We invited Dr. Kotaro KIGA* and held the 3^rd GLOBAL and LOCAL Infectious Diseases Research Seminar titled “Cutting Edge of Phage Research” on October 25, 2022.

 

Dr. KIGA researched RNA, immunology, and bacteriology at the Max Planck Institute in Germany and the Institute of Medical Science, the University of Tokyo.

After that, he started research on bacteriophages at the University of Glasgow in the UK, while working at Jichi Medical University.

Furthermore, Dr. KIGA is conducting Joint Research on the “Development of a novel phage preparation that kills Helicobacter pylori” with Professor MIMURO of the RCGLID.

 

More than 40 participants attended this seminar, including Dean, Professor Akira NISHIZONO, Deputy Dean, Professor Yoshio YAMAOKA, Professor Hitomi MIMURO, and others from both on and off-campus institutions, as well as graduate students and others, including online participants.

In this seminar, following the National Institute of Infectious Diseases introduction, Dr. KIGA gave a lecture on the concept of antibacterial therapy using bacteriophages (phage therapy), which has been attracting attention in recent years. He also talked about cutting-edge phage research, including the use of bacteriophage synthesis and novel defense systems (mechanisms that bacteria have evolved to defend against phage infections), with his research experience and results of research activities.

After the lecture, there were specific questions about receptors on the bacterial side and the growth speed of lysogenic phage, and the seminar ended with great success.

 

* Laboratory Head, Laboratory of Drug Design, Research Center for Drug and Vaccine Development, National Institute of Infectious Diseases