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Director, Prof. Akihiro Kusumi
Prof. Taiji Adachi
Assoc. Prof. Suong-Hyu Hyon
Assist. Prof. Toshihiro Togaya
Recently, in this Institute the establishment of human embryonic stem cells (ES) have been succeeded for the first time in our country. In order to promote the proper differentiation and development of the stem cells towards the intended cells, tissues and/or organs in the safe and effective regenerative medicine, new advanced technologies of the nano medical engineering such as environmental (scaffolds) considerations around the cells, selection and control of proper stimulations, and measurement and analysis of the response signals of the cells are strongly needed.
This Research Center aims to formulate the international hub for research and education in the nano medical engineering.
Assist. Prof. Toshihiro Togaya
Restoration and maintenance of oral function (ingestion, mastication, swallowing and phonation) are essential for ADL (activity of daily living) and QOL (quality of life) especially in the elderly. The goal of our study is to establish the fabrication systems of dental prostheses, which have excellent biological-, mechanical- and morphological-compatibility.
On the other side, there is a big social problem in the manufacturing industry of the dental prostheses in Japan. The society tends to be composed by elderly dental technicians, and many young people in this field quit work because they do not feel financially stable. We are investigating such a sociological problem.
Prof. Akihiro Kusumi
Assist. Prof. Kenichi Suzuki
Assist. Prof. Takahiro Fujiwara
Our team is dedicated to methodology development for single-molecule observation and manipulation at nanometer precisions in living cells. The development is carried out simultaneously with the application for the studies of nano-bioprocesses occurring in living cells, in particular, signal transduction in the cell membrane and the formation and remodeling of the neuronal network. The smooth liaison between physics/engineering and biomedicine is a key for our methodology developments. On the basis of the knowledge of nano-bioprocesses learned in the cells (e.g., partitioning of the plasma membrane into submicron compartments and transient formation of signaling platforms in the cell membrane) and the single-molecule bionanotechnology developed here, we envisage the next-generation nanotechnology, regenerative medicine, and drug discovery protocols.
Assoc. Prof. Suong-Hyu Hyon
Assist. Prof. Kazuaki Matsumura
The research activities in this department cover the analyses on the dynamic behavior of the living tissues and the simulation methods for designing artificial organs.
Areas of study include:
1. Regeneration of periodontal ligament around artificial dental root.
2. System development for mechanical properties of soft tissues by MRE (Magnetic resonance Elastography) method.
3. Improvements of wear resistance of UHMWPE under molecular orientation for artificial joints.
4. Development of artificial articular cartilage and intervertebral disk using PVA hydrogel.
5. Numerical and experimental impact analyses of human body.
6. 3D finite element method (FEM) analyses of non-liner behaviors of soft tissues.
7. Computer simulation of biomechanical bone remodeling process.
8. In vivo measurements system of elastic modulus of soft tissues employing oscillation.
9. Motion and blood velocity analyses by phase velocity mapping method of MRI.
10. Simulation and material design for prevention of impact injuries in sports.
11. Preservation of articular cartilage by polyphenol.
12. Syntheses of new biodegradable polymers for regeneration of organ functions.
13. Development of magnesium alloys as biomaterials.
Prof. Taiji Adachi
In functional adaptation by tissue remodeling and regeneration, the mechanism by which local mechanical cue is sensed by cells and tissues remodel their structure to meet functional demands remains unclear because of the complex hierarchical system in spatiotemporal scales. To better understand the mechanoregulation of tissue adaptation by remodeling and regeneration, bridging spatial and temporal scales from microscopic molecular and cellular activities to macroscopic tissue behaviors is very important. Based on multiscale system biomechanics, our department is involved in integrated researches of modeling and simulation combined with experiments, focusing on mechano-biochemical couplings in the dynamics of structure-function relationships in tissues and cells.
1) Biomechanics and mechanobiology of nano- and microscale structures in living systems.
2) Understanding mechanisms of bone functional adaptation by remodeling and regeneration.
3) Multiscale modeling and simulation of actin filament dynamics in cell migration.
4) Elucidation of mechano-biochemical coupling mechanisms in mechanosensory cells.
5) Nano- and microengineering of artificial systems combined with biomolecular and cellular systems.
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Human Embryonic Stem Cell Project
