• Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies in women worldwide. Therefore, it is very important to investigate biological features of breast carcinoma in order to improve clinical outcome of the patients. It is well known that estrogens play important roles in the development of human breast carcinomas, and endocrine therapies are frequently used in these patients to block the intratumoral estrogen actions. In the Division of Pathology and Histotechnology, we analyze hormone actions in breast carcinoma by pathological methods as well as various molecular biological techniques.

It will be possible to newly develop diagnostic techniques regarding prediction of prognosis and/or effectiveness of treatment in breast cancer patients.

• HIV infection is one of most serious concern in infectious diseases. We will perform anti-HIV assays for unmet medical needs in control of HIV infections with established novel assays. We have developed reverse transcriptase inhibitor that has novel mechanism of inhibition, translocation-inhibition (J Biol Chem, 2009). Dr Kodama participated in the primary screening and development of a new HIV integrase inhibitor, elvitegravir (J Virol 2009), and a unique reverse transcriptase inhibitor, islatravir, which phase III clinical trials by the Merck & Co., Inc. will complete, soon. We have a representative resistant HIV strain-library for anti-HIV screening and several target oriented high through-put screening systems.

We can establish high through-put screening for new targets, so please consult with us individually. We are open to joint development requiring BSL3/P3 experimental facilities and academic guidance including other microorganisms.

• Using the infectious SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2), we are evaluating and developing new therapeutic drug candidates as well as evaluating disinfectants. Further analyses such as mechanism of action and resistance may be applicable. Other pathogens, including influenza virus and drug-resistant bacteria, will be examined upon request and discussion. Through joint and collaborative research with domestic and overseas pharmaceutical companies and related companies, we have experience of their clinical application including basic research.

We support development and evaluation of various inhibitors and disinfectants for variants of SARS-CoV-2 as well as wild type.

• We succeeded in generating highly developed cultured C2C12 myotubes by manipulating intracellular Ca2+ transients with electric pulse stimulation (EPS), that are endowed with similar properties to in vivo skeletal muscle in terms of (1) excitation-induced contractile activity as a result of de novo sarcomere formation, (2) higher energy expenditure (as assessed by AMPK activation), and (3) improved insulin responsiveness (as assessed by exofacial myc-GLUT4 translocation assay).

Taking advantage of our “in vitro Exercise Model", our innovation will be an excellent alternative for the animal experimentation that can be applicable for a wide array of skeletal muscle research including drug screen.

• Using positron emission tomography (PET), we can measure the regional metabolism, perfusion and signal transmission between neurotransmitters and receptors in various organ systems of living humans and animals, such as the brain and heart. Recent technical developments have shown that the mind, or at least some parts of it, can be demonstrated by "imaging".

Our group has had considerable achievements in clinical research on drug effects and side effects, elucidation of underlying mechanism of alternative and complementary therapies, as well as exercise physiology.

• Marfan’s syndrome (MF) is a severe, systemic disorder of connective tissue formation. A variety of MFS therapies have been developed, including surgical therapy for aortic root aneurysm and dissection (AAD) that are life-threatening, traditional medical therapies such as β-adrenergic receptor or angiotensin II receptor blockers for slow aortic growth and to decrease the risk of AAD. However these treatments did not prevent tissue destruction in the AAD of MF. To develop preventive strategy for AAD, it will be necessary to identify molecular mechanisms of microfibril formation and an appropriate fibrillin-1 microfibril associated molecule. Recently, ADAMTSL6β, which is a microfibril-associated extracellular matrix protein contributes the regeneration of microfibril by promoting fibrillin-microfibril assembly. We try to develop ADAMTSL6β as a preventive medicine for AAD of MF by regeneration of fibrillin-1 microfibril assembly.