2024年度TAMAGO採択課題

Establishment of a new RNA virus infection model system through the fusion of medical science and entomology

Creation of conductive device materials that can be sustainably produced using biomass resources

Development of new isolation and culture methods for human norovirus and other difficult-to-isolate viruses

Establishment of a new RNA virus infection model system through the fusion of medical science and entomology

 
Principal Investigator: Professor Maki Inoue

(Institute of Agriculture, Division of Bioregulation and Biointeraction)

 "Shin Model Research Team"

Even with advances in medical technology, we are still exposed to the threat of infectious diseases, such as the COVID-19 pandemic that has caused a global pandemic. To develop methods to prevent and treat these infectious diseases, it is necessary to understand the interactions between the pathogens that cause the infection and their hosts. However, animal experiments using mammals such as mice have become more restricted in recent years due to increased concern about animal welfare and research ethics. Insects have therefore come to attract attention as a new model organism for infection. Insects also show innate immune responses and histopathological effects similar to those of mammals, but are easy to handle.
For this reason, we are focusing on RNA viruses, which are pathogens that are prone to genome mutations and cause great damage, and by investigating the innate immunity and non-immune defense reactions of insects, we hope to establish a new model system for infection with RNA viruses. We hope that the results will lead to a deeper understanding of the interaction between humans and pathogens.

"Shin Model Research Team" Members

Creation of conductive device materials that can be sustainably produced using biomass resources

 
Principal Investigator: Professor Yohei Okada

( Institute of Agriculture, Division of Applied Biological Chemistry)

 "Biomass Device Materials Research Team"

The materials around us can be divided into organic and inorganic materials. Organic materials, such as plastics, are light and easy to process, but they have low thermal stability, and in recent years, there have been concerns about their impact on environmental issues such as climate change. On the other hand, inorganic materials, such as metals, are heavy and difficult to process, but they are highly stable against heat, and have characteristics that organic materials do not have, such as being electrically conductive and sticking to magnets. So, what kind of material would be created if organic and inorganic materials were mixed? We could create a plastic bag that conducts electricity, or a plastic bottle that sticks to a magnet. This is called an organic-inorganic hybrid material. The important thing here is to thoroughly mix organic and inorganic materials at the "nano level" or "micro level."
Our research team is focusing on cellulose as an organic material to replace plastic, and is working on research aimed at creating "electrically conductive paper."

Members of the Biomass Device Materials Research Team

Development of new isolation and culture methods for human norovirus and other difficult-to-isolate viruses

 
Principal Investigator: Associate Professor Maki Ohba

(Faculty of Agriculture Center for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Prevention Research)

 "Research Team for Isolation Methods of Difficult-to-Isolate Viruses"

Human norovirus is a virus that causes food poisoning and infectious gastroenteritis. As many as 200,000 people die from this virus annually around the world. There is a global demand for a vaccine to prevent infection, but development has made little progress because human norovirus is difficult to culture.
Therefore, this research team aims to create special cell masses called intestinal organoids from pigs, and to establish cultured cell lines that can be infected with human norovirus from them. It is known that human norovirus is excreted wrapped in a membrane derived from the cell membrane of an infected person. The cell membrane that encases the virus helps the virus to efficiently infect cells. By collaborating with TUAT (producing cells derived from pig intestinal organoids) and engineering (creating artificial cell membranes), we hope to develop a new method for culturing human norovirus and contribute to vaccine development.

Members of the "Research Team for Isolation Methods of Difficult-to-Isolate Viruses"