Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo

Tackling Infectious Diseases through a “One Health” Approach Integrating Human, Animal, and Environmental Health

My mission is to address the wide range of challenges associated with controlling infectious diseases of animals that are spreading on a global scale. Building on past work, I am also advancing research on papillomaviruses that cause cancer in animals. In recent years, emerging zoonotic infectious diseases have drawn increasing attention. To understand why these new diseases arise in the context of human–animal interactions and exert a profound impact on humankind, the concept of One Health is indispensable. One Health is the concept that the health of humans, animals, and the environment are closely interconnected, and that true health can only be achieved by ensuring that all three are in a sound and balanced state. Population growth, food security, and infectious diseases represent common global challenges, demanding interdisciplinary approaches on a planetary scale. Animals—whether pets, livestock, laboratory animals, wildlife, or endangered species—are diverse, and strategies for infectious disease control must differ according to the type of animal involved. From this perspective, advancing infectious disease control in the veterinary field requires not only technological innovation but also approaches informed by the humanities, social sciences, politics, and economics. By proposing effective control strategies and working to suppress animal infectious diseases, I ultimately aim to contribute to human well-being and to the creation of a healthy and sustainable society.

Addressing the Challenges of Infectious Diseases from the Perspective of Humanity Living in Relation to the Diversity of Life on Earth

Educational Activities

I am engaged in teaching the following courses: Animal Infectious Diseases, History of Veterinary Medicine, Introduction to Veterinary Medicine, Bioethics, and the EMP Lecture Series (https://www.emp.u-tokyo.ac.jp/index.html#emp-info).

Goals for Human Resource Development

While being firmly grounded in the expertise of veterinary medicine and animal infectious diseases, I aim to foster human resources who, without losing sight of a panoramic perspective that humanity exists in relation to the diverse lives on Earth, are able to contribute to a sound and sustainable society.

Track Record in Human Resource Development

Graduates under my supervision have advanced to careers in public institutions and research organizations, including the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and other governmental bodies.

Confronting Animal Infectious Diseases for the Construction of a Sustainable Society

Research on Papillomaviruses as Oncogenic Viruses in Animals

Papillomaviruses (PVs) are highly species-specific, and each animal species possesses its own particular PVs. In humans, high-risk types of human PVs are known especially for causing cervical cancer in women, and vaccines against them have already been put into practical use as cervical cancer preventive vaccines. Many PVs are also involved in cancers of animals, and it is assumed that a wide variety of PVs exist in the background of such diseases; however, the details remain largely unknown. Through our research on animal PVs to date, we have discovered numerous new types and subtypes of PVs. We are developing methods to detect diverse PVs from tumors of large animals such as cattle and horses, as well as from tumors of dogs and cats, whose lifespans have been extending in recent years. We are also analyzing their associations with pathological conditions. Ultimately, by clarifying the characteristics and distribution of PVs and their involvement in pathogenesis, we aim to contribute to the prevention of cancers in animals associated with PV infection.

Infectious Disease Research Leading to Regulatory Science

We aim to advance research that constitutes the scientific foundation of infection control, including the detection of pathogens, analysis of the pathological processes from infection to disease onset, and the development of vaccines for prevention and suppression of pathogens. At the same time, we seek to return these scientific achievements to society, with a particular emphasis on research that connects to regulatory science. From the perspective of One Health, we also aspire to promote research that contributes to the improvement of scientific literacy, thereby supporting people in leading fulfilling lives and fostering the construction of a sound and sustainable society.