Harada Kenichi
I have assumed the position of professor responsible for the Department of Pathology (Pathology II) effective May 1, Heisei 26 (2014). I am deeply grateful to everyone for their support in this appointment. Following in the footsteps of the inaugural professor, Shigetoshi Sugiyama, the second professor, Tatsuo Ishikawa, the third professor, Goro Ota, and the fourth professor, Yasuji Nakazuma, I am now the fifth professor in this role. In addition to upholding the tradition and legacy of liver pathology established by former Professor Nakazuma, I aim to contribute to the department of pathology at Kanazawa University alongside the Molecular Cellular Pathology Laboratory (led by Professor Ooi) and the Pathology Department of Kanazawa University Hospital (led by Associate Professor Ikeda).
I am originally from Osaka and graduated from Kanazawa University School of Medicine in Heisei 3 (1991). Immediately after graduation, I joined Professor Nakazuma’s laboratory as a graduate student, specializing in human pathology with a focus on the hepatobiliary system. In Heisei 6 (1994), I had the opportunity to study abroad at the Rheumatology and Allergy Clinical Immunology Department at the University of California, Davis. Under the supervision of Professor Gershwin, renowned for identifying and cloning PDC-E2, the major target antigen for mitochondrial antibodies in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), I was engaged in pathophysiological analysis of PBC for approximately one and a half years. This experience was invaluable to me as it allowed me to immerse myself in pure basic research and learn from numerous researchers, providing essential groundwork for my subsequent research endeavors. Upon returning to Japan, I continued to work under Professor Nakazuma on pathological analysis of hepatobiliary diseases, including PBC, and have been doing so up to the present day.
Laboratory Introduction
Pathology is one of the oldest disciplines in medicine, and its significance and role are constantly questioned within the field. In modern pathology, the focus is primarily on studying the causes and mechanisms of diseases. Additionally, it involves the research diagnostic field where disease origins are studied further through pathology diagnostic services in collaboration with clinicians to consider patient treatment strategies and prognoses.
In our laboratory (Department of Pathology II, Kanazawa University School of Medicine, reorganized into the Department of Morphological and Functional Pathology at the Graduate School of Medical Sciences from April 2002), we conduct diagnostic services, research, and education.
Tasks and Objectives in the Laboratory
Tasks and Objectives in the Laboratory
Diagnostic Services: We perform pathological diagnosis using biopsy materials, surgical specimens, autopsy materials, and cytology. Our focus is on diseases affecting various organs, with particular expertise in hepatobiliary disorders. Additionally, we provide remote pathology diagnostic services using telepathology to hospitals in distant locations.
Research: Utilizing methodologies such as pathological morphology, molecular biology, and culture techniques, we investigate disease mechanisms. Currently, our research is concentrated on hepatobiliary diseases, including primary biliary cirrhosis, intrahepatic lithiasis, and liver cancer, with plans to expand into research on other organs in the future.
Education: We offer lectures on pathology to undergraduate medical students and graduate students specializing in pathology at the Graduate School of Medical Sciences. We also conduct postgraduate education through Clinical Pathological Conferences (CPC) and other conferences. In particular, our CPC sessions involve the examination of all autopsy cases and have received positive feedback from clinicians in various departments and affiliated hospitals.
Goals: Our goal is to conduct pathological research centered around human tissue materials, disseminate research findings globally to contribute to the advancement of medicine and science, and nurture exceptional healthcare professionals and researchers.