Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology
Department
| Professor | Sumio Ohtsuki sohtsuki(at mark)kumamoto-u.ac.jp |
|---|---|
| Assistant Professor | Kenichiro Tanaka tanaken(at mark)kumamoto-u.ac.jp |
| Assistant Professor | Shingo Itou ishingo(at mark)kumamoto-u.ac.jp |
Research themes
[Names and Summaries of Research Projects]
- New Individualized Treatments and Diagnoses for Malignant Tumors
- New Diagnoses and Biomarkers of Malignant Tumors
- Elucidation of the Structure of Anti-Cancer Drug Sensitivity Network
- Elucidation of Transporter Function and Illnesses
- Quantitative Targeted Proteomics Technology Development
The realization of individualized treatment techniques and overcoming drug resistance are top-priority issues of chemotherapy targeting both pathogenic bacteria and cancer. We are focusing our attention on the mechanisms shared by pathogenic bacteria and cancer cells, and are investigating the mechanisms of drug sensitivity and resistance at the protein level, using methods which incorporate our own quantitative targeted proteomics technology. In addition, we take advantage of our own proprietary technology to do what was not possible using past technology, performing quantitative evaluations of marker candidate proteins, and furthermore improving diagnosis accuracy using composite markers. We aim to help improve the patient quality of life through ultimately applying the results of this basic research to clinical settings.
The mechanism of drug sensitivity is a complex one, involving many different molecules. Proteomic analysis is absolutely essential in order to investigate these sorts of protein networks. However, issues with the sensitivity and quantitativity of previous techniques made them insufficient for the analysis of these proteins. The proprietary quantitative targeted proteomics technology we have developed features excellent sensitivity and quantitative measurement functionality, and can be used to explore uncharted territory in the field of proteomics. We are conducting technology development research and integrating it with fundamental research techniques in order for this new technology to be utilized in a new generation of protein diagnostic techniques.
