Research First !

Thank you for visiting the website of our department.

The Department of Microbiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University is working to analyze

the molecular pathogenesis of infectious diseases and cancer from a new perspective based on sulfur metabolism,

as well as to develop new treatments for these diseases.

• 2024/04/25 [OB visits] Dr. Akter Molla, an alumnus who now lives in the U.S., visited our laboratory. <link>
• 2024/04/16 [Publications] Dr. Tomita and Prof. Kawamura of Aichi-Gakuin University presented a paper on the identification of a new species of Helicobacter sp. named higonensis. Profs. Sawa and Tsutsuki also participated as co-authors. <link>
• 2024/03/26 [Farewell Party] We held a farewell party for Prof. Maeda, Associate Professor in the Virus Research Section. <link>
• 2024/01/23 [Publications] A paper with Prof. Maeda, Associate Professor in the Virus Research Section, as the first author, was published in Int. J. Mol. Sci. <link>
• 2024/01/19 [Publications] A Japanese review article with Prof. Tsutsuki, lecturer, as the first author has been published in YAKUGAKU ZASSHI. <link>
• 2024/01/19 [Publications] A paper with Prof. Ishima of Kyoto Pharmaceutical University was published in Pharmaceuticals. Prof. Sawa also participated as a co-author. <link>
• 2024/01/18 [Publications] A joint paper with Prof. Min Xiang and colleagues at Brown University, USA, has been published in Redox Biology. Graduate student Ms. Guo and research fellow Dr. Zhang also participated in this project. <link>
• 2024/01/06 [Publications] A review article with Prof. Tsutsuki, lecturer, as the first author has been published in International Immunology. It is co-authored with Prof. Akaike of Tohoku University. <link>
• 2023/12/14 [Publications] A paper with Dr. Waliul MD Islam, a former research fellow of our laboratory, as the first author has been published in ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. This paper was co-authored with Prof. Fang from Sojo University, and others. <link>
• 2023/11/20 [Publications] A paper with Dr. Maeda, Associate Professor in the Virus Research Section, as the corresponding author has been published in Int. J. Mol. Sci. <link>
• 2023/11/20 [Publications] A review article on supersulfide has been published in Br J Pharmacol. It is co-authored with Prof. Akaike et al. of Tohoku University. <link>
• 2023/11/07 [Publications] A paper with Dr. Monde, Assistant Professor in the Virus Research Section, as the corresponding author has been published in Biol Pharm Bull. This is a joint research with Prof. Watanabe of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and others. <link>
• 2023/10/29 [Publications] A paper with graduate student Mr. Toyomoto and Assistant Professor Dr. Ono as co-first authors was published in Front. Microbiol. <link>
• 2023/10/04 [Award] At the 34th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Host Defense Research held in Kyoto on September 28-30, 2023, Dr. Zhang received the Society's Encouragement Award. Congratulations! <link>
• 2023/10/04 [Publications] Publication site has been up-dated.
• 2023/09/08 [Farewell party] We had a farewell party for Dr. Waliul MD Islam. <link>
• 2023/08/20 [Publications] The papers by Prof. Motohashi of Tohoku University (link 1) and Prof. Akaike of Tohoku University (link 2) have been accepted for publication. A member of our laboratory also participated as a co-author.

Graduate Student Recruitment !

The origin of medical education in Kumamoto is said to be the "Saishunkan Medical Dormitory" established by Shigeken Hosokawa, the lord of the Higo domain, in 1756. Furthermore, Shibasaburo Kitasato, who is known as the father of bacteriology in Japan, studied under a Dutch doctor, Dr. Mansfeldt, as a medical student at the "Kojo Medical School" established by the Kumamoto domain in 1870.

The Department of Microbiology was established in 1907, shortly after the private Kumamoto Medical School, the predecessor of Kumamoto University School of Medicine, was approved as a medical school.

Since the inauguration of the first Professor Hidekazu Nakajima, the following professors have been appointed: the 2nd Professor Toyokichi Ohtahara (Kumamoto Medical College), the 3rd Professor Tokichi Rokutanda (National Kumamoto University School of Medicine), the 4th Professor Yorio Hinuma (National Kumamoto University School of Medicine), the 5th Professor Hiroshi Maeda (moved to National University Corporation), the 6th Professor Takaaki Akaike (Kumamoto University Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Microbiology; currently Tohoku University), and the current Professor Tomoaki Sawa (Department of Microbiology, Kumamoto University Graduate School of Life Sciences), have taken over the Department of Microbiology and have a history of more than 100 years.

Our department has produced many researchers and educators who have led the field of infectious diseases not only in Japan but also in the world.

Inheriting this illustrious tradition, since 2014, under the leadership of Professor Tomohiro Sawa, we have been conducting research on the molecular pathogenesis of infectious diseases, immunity, and cancer from the new perspective of sulfur metabolism, while at the same time providing undergraduate and graduate education for the development of outstanding human resources.