Current Research Subjects
Current Research Subjects
| Division | Subject Area | Research Subject | ||||||||||||||||||
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Division of
Pathogenesis and Control
of Oral Diseases Oral Pathology
Pharmacology
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 1
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 2 |
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Clinical study and basic research (cell biology, molecular biology, immunology,
gene analysis, etc.) for various kinds of oral and maxillofacial disease, such as
tumors (salivary gland tumor, odontogenic tumor, oral squamous cell cancer,
etc.), congenital anomalies (cleft lip, cleft palate, etc.), hypoplastic or dysplastic
disease of teeth, infectious and infl ammatory disease, injuries, diseases of jaw bone
and temporomandibular joint, deformation of jaw bone, salivary gland diseases,
insufficiency of oral functions (respiratory insufficiency, dyspnea, etc.), etc. are
performed to control these disorders. The transduction and modulation of pain, and the mechanism of inflammatory reaction are investigated to develop the new anti-inflammatory drugs and new analgesics. Basic studies for oral rehabilitation, development of nonaggressive methods of diagnosis and therapy, and reconstruction of oral tissues with biomaterials and grafts are undertaken to establish full recovery from oral dysfunction observed after oral and maxillofacial surgery. Education of the clinical and fundamental studies in oral and maxillofacial diseases is also performed. |
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| Division of
Oromaxillofacial
Regeneration Biomaterials Science
Fixed Prosthodontics
Removable Prosthodontics |
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Bio-compatibility and durability of the dental materials, as well as esthetic and
functional designs are required for oral tissues regeneration. This department
is developing the artificial biomaterials and tissue engineering materials, and
also doing the material, physiological, bio-chemical and clinical researches and
educations regarding the recovery of oral functions such as mastication, swallowing
and speech, and the rehabilitation of temporomandibular joint and occlusion. The need of scientific clarification regarding the influence of re-construction of oral functions or maintenance of oral environment on the health and QOL is cried out. We do the research on the relationship between oral functions and general health through the clinical-epidemiological approach with aged people. We also do the education corresponded to aged society with the results obtained from these researches. |
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| Division of
Functional Oral
Neuroscience Oral Anatomy and Neurobiology
Neuroscience and Oral Physiology
Dental Anesthesiology
Oral-Facial Disorders |
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Oral functions such as mastication, swallowing, salivation, and speech are essential
for human life, and their impairments directly decrease the quality of life to a large
extent. These motor functions are strictly controlled by the higher brain, which
integrates sensory information arising from the various oromaxillofacial regions. In
the Division of Functional Oral Neuroscience, researches on the brain mechanisms
underlying these oral functions are performed to better understand and possibly
alleviate the clinical problems caused by impairments of oral functions. Educational programs in the basic and clinical departments emphasize training in anatomical or physiological science, research techniques, and teaching skills to prepare students for productive careers in research and teaching. Following completion of the basic course work, students concentrate on a specific research by working under the direction of each faculty staff. Research areas in this division are categorized into 8 subject areas as listed in the left column. The program has been designed to be fl exible so that it can be tailored for the needs of the individual student. |
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Division of Diagnostic Dentistry |
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In the view of the stomatology based on the medical science and oral medicine,
the relationship between the oral disease and the general disease is investigated.
Pathological diagnosis as well as clinical examination for tumor, cyst and mucosal
lesion in the oral region is studied with considering the surgical pathology.
Pathology on the regeneration of the periodontal tissue and the bone is also the
target of our research. Information technology on the pathological science must be developed in our field. |
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Division of Craniofacial Development Biology |
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| Division | Subject Area | Research Subject | ||||||||||||||||
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Division of
Oral Infection and Disease
Control Oral and Molecular Microbiology
Restorative Dentistry and Endodontology
Pediatric Dentistry |
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Among various oral and dental diseases, dental caries and periodontitis are major
disorders in the oral cavity of microbial origins. It is therefore important subjects that
should be solved by dental professions and scientists. This division of Oral Infections
and Disease Control attempts to elucidate virulence factors of dental caries and
periodontitis, and molecular mechanisms of biofilm formation on the tooth surface.
Furthermore, pathogenesis of these diseases is studied clinically or experimentally
using appropriate animal model systems, and developmental studies on the disease
diagnosis, treatment, and prevention are carried out based on their etiology and
pathogenesis. Especially, research interests center on analysis of clinical relevance of
bacterial biofilm, as well as development of bio-functional restorative materials with
anti-cariogenic activity. In addition, this Division conducts investigation into the mechanisms of infection of group A streptococci (GAS) on the mucosal surface of oral and pharyngeal areas. Molecular processes of the GAS invasion and vaccine development are being carried out. |
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| Division of
Oral Biology and Disease
Control Molecular and Celluar Biochemistry
Preventive Dentistry
Periodontology
Oral Frontier Biology |
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In Division of Oral Biology and Disease Control, studies on the mechanisms
of occurrence of oral diseases and senile diseases are conducted molecular
biologically, immunologically and cellular biologically by use of the most advanced
experimental technique and equipment. The following are included in our studies: i)
immunopathological studies on periodontal disease, ii) molecular mechanism of dental
plaque formation, iii) mechanisms of periodontal regeneration. Moreover, in order to keep up with the coming an aging society, a wide range of studies from several senile diseases such as osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis to cancer metastasis is carried out on molecular and cellular level. In this 21st century designated as “The time of health creation,” in addition to treatments of oral diseases , we aim to develop new preventive methods by novel conception and the most advanced technology. The goal is to inhibit the process of occurrence of oral diseases and to apply the new preventive methods to clinical use for prevention of oral diseases and promotion of health. |
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| Division of
Oral Developmental
Biology Oral Anatomy and Developmental Biology
Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics
Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology |
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To investigate the developmental, growing and aging mechanism of components of a
dentocraniofacial complex, such as jaw bones, temporomandibular joints, masticatory
muscles, cranial nerves, periodontal tissues, and teeth we make researches with various
molecular biological methods, e.g. immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and
tissue culture with antisense oligonucleotides. Image processing and analysis are the main target of our research in which we are improving accuracy and efficiency of the imaging diagnosis by using CT and MRI. With the help of MR scanner we have undertaken the research on the relationship between oral region and brain with functional MRI, and on the spectrum analysis of the oral tumor with MR spectroscopy. As for the radiation therapy we are seeking out how the complication and side effects could be reduced and how the control rate of the tumor might be improved. To investigate the mechanism of onset for various malocclusions, we are exploring the relationship between the high-dimensional phenotypic level, such as a facial configuration and an occlusion, and the molecular one by 3-dimensional digitalization of the structure and the function, and gene analysis. Furthermore, we are developing a robot that will be used as a knowledge database, which is expected to support a diagnosis or a treatment planning by modeling mathematically the inferencelogical structure of decision-making in clinical orthodontics. |
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Division of Community and Dentistry and Informatics |
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・In the Interdisciplinary Dentistry, studies relating to perform holistic or interdisciplinary dental treatment are conducted with the view from nanotechnology, electron microscopic analysis, fracture mechanics and computer simulation. Also studies relating to the development of effective methods and evaluation for the clinical training for residents and students are conducted. | |||||||||||||||
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・Nursing dentistry is a field of dental research and practice that covers the oral/ dental problems appearing specifically in the person with mental, physical or emotional disabilities and systemic diseases. Research activity of this section includes epidemiological study, and experimental or clinical studies on diagnosis, treatment and prevention of dental diseases as well as social advocacy or welfare activity. | |||||||||||||||||
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・In the domain of Dental Informatics, research focuses are placed on the fused area of dentistry and information science. We have been investigating a human interface and structure of back-end database for an electronic patient record in dentistry. The most valuable product of our research is registering schematic symbol characters for dentistry to Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS)X0213:2000. | |||||||||||||||||
| Center for Frontier Oral Science (CFOS) | Center for Frontier Oral Science was established as a research institute of clinical oral science and clinical study in response to the necessity of education / research on Frontier Oral Science and the advancement of the time. | ||||||
| Central Laboratory | This is a shared-use facility for advanced research support in the central laboratory of graduate school of
dentistry. It handles the management and maintenance of the appropriate operation of advanced research analysis equipment, animal experiment facilities, and RI facilities. |
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In mammals, circadian rhythms in physiology and behavior are controlled by internal clock for environmental adaptation, and are important in maintaining not only oral health but also our daily life. Our lab studies the bases of neural circuit for “the biological clock”. Because oral functions, such as feeding and mastication are crucial zeightgeber, we can contribute to develop quality of life by better understanding of the biological clock. |