The University of Tokyo · Medicine
Professor Kenji Kondo's research lab focuses on the intersection of aging, sensory function, and natural products, with a particular emphasis on olfactory neurobiology and the molecular identification of medicinal plants. The lab investigates age-related changes in olfactory neuroepithelium, including neurogenesis and cell death, using animal models to understand the mechanisms underlying smell dysfunction in aging. Additionally, the lab employs molecular DNA markers to accurately identify and characterize medicinal licorice species, linking genetic profiles to their bioactive constituents. Recent work also explores the potential of phytochemicals in supporting recovery from post-viral olfactory disorders, such as those seen in COVID-19.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Like other sensory systems, olfactory function deteriorates with age. Epidemiological studies have revealed that the incidence of olfactory dysfunction increases at the age of 60 and older and males are more affected than females. Moreover, smoking, heavy alcohol use, sinonasal diseases, and Down's syndrome are associated with an increased incidence of olfactory dysfunction. Although the pathophysiology of olfactory dysfunction in humans remains largely unknown, studies in laboratory animals hav
Constituent properties of licorices derived from Glycyrrhiza uralensis, G. glabra, and G. inflata are revealed by comparing 117 of licorice identified using four genetic markers; internal tracscribed spacer (ITS) on nuclear ribosomal DNA, rbcL gene, matK gene, and trnH-trnK1 intergenic region on chloroplast DNA. Regarding six main constituents of licorice; glycyrrhizin, liquiritin, liquiritin apioside, isoliquiritin, isoliquiritin apioside, and liquiritigenin, the constituent property of G. glab
Age-related changes in cell proliferation, neuronal differentiation, and cell death in mouse olfactory neuroepithelium were investigated. Mice at the age of 10 days through 16 months were given a single injection of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). The olfactory mucosae were fixed at 9 timepoints ranging from 2 hours to 3 months after the injection and examined using double immunostaining for BrdU and olfactory marker protein (OMP), and double staining with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediate
The year 2020 became the year of the outbreak of coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, which escalated into a worldwide pandemic and continued into 2021. One of the unique symptoms of the SARS-CoV-2 disease, COVID-19, is the loss of chemical senses, i.e., smell and taste. Smell training is one of the methods used in facilitating recovery of the olfactory sense, and it uses essential oils of lemon, rose, clove, and eucalyptus. These essential oils were not selected based on their chemical constituents. Althou
For the accurate identification of medicinal licorice species, nucleotide sequences of four types of DNA regions were researched for 205 specimens, including three species used as licorice: Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Glycyrrhiza glabra, and Glycyrrhiza inflata. The four DNA regions were the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) on nuclear ribosomal DNA, the rbcL gene, the matK gene, and the trnH-psbA intergenic region on chloroplast DNA (cpDNA). Ten genotypes were consequently recognized as combinations
This study suggested that the prognosis of patients who recovered early can be predicted more precisely; however, the prognosis of patients who recovered late and incomplete could not be predicted easily.
During March-July 2014, rotavirus G8P[8] emerged as the predominant cause of rotavirus gastroenteritis among children in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. Clinical characteristics were similar for infections caused by G8 and non-G8 strains. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses suggest the strains were generated by multiple reassortment events between DS-1-like P[8] strains and bovine strains from Asia.
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