The current activities of the Department of Pathology direct to the research of parasitic, bacterial, viral and prion infectious diseases in the field of pathology and immunity. The pathogenesis of infectious diseases is analyzed mainly through the host and the outcomes should be useful for the diagnosis and treatment of the diseases. Much emphasis is laid on the analysis of human infectious diseases using human specimens obtained by biopsy, surgical intervention and autopsy collected from domestic and foreign institutions, and using experimental animal models such as mice and monkeys. We have been investigating the infectious diseases pathology using histology, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, ultrastructure, and molecular biological methods and with their combination. We are also studying the mucosal immune responses of host against microbial agents, vaccine safety, gene function of host and microorganism, and development of new vaccines. Neurovirulence test of attenuated vaccines using monkeys and pathological tests for emerging and reemerging diseases, such as immunohistochemical confirmatory test for bovine spongioform encephalopathy, have been conducted.

LABORATORY OF DIAGNOSTIC PATHOLOGY

Diagnostic pathology investigation of the infectious diseases.

LABORATORY OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES PATHOLOGY

Pathological investigation on animal models of the infectious diseases. Neurovirulence test of attenuated vaccines is conducted.

LABORATORY OF EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY

Experimental pathology investigation for the infectious diseases and related malignancies.

LABORATORY OF MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY

Molecular investigation for diagnosis, intervention and prevention of the infectious diseases.