Outline Research Education Clinical Services & Other Works
Home page URL http://www.tmd.ac.jp/grad/kid/kid-J.htm

Staffs

Title Name Researcher information
Professor UCHIDA Shinichi
Associate Professor SOHARA Eisei
Assistant Professor ANDO Fumiaki
Assistant Professor SUSA Koichiro
Assistant Professor MORI Yutaro
Project Assistant Professor HARA Yuu
Visiting Lecturer MANDAI Shintaro
NAITO Shotaro
MORI Takayasu
IIMORI Soichiro
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Outline

In the Department of Nephrology, we strive to provide "trusted medical care" and aim for the "cultivation of excellent physicians" through our activities in clinical practice, education, and research. We have extensive clinical experience in dealing with all kinds of renal diseases and have developed high-quality medical care through close collaboration with many other medical institutions, training numerous nephrology specialists in the process.

In recent years, we have been unraveling the genetic abnormalities and pathophysiology of various renal diseases, including hereditary kidney diseases, aiming to use these findings to develop innovative treatments. With the aging population and changes in lifestyle, the number of patients with chronic kidney disease is steadily increasing. To meet the expectations placed on nephrology specialists, we are dedicated to continuous learning and improvement.
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Research

Our research theme centers on elucidating the mechanisms by which the kidneys maintain blood pressure and bodily fluid homeostasis, understanding the pathology that arises when these mechanisms fail and affect the entire body, and developing treatment strategies to address these issues. This pursuit not only leads to the development of treatments for kidney disease itself but also facilitates research aimed at addressing multi-organ disorders originating from the kidneys in the context of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Academic and research activities, which were restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, have gradually been returning to normal since 2023, as the infection subsided. In the fiscal year 2023 (January to December), following the tradition of previous years, many awards were bestowed at academic conferences and workshops, and active press releases were made. Dr. Yu Hara received the 2022 Young Investigator Award (YIA) from the Japanese Society of Nephrology, awarded to outstanding young researchers under the age of 37 nationwide. Dr. Hara also won the Excellent Presentation Award at the 32nd Vasopressin and Oxytocin Research Symposium. Assistant Professor Yutaro Mori received the Tokyo Medical Association Medical Research Award Encouragement Prize and the Japan Medical Association Medical Research Encouragement Prize in fiscal year 2022. At the Young Basic Research Forum 2023, Dr. Hisazumi Matsuki was awarded the Excellent Presentation Award. In terms of paper publications, the papers by Assistant Professor Shintaro Mandai and Dr. Takahiro Koide were accepted by Circulation Research (IF: 23.1), and papers by Assistant Professor Mandai, Dr. Matsuki, and Dr. Taku Genma were accepted by Hypertension (IF: 8.3), with press releases issued for both. Assistant Professor Hiroaki Kikuchi's paper, submitted after returning from studying abroad, was accepted by Nature Communications (IF: 17.7), and a press release was issued. From January to December 2023, our department had a total of 13 academic papers accepted, including case reports, with five press releases issued during the period.

From February to March 2023, we conducted crowdfunding for our research on comprehensive genetic analysis related to hereditary kidney diseases. We received donations totaling 19.5 million yen and numerous messages of support from approximately 400 donors. We would like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to all those who supported us. We have continued to stably operate clinical research related to comprehensive genetic diagnosis and genome information, conducting analyses for 91 individuals over the year.
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Education

Pre-graduation Education
In the Department of Nephrology, we are responsible for the education of medical school students, specifically conducting systematic lectures for third-year medical students, project semesters for fourth-year students, and overseeing clinical internships for fifth and sixth-year students.


Systematic lectures are conducted jointly with the Urology and Pathology departments, focusing intensively on diseases within the renal and urological field over a three-week period. In the 2023 academic year, all lectures and Problem-Based Learning (PBL) sessions in the Nephrology Department were returned to in-person instruction. PBL involves students engaging in discussions within small groups, performing differential diagnoses on scenario-based cases. This method was implemented with the participation of Nephrology Department staff and graduate students, organized into two groups with one tutor each. We received positive feedback from students who appreciated the enriching discussions facilitated by the tutors' supportive guidance.


Regarding students enrolled in the Project Semester, we plan to accept approximately two students annually.


Clinical internships commence in December for fourth-year students following the conclusion of the Project Semester. Initially, from late November to February, we conduct Preclinical Clerkship (PCC) sessions, providing practical and comprehensive learning in small groups. From the fifth year onwards, students transition to Clinical Clerkship (CC) with practical training on the ward. CC students are assigned to care for actual patients in a two-week internship, studying nephrology diseases. Students had the opportunity to delve deeper into the pathophysiology of various nephrology diseases. During clinical internships, Differential Diagnosis Exercises (WoSAC - Workplace-based Student Assessment with Clinical reasoning focus) were conducted, where supervising physicians played the role of patients, guiding students in presenting differential diagnoses and outlining examination and treatment plans. This training, as before, concluded with a comprehensive review by the faculty. Additionally, for sixth-year students, a two-week internship for up to two students per term is provided as part of the Advanced Course, offering higher-level learning goals and opportunities for motivated engagement. We attribute the success of these efforts to the dedication of the faculty members and staff who guide the students.

Furthermore, lectures and examinations for dental students, health and hygiene science students, dental hygienists, and master's students were also conducted by faculty members from the Nephrology Department.

Postgraduate Education
After completing a two-year initial training period following graduation, we conduct advanced training as part of the postgraduate education in collaboration with universities and affiliated hospitals, focusing on specialized training in nephrology. During this period, our goal is to guide individuals to develop awareness of unresolved clinical issues and cultivate an academic doctor's mindset, one that consistently seeks to uncover the essence of matters. The emphasis is on fostering a commitment to addressing clinical challenges and maintaining an attitude of continually seeking the fundamental truths in medical practice.

Research activities at the graduate level are highly active, contributing to the cultivation of physicians who excel in both foundational and clinical aspects through the pursuit of cutting-edge research.
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Clinical Services & Other Works

In March 2023, the government introduced guidelines for the principle removal of masks, and significant measures were taken to relax COVID-19 prevention protocols within the university's healthcare system. After approximately three years of disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation has begun to stabilize, and we are gradually returning to normalcy. The number of referred patients, which had declined in most departments, is now slowly recovering. While the number of inpatients and outpatients in the nephrology department, as well as operational revenues, have not yet returned to pre-COVID levels, they are approaching those levels. Outpatient maintenance dialysis, which was once suspended during the pandemic, is also being gradually resumed, with an increase in the number of patients.

The "Function Enhancement Building," located at the front of the university and under construction for a long time, officially opened on October 1st. With the relocation of the Life-Saving Emergency Center, emergency (ER) outpatient services, ICU, ER wards, and the establishment of hybrid operating rooms, we are now able to accept a wide range of emergency patients and provide the highest standard of surgical care. From the end of 2023, to enable smoother appointments for specialized outpatient services, the nephrology department took the lead in implementing a web reservation system through Office Bookings. The number of appointment patients is gradually increasing, aiming for further patient acquisition. We aim to continue enhancing our medical services through stronger collaboration between hospitals and clinics, promoting visits to the dialysis complication clinic, increasing the number of peritoneal dialysis procedures, increasing the number of day surgery PTA (percutaneous transluminal angioplasty), and expanding the diagnosis and treatment options for rare kidney diseases.
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