Overview

The main themes of our researches are to clarify the relevance between the pathological mechanisms and the host response to viral infection, especially rabies virus infection. Our department of microbiology is the only one laboratory that studies on rabies among the Faculty of Medicine in Japan. So, we utilize the uniqueness of our laboratory, and we conduct comprehensive researches on rabies from the aspect of virology, epidemiology, and preventive medicine and therapeutics. Moreover, researches on the infectious dynamics of emerging infectious diseases such as SFTS and COVID-19 are conducted from the perspective of the bench side and field side.

Main Themes

(1) Comprehensive researchs on Rabies virus

Our laboratory is one of the few rabies research facilities in Japan. We aim to elucidate the pathogenesis of rabies from the view point of viral and host side in responses related to infection and onset of rabies. We also study the pathogenic mechanism of rabies virus in the central nervous system, and aim to develop biological products (antiviral agents, vaccines and human type antibody) in order to overcome this fatal disease.
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(2) Diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 and serological study of COVID-19

(3) Development of therapeutic antibodies

Based on researches about infectious diseases and pathogens including rabies virus, we develop diagnostic systems using monoclonal antibodies for clinical use. In addition, we produce human type monoclonal antibodies in vitro to develop preventive and therapeutic purposes.

(4) Molecular epidemiological study on emerging infectious diseases

On a global level, we conduct molecular epidemiological studies on different viral infections such as rabies virus, rotavirus, severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus, dengue virus, etc.

(5) SATREPS

"Development of an Improved Laboratory Surveillance System for Rabies Elimination" (SATREPS; Principal Investigator is Prof. Nishizono) is being conducted in Philippines. Please also check this page, click here.

(6) ATL and HTLV-1

Pathogenesis of ATL through HTLV-1 infection, NF-κB activation by the oncoprotein Tax and its molecular targeting therapy