Parasitology

Various kinds of parasites infect humans for long periods of time without killing them, giving rise to tremendous afflictions, social and/or economic loss. We would like to develop deep insight into parasitic diseases and the surrounding factors from various points of view through both field and laboratory studies.
Our goal is to contribute to new knowledge and to provide an enthusiastic environment for the training of the future generation of investigators.

Members

Professor
Shinjiro Hamano
Visiting Professor
Sammy Njenga
Visiting Professor
Abhay Satoskar
Assistant Professor
Yoshinori Mitsui
Assistant Professor
Risa Nakamura
Research Fellow
Yuka Tanaka
Research Fellow
Farzaneh Valanezhad
Research Fellow
Jalal Alshaweesh
Visiting Researcher
Sachiyo Nagi
Visiting Researcher
Evans Asena Chadeka
Visiting Researcher
Mitsuko Hasegawa
Visiting Researcher
Miho Sassa
Visiting Researcher
Shumpei Kambe
Technologist
Megumi Hamasaki
Assistant
Hiromi Oda
Assistant
Yasuko Kawabata
Assistant
Chiaki Hisata
Graduate Student
Ken-ichi Nobusue
Graduate Student
Noriko Kobayashi
Medical Student
Suzuka Sera
Medical Student
Yuri Tsuji
Medical Student
Takamichi Urata
PHASE Program Medical Student
Holliness Walegwa MWANYENGELE

Activities

We have been researching parasitic diseases in Mbita and Kwale, Kenya, in cooperation with Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and Maseno University. In 2021, we started a new project on schistosomiasis with the support from MEXT Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A). We also try developing ideal monitoring and diagnostic methods for schistosomiasis and leishmaniasis with the Global Health Innovative Technology Fund (GHIT) support. In the laboratory, we maintain Schistosoma mansoni, its intermediate host snail, Brugia malayi, B.pahangi and Aedes aegypti.

We have studied host defense mechanisms against Leishmania spp and Trypanosoma cruzi, and in the process, elucidated the function of the IL-12 cytokine family such as IL-27/WSX-1 during the infections. we have developed animal models of intestinal amoebiasis and devoted ourselves to studying the molecular basis of the pathogenicity of E.hystolytica and host defense mechanisms to it.

Recent main research achievement

  1. Tanaka et al. Parasitol Int 2021;83:102346.
  2. Talaam et al. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2021;AAC0041821.
  3. Zhang et al. Nat Commun 2020;11(1):3461.
  4. Nakamura et al. iScience 2020;23(9):101544.
  5. Sassa et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020;14(8):e0008473.

Achievement list