Etiological Basics of and Techniques for Treatment of Allergic and Autoimmune Diseases
Strategic Sector
Research Supervisor
Kazuo Sugamura(President, Miyagi Prefectural Hospital Organization)
Year Started
2008
Outline
This research area aims to improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of human immunological diseases, centered on allergic and autoimmune diseases, and includes research for development of basic technologies for improvement of appropriate functioning of the immune system. Diseases centered on allergic responses and autoimmune systems vary from those that may lower the quality of life (QOL) of patients to those leading to death in serious cases. Deepened understanding of the immune mechanism and control of such diseases at levels of molecules, cells, organs, and tissues will be evolved into understanding of a higher-level control immune network system at individual levels, leading to clinical application. Specific examples of research projects include immunoregulatory mechanisms by regulatory cells, construction mechanisms of the mucous membrane immune system, autoimmune system, acquired immune system, and natural immune system and their control, etiological mechanisms of autoimmune and allergic diseases, immune and infection control mechanisms, development of drugs and vaccines against diseases and measurement of their effects, establishment of methods for diagnosis and treatment of diseases, and so forth.