Research
Under construction
Main fields of interest
- Invariant NKT cell responses to intracellular bacteria
- NKR-P1C (NK1.1) expression by invariant NKT cells
- Identification of natural ligand for invariant NKT cells
- Impact of natural ligand newly identified on invariant NKT cells
- Establishment of new immunotherapy against tumor and microbial infections using natural ligand newly identified.
- Role of cholesterol in the maintenance of immunocompetent cells
- Mucosal immunity
- Identification of new lymphocytes in the gut and characterization of those cells
- Bone marrow cell responses during intracellular bacterial infection
- Establishment of new diagnostic methods for aging
- Role of cells expressing asialo GM1.
Introduction
We here describe the scientific progress of the Laboratory of Immunology, Department of Laboratory Sciences, Gunma University School of Health Sciences since 2003. Our research interest focuses on unconventional T cells including NKT cells, thymus-independent T cells and intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes, and on the crosstalk between the host immune system and intracellular bacteria. Our research includes analysis of cellular interactions at the single cell level using various experimental animal models. For these investigations, we exploit numerous technologies in collaboration with Max-Planck-Institute for Infection Biology in Germany, and with some universities and companies in Japan.