Laboratory of Microbiology

Faculty/School of Veterinary Medicine

Hokkaido University

What is "infectious disease"?

Species barrier

Ecology of viruses

The 1st focus of our research is the pathogenicity of a virus. Molecular mechanism of a fatal disease in animals caused by a highly pathogenic virus infection is studied by comparing the highly pathogenic virus and non-pathogenic virus.

The 2nd topic of our research is a species barrier for a virus between humans and animals and also between animals and another animals. The host factor(s) which can be the species barrier and the virus factor(s) which is responsible to spill over the species are studied.

"A life of the virus" is the 3rd topic of our research. Behind the emergences of highly pathogenic viruses, there are several non-pathogenic or less pathogenic viruses in their natural host. We have performed surveillances every year since decades ago.