Laboratories

Anatomy is the basis for the study of living organisms in medicine and veterinary medicine. The Anatomy Laboratory studies the relationship between the form and function of various organs and tissue cells that make up the animal body. We also study the regenerative ability of organs and tissues when they are damaged by disease or other causes.

We study the mechanisms by which living organisms survive. In particular, we focus on the mechanism by which chemical substances such as hormones exchange information between cells via blood and lymph fluid. We are taking up some of the molecules that carry information inside and outside the cell and studying their functions in detail. So far, we have discovered the function of an intracellular protein that seems to be essential for the action of GnRH.

Iron is essential as a component of oxygen-binding proteins such as hemoglobin or various oxidoreductases. On the other hand, it is known to catalyze the formation of reactive oxygen species, causing oxidative stress. In other words, iron is a double-edged sword. In our laboratory, we are focusing on the bad side of iron and pursuing the relationship between oxidative stress and iron.

We use laboratory animals to study cardiovascular disease, a leading cause of death in humans and often seen in animals, and the effects of drugs. Currently, the laboratory is conducting electrocardiographic recordings using whole animals, electrophysiological experiments using heart tissue, functional experiments using atrial tissue, experiments using cultured cells, and molecular biological experiments.

"All things are poisonous and there is nothing that is not poisonous. Only the dosage determines it. These are the words of the alchemist Paracelsus (1493 - 1541), the father of toxicology. As these words suggest, all substances can be poisonous depending on the amount consumed, and this amount varies between individuals and species. The toxicology laboratory is particularly interested in the toxic effects of environmental pollutants on humans and wildlife (mammals as well as birds and fish), using a variety of experimental techniques.

Diseases are revealed by microscopic examination of organs and cells in the body (pathology). The Pathology Laboratory examines various diseases that occur in animals to identify what kind of disease it is and how it occurred. For example, a microscopic examination will reveal whether a mass on a dog's skin is a tumor or a suppuration caused by a bacterial infection.

Our research aims at the prevention and treatment of intractable diseases (kidney disease, cancer, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, etc.), which are the leading causes of death in humans and their companion animals. We also carry out research in the fields of zoonosis and public health. In addition to the above-mentioned research themes in laboratory animal science, we also conduct research in laboratory animal medicine with the aim of promoting the health and welfare of laboratory animals, i.i. the 3 Rs. We also offer training to obtain the international qualification of specialist in laboratory animal medicine.

(1) Research on the analysis of the activity of cytokines, especially interferon, which is used as a therapeutic measure for refractory infections in dogs and cats, and its clinical application. (2) Research to analyze the structure and function of epidermolytic toxins, which are virulence factors produced by staphylococci that cause skin infections in humans and animals.

Many of the infectious diseases that have increased or re-emerged worldwide since the late 20th century, such as salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, and new strains of influenza, are introduced into human society through animal products or animals themselves. In order to prevent damage caused by these pathogens that are passed between humans and animals, we are researching countermeasures against zoonosis in animals.

Of the feline infectious diseases caused by viruses, feline infectious peritonitis virus infection and feline immunodeficiency virus infection are the most difficult to treat. Although the disease can be identified, there is no cure. We are carrying out basic research and developing vaccines for both of these infections. If a feline aids vaccine can be elucidated, it will also be an effective animal model for an HIV vaccine.

We are researching preventive hygiene, including vaccines, for bacterial infectious diseases that threaten the health of livestock by clarifying the mechanisms of pathogenesis. Our research is focused on horses and cattle in particular, and is based on the idea that protecting the health of livestock can lead to human health as well.

Our living environment contains various factors that are harmful to human and animal health. We are studying a wide range of health-damaging factors from chemicals to pathogenic microorganisms, evaluating their risks as environmental or food contaminants, and investigating their mechanisms of health hazards to humans.

Parasites can cause a variety of diseases and even death in companion animals (pets) and livestock. Some species can be transmitted from animals to humans. In this laboratory, we study the ecology of parasites and their effects on their hosts in companion animals, domestic animals, and wild animals.

Our research is mainly concerned with infertility in large animals. Not only do we target diseases of the ovaries, testes, and other reproductive organs, but we also conduct research on reproductive technologies. In the case of cattle, artificial insemination and embryo transfer techniques have long been in practical use and have been applied to human infertility treatment at a high level.

This laboratory was formed in April 2013 by the merger of the laboratory of large animal surgery and the laboratory of large animal endocrinology. The former large animal internal medicine laboratory studies the relationship between diseases and immunity in cattle and horses, including infectious diseases and immunity in calves, vaccination timing and immune effects, the relationship between reproduction and immunity, and clinical applications of immunologically active substances. The former large animal surgery laboratory develops and promotes the treatment of surgical diseases in industrial animals. Particular emphasis is placed on basic and applied research into regenerative medicine, including the use of polyplatelet plasma, the elucidation of frail calf syndrome among other hereditary diseases in black cattle, urolithiasis, liver disease and vitamin a deficiency.

Epidemiological surveys, such as the extent to which animals are infected with pathogens such as bacteria and parasites, are conducted through molecular biological methods and sociological methods such as questionnaires, not only to understand pathological conditions but also to alert the need for testing and treatment. For dermatological and cardiac diseases, where we provide specialized care, we also explore what changes are occurring as a result of the disease and its treatment, and evaluate new treatment options.

Our aim is to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of intracellular signalling of transcription factors involved in ocular inflammation, particularly uveitis, and to apply the knowledge gained from these studies to molecularly targeted therapies using novel drug delivery systems (DDC). To this end, we use a variety of analytical methods, including protein analysis, molecular biology and histopathology. We are also searching for diagnostic markers for early renal disease in cats. We are also exploring the relationship between the effects of tumor cells on the body and prognosis (survival). We believe that understanding the interrelationship between tumors and the body is an important topic for the development of new therapies in the future.

We conduct research on safe and effective sedation and anesthesia methods for various types of animals, as well as perioperative analgesia for painless surgical treatment. We also conduct research on the clinical application of external fixation for the treatment of bone fractures and bone grafting.

We have established immunotherapy for tumor diseases (cancer) commonly seen in small animals, and are aiming for even more effective therapy. We are also focusing on establishing optimal treatment methods for ophthalmologic diseases in small animals, and examining the use of ultrasound diagnostic equipment to accurately detect diseases of internal organs and developing effective treatment methods.

We conduct a wide range of research related to radiation. For example, we perform advanced calculations and simulations on radioactivity in the environment and radiation doses received during nuclear medicine examinations and radiotherapy. We are also conducting research on high-precision radiotherapy and new diagnostic methods for tumors with the aim of developing new treatment methods for animals with tumors.