DEPARTMENT OF VIROLOGY I

The Department of Virology I conducts research, performs vaccine quality control, and provides national reference laboratory functions related to high-consequence viruses, including hemorrhagic fever viruses and poxviruses, arboviruses, neurotropic viruses, and herpesviruses. The department’s research focuses on (i) biological characterization of viruses, (ii) development of laboratory diagnostic methods, (iii) molecular and sero-epidemiology, (iv) disease pathogenesis, and (v) development of vaccines and antivirals.

LABORATORY OF HIGH CONSEQUENCE VIRAL PATHOGENS

Implementation of diagnostic testing for severe emerging and re-emerging viral infections such as viral hemorrhagic fevers (including Ebola virus disease, Marburg disease, Lassa fever, and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever), severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome, mpox, and smallpox, as well as the development of novel diagnostic methods, preventive measures, and therapeutic approaches.
Quality control of smallpox vaccine.

LABORATORY OF ARBOVIRUSES

Development of laboratory diagnostic methods for arbovirus infections.
Molecular and epidemiological studies on arboviruses.
Studies on the immune responses induced by arbovirus infection and its pathogenicity.
Research on the prevention and treatment of arbovirus infections.
Quality control of Japanese encephalitis vaccine, tickborne encephalitis vaccine, and yellow fever vaccine.
Reference laboratory activity on arbovirus diseases.
This laboratory has been designated as one of the global specialized Japanese encephalitis laboratories by the WHO.

LABORATORY OF EMERGING AND NEGLECTED VIRAL DISEASES

Research on rhabdoviruses, including rabies virus.
Quality control of rabies vaccines.
Research on bunyaviruses and other emerging/re emerging viruses (non-respiratory)

LABORATORY OF PERSISTENT DNA VIRUSES

Studies on prophylaxis, treatment, and diagnosis of the diseases caused by human herpesviruses.
Studies on replication, gene expression, and pathogenesis of human herpesviruses.
Molecular and sero-epidemiology of human herpesviruses.
Studies on diagnostics and treatment of drug-resistant herpesvirus infections.
Quality control of varicella zoster virus (VZV) vaccine and VZV intradermal test antigen.
Studies on the laboratory diagnosis of polyomavirus infection.
Clinical and epidemiological studies of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.

DEPARTMENT OF VIROLOGY I Contents (Coming Soon)