Staff

Professor: Kazuhiro Nakaso, M.D., Ph.D.　kazuhiro(at)tottori-u.ac.jp
Assistant professor: Yugo Kato, Ph.D.　    yugo(at)tottori-u.ac.jp

Characteristics of the Division of Biochemistry

The life processes of an individual organism are based on numerous regular chemical reactions that generate, decompose, change, modify, aggregate, and disperse biomolecules in order to maintain homeostasis. In this field, we conduct molecular-level research with the aim of elucidating the mechanisms by which this homeostasis is disrupted, i.e., the mechanisms of disease onset, and further developing and applying means to protect against it.

Major research themes and approaches in the field of Division of Biochemistry

1. Relative Biochemistry/Relative Cell Biology and Pathogenesis
　When something is oxidized, something else is reduced in its place. While phosphorylation occurs, dephosphorylation also takes place. Even at the cellular level, a phenomenon that has a protective effect on one cell may have a detrimental effect on neighboring cells. In nature, various such opposing phenomena exist as two sides of the same coin. By considering not only specific molecules or cells, but also their effects on surrounding molecules and cells, and their relative relationships, we can sometimes gain insight into pathogenesis at the organ and individual levels. This field focuses on pathogenesis research that emphasizes these relative relationships between molecules and cells. To date, research in relative cell biology involving cystine/glutamate exchange transporters has yielded results in neuropsychiatric disorders (Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, depression), obesity, diabetes, and inflammatory bowel disease.

2. Research on Oxidative Stress and its Pathogenesis and Treatment
　Research on oxidative stress and neurological diseases, research on signal transduction using cancer cells, research on treatment through activation of endogenous antioxidants, and cell protection by antioxidants such as vitamin E analogues and coenzyme Q10.