for clinical without evidence.

Michiya Kobayashi
Study Group for Clinical Research 　Michiya Kobayashi, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor, Cancer Treatment Center,Kochi Medical School Hospital

 

Education
Graduate from Kochi Medical School in 1984.
Research fellow 1986-1988 at John A Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii (Department of Pathology, Kuakini Medical Center)
Graduate from post-graduate school of Kochi Medical School in 1988.

Career
1989 Assistant Department of Surgery, Kochi Medical School
1996 Assistant Professor
2004 Associate Professor
2006 11 Professor of Department Human Health and Clinical Sciences, Hospital Administration section
　　　　Director of Cancer Treatment Center, Kochi Medical School Hospital
2012 4 Director of Minimally Invasive Surgery Education and Training Center
2012 4 Professor of Department of Surgery, Clinical Oncology and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Kochi MedicalSchool　

Award
1999.9 The Clinical Electron Microscopy of Clinical Molecular Morphology　Best Paper Award
2005.4 SAGES 2005 (Society for American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons) Distinction Award
2013.9 The Japanese Society for Clinical Molecular Morphology Yasuzumi Memorial Award
2014.6 Excellence in Reviewing 2013, European journal of Surgical Oncology & ELSEVIER
2014.9 All-japan Federation of National Health Insurance Organizations Award
2015.2 Kochi Federation of National Health Insurance Organizations Award
2015.6 Outstanding Contribution in Reviewing, European Journal of Surgical Oncology　& ELSEVIER

 

Selected papers
1) A feasibility study of sequential paclitaxel and S-1 (PTX/S-1) chemotherapy as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer. Kobayashi M, Tsuburaya A, Nagata N, Miyashita Y, Oba K, Sakamoto J. Gastric Cancer 9(2):114-119

2) Pharmacokinetic study of weekly administration dose of paclitaxel in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer in Japan. Kobayashi M, Oba K, Sakamoto J, Kondo K, Nagata N, Okabayashi T, Namikawa T, Hanazaki K. Gastric Cancer 10(1)Feb:52-57.

3) Sequential paclitaxel followed by tegafur and uracil (UFT) or S-1 versus UFT or S-1 monotherapy as adjuvant chemotherapy for T4a/b gastric cancer (SAMIT): a phase 3 factorial randomised controlled trial. Tsuburaya A, Yoshida K, Kobayashi M, Yoshino S, Takahashi M, Takiguchi N, Tanabe K, Takahashi N, Imamura H, Tatsumoto N, Hara A, Nishikawa K, Fukushima R, Nozaki I, Kojima H, Miyashita Y, Oba K, Buyse M, Morita S, Sakamoto J. Lancet Oncol 15(8)Jul:886-893.

   
  Outline of Research：
 

 

To produce meaningful clinical researches
●We participate in multicenter clinical researches
●We perform retrospective study of treatment efficacy using data from Kochi Medical School.

Ideally, the clinical question should be resolved through carefully-planned clinical trials. We have participated in several multicenter clinical trials dealing with surgical treatment and chemotherapy for colorectal cancer or gastric cancer. Our participation includes preparing protocol, registration of participants, and analysis/interpretation of the results obtained from trials. We also plays a central toll in analyzing concomitant studies, and are starting to obtain achievements.
Contrarily, clinical questions or problems necessitating urgent resolution often emerges through retrospective analysis of data bases. We have analyzed clinical data obtained through daily clinical practice in Kochi Medical School Hospital and showed future directions. Reviewing the results of published clinical trials and interpreting the meaning as a whole are also our mission. We believe that the retrospective analysis of daily clinical practice enhances the meaning of prospective clinical trial, and vice versa.




 
Copyright(ｃ) Center for Innovative and Translational Medicine All rights reserved
 
Corresponding to Prof. Koichi Honke Department of Biochemistry,
Kochi Medical School Kohasu, Oko-cho, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8505, Japan
khonke@kochi-u.ac.jp