We study the causes and solutions for central nervous system dysfunction using animal models, such as cerebral infarction or peripheral inflammation, in order to conduct fundamental research for drug discovery for central nervous system diseases.
There is no fundamental therapeutic agents for intractable central neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia, and no therapeutic approaches have been established. Accordingly, there is a possibility that supply of new neurons after neurodegeneration is an effective therapy. Through the relationship between regenerative medicine and life science, our goal is to be elucidated the pathophysiological role of neural stem/progenitor cells (NPCs) in the adult brain and their signal functions. In adult neurogenesis, microenviromental changes is thought to provide a specific modulation for maintaining the multi-potent state of these NPCs, and its detail is not well known. Therefore, we are striving to develop a new therapeutic strategy for regenerative medicine through the identification and functional analysis of molecular that play important roles in the regulation of the neuroregenerative system in the adult brain.
In recent years, cancer has become a curable disease through early detection and treatment. However, long-term persistence of depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment in cancer survivors after treatment has become a concern. While anti-cancer drugs used for treatment or tumors themselves are thought to be the cause, the details remain unknown. To address this issue, we have created animal models by administering anticancer drugs or by resection of tumors formed by inoculating cancer cells. Using these models, we have determined that the administration of anticancer drugs or the presence of tumors can have long-term effects on brain function. Going forward, we aim to identify and develop drugs that are effective in treating these brain dysfunctions.
In order to maintain the quality of life (QOL), it is essential that the sensory organs to function properly. Sensorineural hearing impairment, which causes the inner ear dysfunction, has no effective therapy and decrease in QOL is a big problem in the sensory organs diseases. In addition, it is a strong desire for the development of new therapeutic agents, but there is no effective drug treatment for inner ear dysfunction. The reasons for there is no appropriate model animals and the unclear mechanism of the development of inner ear disorders, which have delayed the development of therapeutic agents for sensorineural hearing loss. In this background, we are researching to create the animal models of inner ear diseases, to elucidate the onset mechanisms of inner ear diseases, and to pursue the possibility of developing therapeutic agents.