Tokyo Women's Medical University

School of Nursing

School of Nursing, Basic Science

The basic sciences in undergraduate education aim to cultivate the ability to understand life activities and accurately grasp pathological conditions by learning the basic structure and function of the human body from the viewpoints of anatomy and physiology. The program also aims to nurture medical professionals who are constantly aware of problems and are capable of self-improvement in response to the rapid development of life sciences.
As the basic sciences at the Center for Integrated Education and Learning, we conduct promoting Information and Communication Technology (ICT) education, developing the infrastructure of the Learning Management System (LMS), and analyzing various data for Institutional Research (IR), and contribute to the enhancement of education in both the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Nursing.　

Research Details

We are working on "Analysis on Synaptic Anatomy of Neural Responses in One Neuron to Optimize Escape Behavior" and "Analysis of Synaptic Functions of Mental Disease Risk Factors Using a Model of the Prototype Circuit for Behavior Optimization. Both studies focus on how neural circuits, which play a key role in behavior optimization, are created, used, and guide appropriate behavior. The same stimulus (e.g., sound) can be felt and received differently by different individuals, and the resulting behavior can also vary from person to person. There are many factors that determine which behavior to take, such as the situation, gender, and upbringing. And since abnormalities in the development of neural circuits are a predisposing factor for psychiatric and neurological disorders, it is expected that the results of our research will be returned to society. For example, patients with autism spectrum disorders and developmental disorders are often observed to be hypersensitive to sound, light, pain, and other sensations, or conversely, to have difficulty in sensing them, and are unable to behave appropriately in social situations. The cause of this is thought to be a malfunction of the "behavior optimization circuit" in the brain.
Our study uses the nematode C. elegans, the only model organism for which wiring information for all nerves has been identified, as a model. C. elegans is 1 mm long and has only 302 nerves. This is 1/50 millionth of the number of nerves in the human brain. However, even in such a simple organism, the "wiring" of the nerves is known, but their "roles" are largely unknown. My major goal is to first clarify the "miniature circuits" of the nematode worm, and thereby establish a foothold for understanding the complex brain functions of humans.

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