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International Mucosal Immunology and Disease Control Lab
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A mucosal immunity lab developing oral and inhaled vaccines to prevent infectious diseases.
AboutAbout the lab
Linking the mysteries of mucosal immunity to vaccines
The International Mucosal Immunology and Disease Control Lab studies how the immune system works in the mucosa of the digestive and respiratory tracts, which begin at the mouth and nose.
Building on this foundation, the lab is developing oral and inhaled vaccines as an alternative to injections.
As the Department of Human Mucosal Vaccinology at Chiba University Hospital, the lab conducts joint research with Shionogi & Co., Ltd.
Its goals are a sustainable society through mucosal vaccines and a society where vaccination is safe and reassuring.
Key terms
- Mucosal immunity
- The immune system at mucosal sites that are in contact with the outside environment, such as the nose and intestines.
- Secretory IgA
- An antibody that appears on mucosal surfaces and prevents pathogens from entering the body.
- Adjuvant
- A substance added to a vaccine to strengthen the immune response.
ResearchResearch themes
The lab sets three goals: further elucidation of mucosal immunity, development of mucosal vaccines and immunotherapies, and control of infectious and immune diseases. It is developing vaccines that use oral and nasal immunization, combining antigen delivery systems and adjuvants, to build a two-layered defense of secretory IgA on the mucosa and systemic antibodies.
*Illustrative imageNasal Vaccines for Respiratory Infections
COVID-19 and influenza can cause severe pneumonia and respiratory failure. The lab is researching and developing nasal vaccines against respiratory infections jointly with Shionogi, which has taken on the challenge of freeing people from the threat of infectious diseases.
*Illustrative imageCationic Nanogel Nasal Vaccine
This technology uses positively charged nanogels, designed around the fact that the surface of respiratory mucosa is negatively charged, to keep vaccine antigens in the nasal mucosa for longer. In collaboration with materials engineering researchers, the lab is developing nasal vaccines based on it against respiratory infections such as those caused by pneumococcus.
*Illustrative imageRice-Based Oral Vaccine MucoRice
This technology makes rice seeds produce and store vaccine antigens, with the aim of creating an oral vaccine that needs neither refrigeration or freezing nor syringes. Using MucoRice-CTB, which expresses the non-toxic B subunit of cholera toxin, the lab continues research and development of vaccines to prevent intestinal infections.
*Illustrative imagePolymer Nanomaterials for Mucosal Vaccines
To deliver vaccine antigens beneath the mucosal epithelium while protecting them, the lab is designing and developing cationic nanogels and new delivery carriers. It also aims to create materials for mucosal vaccines that can be applied as a patch or taken orally.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Department of Human Mucosal Vaccinology consist of faculty, project researchers, project specialist staff, collaborative researchers, research technicians, graduate students, and interns.
- Distinguished ProfessorHiroshi Kiyono
- Project ProfessorKohtaro Fujihashi
- Project Associate ProfessorRika Nakahashi
- Project Associate ProfessorShinichi Sawada
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “3D structure of secretory IgA2” McortNGHH / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Nasal Vaccines for Respiratory Infections: “GI receives an intranasal mist of the flu vaccine at Guantanamo” Elisha Dawkins / Public domain (cropped)
- Cationic Nanogel Nasal Vaccine: “Child holding a small bottle of nasal spray closeup” Shixart1985 / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Rice-Based Oral Vaccine MucoRice: “Ripening rice plants in paddy field, Indonesia” Undeka 11 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Polymer Nanomaterials for Mucosal Vaccines: “Laboratory vacuum distillation apparatus on a benchtop” KiveVictor / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (International Allergy and Mucosal Immunology Lab): “Mast Cell (NIH BioArt )” Courtesy of NIAID Ryan Kissinger / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Cardiovascular Medicine Lab): “A cardiac catheterization procedure in the Naval Medical Center San Diego hospital’s cardiac catheterization laboratory” Navy Medicine / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Infectious Disease Pathogenesis Lab): “SARS-CoV-2 scanning electron microscope image” National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Experimental Immunology Lab): “T Lymphocyte ( )” NIAID / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
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