Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine
List of Departments, Divisions and Professors

F. Department of Internal Medicine

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine
Section of Cardiovascular Medicine (Prof. Kenichi Hirata)
We provide clinical services to more than 1200 in-patients and 1600 out-patients annually in Kobe University Hospital. We deliver compassionate and cutting-edge preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic services to our patients. We are prepared for emergent cardial catheterization in our coronary care unit (CCU) for 24 hours daily including holidays. In 2008, approximately 1000 cardiac catheterizations and 300 percutaneous coronary interventions (angioplasty) were performed in our facility. Our cardiac service is one of the pre-eminent facilities for cardiovascular medicine in Japan. We are actively engaged in following research activities in the basic, clinical, and translational sciences.
(1) Clinical and experimental studies on ischemic heart disease, with special reference to acute coronary syndrome
(2) Studies on pathogenesis and therapy for heart failure and cardiac hypertrophy
(3) Molecular researches on pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and hypertension
(4) Clinical and molecular researches on the pathogenesis of idiopathic cardiomyopathy
(5) Comprehensive researches for identifying novel coronary risk factors and biomarkers
(6) Clinical research for peripheral artery disease (limb ischemia)
E-mail: hiratak@med.kobe-u.ac.jp
Original Home Page: http://www.med.kobe-u.ac.jp/im1/index.html

Section of Arrythmia (Donation Lab.) (Prof. Kenichi Hirata)
We are actively engaged in clinical and translational studies for arrythmia:
(1) Studies on the prediction and therapy for lethal arrhythmia
(2) Clinical and translational research on cardiac resynchronizing therapy
(3) Clinical studies on ventricular and supraventricular tachycardia.
e-Mail: hiratak@med.kobe-u.ac.jp
Original Home Page: : http://www.med.kobe-u.ac.jp/im1/index.html

Division of Nephrology (Designated Prof. Nishi Shinichi)　
Kidney plays important roles in the maintenance of milieu interieu of human body. In addition to various clinical services including hemodialysis therapy, we are engaged in the clinical and basic investigations on the following topics.
(1) Mechanism of renal injury
(2) Progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD)
(3) Cardio-renal interaction
(4) Bone and mineral metabolism
(5) Uremic toxins
(6) Nutrition and the kidney
(7) Socio-economics of renal care
E-mail: snishi@med.kobe-u.ac.jp
Original Home Page: http://www.med.kobe-u.ac.jp/kidney/

Division of Respiratory Medicine (Associate Prof. Yoshihiro Nishimura)
There are many diseases in the field of respiratory internal medicine, such as bronchial asthma, COPD, interstitial pneumonia, respiratory failure, respiratory infection, sleep apnea syndrome, and lung cancer. We make diagnosis and medical treatment of all these diseases with high technic and clinical knowledge. Our research activities are mainly three categories of the following.
(1) Studies on bronchial inflammation and remodeling
(2) Studies on bronchial asthma and immunology
(3) Molecular diagnosis and research for new treatment on lung cancer
E-mail: nishiy@med.kobe-u.ac.jp
Original Home Page: http://www.med.kobe-u.ac.jp/resp/index.html

Divison of Clinical Pathology and Immunology (Prof. Shunichi Kumagai)
(1) Tolerance and pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases
(2) Diagnosis and treatment for collagen diseases
(3) Immunological research for morbid condition
(4) Oxidative stress and immunology
(5) Evidence-oriented Laboratory Medicine
E-mail: kumagais@kobe-u.ac.jp
Original Home Page: http://www.med.kobe-u.ac.jp/clilab/index.htm

Division of Rheumatology (Prof. Shunichi Shiozawa)　
(1) Studies on the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases.
(2) Treatments of rheumatoid arthritis achieving ‘complete remission’.
(3) Conducting the clinical trial of c-Fos/AP-1 inhibitor for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
E-mail: shioz@kobe-u.ac.jp
Original Home Page: http://www.med.kobe-u.ac.jp/rheum/

Division of Gastroenterology (Prof. Takeshi Azuma)
The aim of our division is to promote frontier medical sciences and bring up excellent physician-scientists who can lead the worldwide activities in the field of gastroenterology. Our focus is to investigate pathophysiology of intractable diseases in gastroenterology, such as cancers, inflammatory bowel diseases, and functional gastrointestinal diseases. In addition, we are developing new medical devices for gastrointestinal endoscopical diagnosis and treatment.
We are actively engaged in following research subjects in the basic, clinical, and translational sciences.
(1) Tailor-made medicine in gastrointestinal cancer
(2) Inflammation and cancer
(3) Metabolome analyses of gastrointestinal diseases
(4) Mucosal immunology
(5) Functional gastrointestinal diseases
E-mail: azumat@med.kobe-u.ac.jp
Original Home Page: http://www.med.kobe-u.ac.jp/gi/index.html

Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nephrology
Section of Diabetes and Endocrinology (Prof. Susumu Seino)　
Research in our Division centers around clarification of the mechanisms of pathogenesis and pathophysiology of metabolic disorders such as diabetes, obesity, and osteoporosis and endocrine disorders such as pituitary diseases. Based on these studies, we are also exploring novel therapeutic strategies for the diseases.
(1) Pathogenesis and pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus
(2) Pathogenesis and pathophysiology of obesity
(3) Mechanisms of insulin signaling
(4) Mechanisms of insulin secretion and beta-cell regeneration
(5) Development of novel strategies for diabetes mellitus and obesity
(6) Pathogenesis and pathophysiology of pituitary diseases
(7) Diverse actions of growth hormone
(8) Clinical application of growth hormone to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) syndrome
(9) Pathogenesis and pathophysiology of bone and mineral diseases
(10) Cellular mechanisms of osteogenesis
E-mail: seino@med.kobe-u.ac.jp
Original Home Page: http://www.med.kobe-u.ac.jp/im2/

Division of Internal and Geriatric Medicine (Prof. Koichi Yokono)
(1) Pathogenesis and prevention of autoimmune diabetes
(2) Clinical application of comprehensive geriatric assessment
(3) Neuronal plasticity of the aged and Alzheimer's disease
(4) Analysis of gastrointestinal motility disorders and gene expression of gastrointestinal hormones
(5) Gene therapy for advanced cancers
(6) Basic research of immunology in organ and tissue transplantations
E-Mail: geriat@med.kobe-u.ac.jp
Original Home Page: http://www.med.kobe-u.ac.jp/im4/index.htm

Division of Neurology (Prof. Tatsushi Toda)　　
Our laboratory's research projects are, using various analytical methods in genomics, proteomics, glycomics, molecular cell biology, genetic engineering, and others, (1) identification and functional analysis of the genes associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as muscular dystrophies, Parkinson's disease, and other neurological diseases (2)elucidation of molecular pathogenesis of these diseases, (3) development of diagnostics and therapeutics for these diseases towards personalized medicine,(4)clinical and molecular researches on neuromuscular disorders such as inflammatory myopathies, immune associated neuropathies, and myasthenia gravis, and (5) studies on precise noninvasive evaluation method and treatment for acute ischemic stroke.
E-mail: toda@clgene.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
Original Home Page: http://www.med.kobe-u.ac.jp/im3/rinsyo/shinkei/index.html

Division of Oncology (Prof. Hironobu Minami)　
Responding to the increasing need in Japan for cancer care by medical oncologists, the Division of Medical Oncology was established in Kobe University to execute medical practice, education, and research related to non-hematological cancers. Our mission is to develop innovative medical treatment, and to provide the best conceivable care to patients with all cancers.
The organ-specific medical system which has been widely accepted as oncology practice in Japan has unfortunately yielded poor quality care of cancer patients, and “cancer refugees” in the worst cases. Recent progresses in the molecular biology of cancer have revealed that the same molecular abnormalities are often observed in various cancer types. Therefore, our policy is that non-organ specific research should be performed, and care should be provided comprehensively in various cancer types, regardless of the organs affected.
Developmental therapeutics in oncology is one of our major fields of research, and the Division of Medical Oncology at Kobe University Hospital is one of a few organizations in Japan which can conduct phase I studies of anti-cancer agents actively and efficiently. Research in clinical pharmacology, including pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and pharmacogenomics, aims to optimize treatment by anticancer agents. Translational research projects in our laboratory seek to identify new molecular targets in cancer therapy and to individualize the use of innovative molecular targeted agents. Establishment of combination chemotherapy involving newly developed drugs or new combinations of currently available drugs is also a focus of our clinical research.
E-mail: hminami@med.kobe-u.ac.jp
Original Home Page:
http://www.hosp.kobe-u.ac.jp/consultation/guide/department/syuyou.html

Divison of Hematology (Prof. Mitsuhiro Itoh)　
Our research efforts focus on the molecular mechanism of the normal and malignant hematopoiesis, and on the application of these studies to better clinic in hematological malignancies.
Our specific themes are:
(1) Molecular mechanism of leukemogenesis, and therapeutic strategy
(2) Growth and differentiation of leukemic cells, and therapeutic strategy
(3) Molecular mechanism of hematopoietic stem cell niche regulation
(4) Molecular mechanism of differentiation of hematopoietic precursor cells
(5) Clinical studies aiming at improvement of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
E-mail: itomi@med.kobe-u.ac.jp
Original Home Page:

Division 0f Genereal Medical Sciences (Prof. Hozuka Akita)　
(1) Clinical epidemiology on life style related diseases
(2) Clinical genetics on life style related diseases
(3) Clinical investigation on life style related vascular diseases
E-mail: ahozu@med.kobe-u.ac.jp
Original Home Page: http://www.med.kobe-u.ac.jp/genmed/

Division of General Practice and Community (Prof. Mitsuhiro Ito)
Given that the community faces at a shortage of medical staffs, it is urgent to raise good general physicians who understand the patients’ community and have an access to necessary specialists. We aim at researching a system to raise general physicians and establish the interprofessional work in the community, with a special collaboration with the local government and community hospitals.
E-mail: itomi@med.kobe-u.ac.jp