Molecular Infectiology

Overview

　In our department, we intend to clarify the molecular mechanism of bacterial infection and its onset as well as biological defense and adjusting mechanisms and to apply them to the control and prophylaxis of various diseases associated with bacterial infection. At present, our department is characterized by extensive research into issues including pathological molecules produced by pathological bacteria (such as toxins), pathological changes in target cells attacked by them, and the consequent conditions of infected individuals, without inclining to a one-sided aspect of either pathogens or hosts. While our department has made a number of achievements by vigorously conducting cooperative studies with domestic and overseas universities and national research institutes, we are aggressively promoting cooperative studies with pharmaceutical-related companies and clinicians aiming to develop new technologies and drugs that apply the above knowledge to the prophylaxis and treatment of bacterial infections. With the recent emergence of new and reemerging infections, studies on pathological organisms, immunity against infection, infectious genetics, and genome-based drug discovery are again recognized as being important. However, there are only a few researchers in this field in Japan. Therefore, we consider the promotion of international research exchange activities in pathogenic microbiology and bacterial infectiology as well as the cultivation of excellent next-generation researchers, educators, and physicians as our important missions.