Staff

PET has excellent properties for noninvasive imaging of biological functions. To elucidate the pathophysiology of various diseases, molecular imaging probes that target disease-specific features are essential. We therefore conduct research on the development and analysis of clinically applicable molecular imaging probes, mainly for tumors and the brain. We are also developing radiopharmaceuticals for radionuclide therapy using Auger electrons, with the aim of extending our work beyond diagnosis to treatment.

1. Development of tumor imaging probes: development of molecular imaging probes targeting energy metabolism, receptor function, and transporter function

2. Development of brain disease imaging probes: development of molecular imaging probes targeting psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases

3. Development of therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals: development of radionuclide therapy agents using Auger electrons

We conduct research on imaging that integrates structure, function, and metabolism, with a primary focus on PET/MRI studies.

We conduct clinical research using hybrid imaging, which combines different imaging modalities such as PET with CT or MRI. In particular, we are developing new diagnostic imaging methods based on simultaneous PET and MRI acquisition using integrated PET/MRI systems. We actively investigate diagnostic approaches that combine highly quantitative PET using various tracers (molecular probes) with MRI, which provides both functional and anatomical information.

We develop novel radiolabeled probes to elucidate the central nervous system and central–peripheral interactions and to establish new diagnostic methods.

We are also working to create a platform that can be broadly applied to targeted radionuclide therapy for various cancers.

I am involved in the production and quality control of clinical PET radiopharmaceuticals, including FDG. In basic research, I synthesize F-18/C-11-labeled compounds and evaluate them in small animals to develop new in vivo imaging agents. I am also developing automated synthesis systems with clinical application in mind.

We are developing new PET probes based on disease characteristics. Using synthetic chemistry approaches, we create candidate probes with high selectivity for target molecules. We also evaluate their biodistribution and efficacy in cultured cells and small animals. Based on these results, we iteratively advance molecular design, chemical synthesis, and biological evaluation to establish new diagnostic methods that have been difficult with conventional approaches, with clinical application in view. In addition, we develop target-directed radiopharmaceuticals for radionuclide therapy, designing agents while considering the radiation quality emitted by radionuclides, including alpha particles, beta particles, and Auger electrons. Through these studies, we aim to realize theranostics that integrates diagnosis and treatment.

Ion channels are proteins in the cell membrane that generate the electrical phenomena of living organisms. Channel function is not simply a matter of the channel protein itself; rather, it is an environmental issue in which the surrounding membrane environment plays an important role. Molecular-level imaging using various microscopes and computational methods will become increasingly important.

I handle PET appointment scheduling, RI management, clinical support, and related duties.

I perform PET imaging and manage the small-animal PET system, among other duties.

Operation and maintenance of a CTI-manufactured cyclotron. I work to ensure stable operation.

We aim to analyze mitochondrial abnormalities and oxidative stress using PET and elucidate the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases.

The research target of the Division of Biomedical Imaging is to generate, analyze and translate various functional in vivo images using positron emission tomography (PET), MRI and other modalities of medical imaging devices. Kinetic modeling with physiological analysis and applying molecular imaging methods to clinical studies are good examples of our research target. Brain activation studies using fMRI are also a major subject of our research interest.

CV

Publications

Recent progress in molecular biology brings us a new insight of diseases, namely abnormality of gene expression. Our focus is to develop molecular probes which allow us to visualize disease-related gene expression non-invasively. Present target organs are brain, heart and tumors. Internal radiation therapy agent labeled with beta emitting nuclide is also under development.