Department of Environmental and Molecular Medicine

 

The aims of our studies are preservation of environment, prevention of diseases, health promotion and life extension.  This division focuses on “Interaction between environmental factors and host”.  On the basis of our basic research, performed by molecular biological and physicochemical techniques, we approach to the prevention of cancer and various diseases associated with environment factors and life style.  We are carrying out the following projects:

 

1) Oxidative DNA damage induced by environmental carcinogens

2) Oxidative DNA damage induced by ultraviolet radiation in the presence of endogenous photosensitizers

3) Evaluation of the safety of cancer chemopreventive agents based on DNA–damaging ability

4) Molecular mechanism of inflammation-mediated carcinogenesis

5) Acceleration of aging and its regulation by antioxidants

6) Evaluation of the risk of endocrine disrupting compounds on human health

7) Molecular mechanism of apoptosis induced by chemotherapeutic drugs

8) Amplification of the effect of chemotherapeutic drugs by DNA-binding drugs (“amplifiers”)

 

We train students to acquire various experimental techniques, such as subcloning of human cancer relevant genes, analysis of sequence specificity of DNA damage, quantification of oxidative products of DNA bases, analysis of free radicals by electron spin resonance, measurement of intracellular reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial membrane potential by flow cytometry, analysis of interaction of biomolecules by surface plasmon resonance biosensor, mass spectrometry, proteomics approach, using experimental animals, human cultured cells and isolated DNA fragments.  We teach the students how to write papers and encourage them to publish their papers in international journals.