Developing Treatments and Preventive Strategies for Complications Associated with Peritoneal Dialysis
The kidneys serve as filters that purify the blood. When kidney function declines, patients require dialysis. There are two main types: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.
Hemodialysis must be performed in a medical facility, typically lasting about five hours per session, three times per week. It is associated with significant drawbacks, including severe fatigue after treatment and considerable strain on the cardiovascular system. In contrast, peritoneal dialysis can be performed at home during sleep and places less burden on the body, allowing patients to maintain a higher quality of life. Despite these advantages, the prevalence of peritoneal dialysis remains very low in Japan (around 3%).
A key reason is that with long-term use, the surface of the peritoneum inevitably becomes damaged, leading to a decline in peritoneal function (peritoneal deterioration) that eventually prevents continuation of the therapy. This phenomenon has hindered the wider adoption of peritoneal dialysis.
Our research aims to develop preventive and therapeutic approaches against peritoneal deterioration, thereby promoting the broader use of peritoneal dialysis and creating a more patient-friendly environment for long-term dialysis care.
Educational approach
Developing Problem-Solving Skills Through Student Life
Educational Activities
I am primarily in charge of practical training in pharmacology within the field of veterinary medicine. The main goal is to give students hands-on experience with how common drugs bind to specific sites in the body, trigger a reaction, and produce a visible result (i.e., a the rapeutic effect).
Goals for Human Resource Development
Up until now, your education has likely focused on answering questions that have a single, correct answer. However, in the future—whether in research or business—a completely different skill set will be required: the ability to achieve results when there is no clear answer. I want to use research as a tool to cultivate this kind of problem-solving ability and train individuals who can contribute to society.
Vision for industry-academia collaboration
Developing Therapeutic and Preventive Strategies for Peritoneal Dialysis–Related Complications
Patients with end-stage renal failure require either peritoneal dialysis (PD) or hemodialysis. PD offers several advantages, including better maintenance of quality of life and reduced burden on the cardiovascular system. However, PD inevitably induces peritoneal deterioration, an irreversible pathological condition that typically develops within 3–5 years, often forcing discontinuation. Another major challenge is the lack of reliable biomarkers for peritoneal deterioration, which makes early detection and intervention extremely difficult.
Through our basic research, we have demonstrated: ①Factor X may serve as a novel therapeutic and preventive target for peritoneal deterioration. ②The concentration of Factor X in PD effluent could be developed as a new biomarker for peritoneal deterioration.
Building on these findings, our goal is to translate this knowledge into clinical applications and ultimately contribute to the wider adoption of PD. (Factor X has been identified but is withheld as it remains unpublished.)
