Physical Therapy Research Field (PhD)
【About Physical Therapy Research Field】
To the physical therapy research field
In April 2016, the Physical Therapy track of the Faculty of Welfare and Health Sciences, was established at Oita University. This field of study aims to educate and train undergraduate students to become leaders in the system of integrated community care and in our wider society. In April 2020, the Masters course in Medical Health Sciences was established in the Graduate School of Welfare and Health Sciences. In 2021, the field of Physical Therapy Research was newly opened in the Oita University Graduate School of Medicine. Graduates from the Masters course in Medical Health Sciences or those with a background of physical therapy and other related areas are invited to join our program and conduct cutting edge research in rehabilitation sciences and other health-related fields. Graduates in this area of research are expected to become international leaders in their fields.
Areas of research of the faculty include basic medicine, neuroscience, physical therapy of motor function, pediatric physical therapy, and community-based physical therapy. Applicants should carefully review each faculty member’s area(s) of research before contacting the potential mentor to discuss possible research projects. If you are an undergraduate student, feel free to inquire about applications to the Masters course in the Graduate School of Welfare and Health Sciences.
News
2024/05/19
Dr. Otsuka has arrived at lecturer.NEW
2022/04/29
2022/01/25
Website uploaded!
Faculty member
Department of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation sciences, and Geriatric Physical Therapy sciences.
1. Study on effect of the rehabilitation for patients with respiratory disorder, and cardiovascular disease.
The usefulness of the exercise for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) cases and heart failure cases is reported. We are going to inspect an effect of the exercise with the severe cardiopulmonary failure cases. In addition, we intend to investigate the synergy effect of exercise and medications at the cardiopulmonary failure patients.2. Study of judging the ingestion/swallow function in an aged person and a patient having the ingestion/swallow difficulty.
It is reported that "an aspiration" is related to most of pneumonia of the elderly person. We study the evaluation for early detecting of misswallowing/aspiration, and the effect of the exercise for the person whom a deglutition function decreased.3. Study of physical function and social participation of the elderly person.
It is known that the social participation has a relation with physical function. We are studying "the relations with social participation and physical and oral function of elderly person", and “the variation of the physical function of the residents of participating in community-based exercise lesson”. And we are going to continue these studies.4. Study of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patient on early detection and aggravation prevention.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is respiratory illness to develop for inhaling a harmful particle for a long term. Early detection and early treatment of COPD are important. In addition, with respect to COPD, the targets shall be to increase recognition that prevention is possible by stopping smoking since smoking is the major cause of COPD, and that early detection is important. We work on early detection and recognition improvement using a result of spirometry and "Lung age" for residents.
Contact：ma-asai*oita-u.ac.jp
※Please replace "*" with "＠" before sending an e-mail
※Please replace "*" with "＠" before sending an e-mail
Kawakami Laboratory
1．Effect of mechanical stimulation on muscle atrophy and its molecular mechanism
In general, muscular strength training effects require high-intensity exercise. However, high-intensity exercise is difficult for the elderly people and patients. In the first place, such exercises are dangerous for them. In the physical therapy room, we often experience improved muscle function for the elderly people and patients even with low-intensity exercise. Also, the effects of strength training on atrophied muscles show up much faster than the effects on healthy muscles. Our aim is to clarify the "wonders" and to develop new physical therapies that overturn the existing theories.2．Physiotherapy effects on muscle injuries and their mechanisms
In general, it is said that rest, cooling, compression, and elevation are important for the treatment of muscle injuries that occur during sports. In recent years, however, it has become clear that the inflammatory response in muscle injury is essential for muscle regeneration, and that inflammation suppression may prevent recovery from muscle injury. Macrophages and muscle stem cells seem to be involved in this process. In addition, mechanical stimulation in physical therapy seems to accelerate the process of clearance and regeneration of injured muscle tissues. Our aim is to elucidate the mechanism of muscle repair under inflammatory conditions and to develop new physical therapies that overturn existing theories.
Contact：kkawakami*oita-u.ac.jp
※Please replace "*" with "＠" before sending an e-mail
※Please replace "*" with "＠" before sending an e-mail
Laboratory of Physiology (Osamu Tokumaru, MD, PhD, MPH)
Evaluation of antioxidative activity of drugs as direct free radical scavengers
Free radicals play critical roles in pathophysiology of various diseases such as brain infarction, coronary heart disease, inflammation, and diabetes mellitus. This laboratory aims to investigate free radical scavenging activity of drugs by electron spin resonance spectroscopy.TOF/MS imaging of high-energy phosphates in brain
Brain consumes about one fifth of energy (i.e., ATP) produced in body. The laboratory visualizes changes in high-energy phosphates (ATP, ADP, AMP) after ischemia/reperfusion in brain to understand mechanism of vulnerability to ischemia.Prediction of perioperative complication using metabolomic analysis of body fluid
It is critical to predict and prevent perioperative complications to reduce death and severe sequelae after surgery. The laboratory aims to detect patients at risk of perioperative complications using NMR metabolomics of blood and urine of patients during operation.Health-related crisis in evacuation shelters after natural disasters
Japan is a country where natural disasters often occur. A new project has just started to investigate health-related problems and concerns in evacuation shelters after natural disasters under the initiative of the President of the Oita University. We have formed a transdisciplinary team, and conduct researches of environment, infection and health care service in evacuation shelters to manage health-related crisis.
Contact：ostokuma*oita-u.ac.jp
※Please replace "*" with "＠" before sending an e-mail
※Please replace "*" with "＠" before sending an e-mail
Rui-Cheng Ji
The role of the lymphatic system and its mechanism in the recovery process of muscle atrophy and injury
The lymphatic system consisting of lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes and lymphatic organs, plays an important role in the transport of interstitial fluid back to the blood and in immune response. Until now we have focused on structural and functional evaluation of the lymphatic vessels in various animal disease models. As a result, the disease-specific regulation of lymphatic vessels has been elucidated in tumor growth and metastasis, lymphedema, inflammation and wound healing. Moreover, it has become clear in recent years that lymphangiogenesis is largely involved in different muscle disorders and repair processes, e.g., muscle atrophy and injury. The signaling pathway of lymphatic endothelial cells induced by mechanical stimulation may significantly affect physical therapy in the muscle diseases. Therefore, scientific verification of lymphatic vessels could lead to the development of more effective physical therapy and new drugs.
Contact：ji*oita-u.ac.jp
※Please replace "*" with "＠" before sending an e-mail
※Please replace "*" with "＠" before sending an e-mail
Sugata
Motor function changes by physical therapy. At this time, this changed motor function is being controlled by brain. In other words, it can be said that physical therapy induces changes in motor function by modulating brain function. This means that the relationship between brain and physical therapy has a very strong connection. To pursue the truth related to physical therapy, this laboratory investigates fundamental physical therapy from the viewpoint of the neuroscience.
Research topics
1.Neurorehabilitation using transfer of body illusion
Keywords: Virtual reality, Augmented reality2.Neural substrate related to motor learning
Key words: Electroencephalogram, Electrocorticogram, Neural oscillation, Functional connectivity3.Interoception and motor learning capacity.
Keywords: Interoception, Heartbeat-evoked potential, Real-time control4.Attention theory and unilateral spacial neglect
Keywords: Attention theory, Mental rotation, Neural oscillation, Functional connectivity
Contact：hsugata*oita-u.ac.jp
※Please replace "*" with "＠" before sending an e-mail
※Please replace "*" with "＠" before sending an e-mail
Mani Laboratory
Human postural and motor control can deal flexibly with complexity situations in activity daily living. However, individuals with neuromuscular diseases, aging, or developmental disorders are difficult to adjust a postural balance and have higher fall risks. The purpose of our laboratory is to clarify characteristics of postural and motor control in these individuals and to develop novel balance training for improving their postural and motor control. Our laboratory analyzes each data from motion analysis system, force plate, electromyography, accelerometer, and inertial sensor.
Research topics
1. Research on relationships with feed-forward postural control and feedback postural control.
Key words: Postural control, Anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs), Sensory feedback, Virtual reality2. Research on typical development of postural and motor control in children aged 1-18 years.
Key words: Pediatrics, Motor development, Prospective study, Deep learning3. Research on characteristics of postural and motor development in developmental coordination disorders.
Key words: Developmental coordination disorders (DCD), Clumsiness, Postural balance, Motion analysis
Contact：mani-hiroki*oita-u.ac.jp
※Please replace "*" with "＠" before sending an e-mail
※Please replace "*" with "＠" before sending an e-mail
Otuka Laboratory
Japan's super-aged society has seen an increase in the incidence of strokes, which can cause bedridden patients. Acute stroke treatment, which accounts for 60% of all strokes, has a time limit of 4.5 hours to administer medication, and 90% of patients do not make it in time. Therefore, stroke prevention requires the development of methods to prevent not only the onset of stroke but also its seriousness. The Otsuka laboratory is developing a novel prevention method that combines preventive exercise and remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) to activate the body's innate neuroprotective function.
Research topics
1. The effect of preventive exercise-derived neuroprotection on stroke volume.
2. Establishment of a new prevention method using a combination of RIPC and preventive exercise.
The RIPC is a method in which the arms and thighs are temporarily tied and repeatedly compressed and released, and it has been reported that neuroprotective effects can be acquired. We are currently conducting basic experiments by wrapping cuffs around both thighs and tails of rats.
Contact：otsuka-shotaro*oita-u.ac.jp
※Please replace "*" with "＠" before sending an e-mail
※Please replace "*" with "＠" before sending an e-mail
Links
