Activities

In this department, research is conducted to understand human health and the spread of infectious diseases based on the keywords of adaptation and evolution. By comprehensively considering the bidirectional adaptation of both human society and pathogens, we aim to understand the temporally dynamic biological phenomenon where ‘pathogens adapt to society, and society also adapts to pathogens.’
Specifically, efforts are made towards constructing theories of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) using mathematical models and collecting data on sexual behavior through web surveys to elucidate the persistence of STIs. Additionally, we advance research on the social dilemmas underlying the use of antimicrobials and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) from the perspective of game theory, which is actively studied in behavioral economics and evolutionary biology.
We also conducted studies in the Mustang district of Nepal (altitude 3560m) to elucidate the adaptation to hypoxic environments in Tibetan highlanders and their vulnerability to diseases. In recent years, we have been investigating the association between periodontal bacterial colonization in the oral cavities of pregnant women and the use of psychoactive substances (such as alcohol, tobacco, drugs, etc.) with preterm birth and low birth weight in the Republic of Rwanda. Furthermore, we are verifying how the sex ratio at birth fluctuates when pregnant women are exposed to these substances using observed values of air pollutants and volcanic ejecta along with birth data. Through these endeavors, we are exploring factors that negatively impact pregnancy and childbirth, and conducting actual condition assessments and problem proposals related to maternal and child health.