The central mission of the Analytical Laboratory Chemistry is to educate and research through “Clinical Chemistry” in Clinical Laboratory Science. Our topic is “Development of a new biomarker to predict a risk for cardiovascular disease”. To achieve our goal, skill and ability to create new reliable method are required. Development of students who can give back to a society through active outreach like publishing a paper and presenting at a congress is most important. We also aim to develop a Biomedical Laboratory Scientist who not only plays a pivotal role in medical front but also be active in education or research institutes. For that reason, creation of a laboratory where students can throw themselves into their research with enjoyment is essential.

We analyze lipoproteins and its components; cholesterol, triglyceride, apolipoproteins and their metabolites. Through these studies, we are aiming toward developing a new biomarker to predict a risk for cardiovascular disease in an early stage. In detail, we are focusing on cholesterol efflux capacity (reverse cholesterol transport), antioxidant ability and anti-inflammatory effect of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and its main apolipoprotein, apolipoprotein A-I. Our hypothesis is that evaluation of these capacities would be available to make a specific diagnosis for coronary artery disease (CAD). Moreover, it is known that HDL is not structurally homogeneous but heterogeneous in size, density and chemical composition. We are investigating the mechanism of the HDL diversification through the interactions with other lipoproteins and tissue, and its effect on the HDL character and functions. We are further studying the red blood cell-related lipids metabolism.
Many risk factors for CAD have been reported, and testing these factors have been contributing to reduce the risk in some patients with CAD. However, despite many people are trying to keep their health to reduce their risk for heart disease, the actual number of heart event have not been decreased. We believe that investigating the above mechanisms would lead to find useful biomarker and establish new assay for diagnosis for cardiovascular disease.

Research Focus
・　　Development of a new biomarker to estimate residual risk for cardiovascular disease
・　　Mechanism of HDL diversification and its effect on the character and function
・　　Molecular mechanism of red blood cell-related lipids metabolism

Undergraduate education: Main topic is Analytical Laboratory Chemistry which includes Urinalysis & Body Fluid Tests and Clinical Chemistry. In addition, Associate Professor Masayuki Hara from General Isotope Research Division helps to educate radioisotope. We aim to educate student to become a leader of biomedical laboratory scientist in hospital or company. Out final goal is that student develop their creativities to think, solve a problem and improve by themselves.

Graduate education: Analytical skill is essential for research. There is no research achievement without analytical skill. Our first purpose is to understand an importance of reliable analytical skill and obtain the skill. Next, by using these skills, we aim to find new biomarker and develop a novel assay for the biomarker. Though these research process, students can obtain the analytical skill and cultivate capacity as researcher to make a research plan and choose the optimal way to proceed by themselves. Moreover, students can develop their outreach skill through presenting their research achievements at a congress and publishing their papers.