北海道大学　大学院医学研究院微生物部門免疫学分野

History 

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The Department of Bacteriology (current Department of Immunology) was first opened as one of the department of School of Medicine at Hokkaido Imperial University in 1922. Up until new Department of Microbiology and Infectious disease was established in 2007, the Department of Bacteriology was responsible for the research and education of bacteriology, virology, parasitology and immunology. During many years, we have produced numerous great researchers such as Dr. Yasuichi Nagano (Tokyo Univ.), Dr. Hisao Uetake (Kyoto Univ.), Dr. Hidemi Matsumiya (Hokkaido Univ.), Dr. Masanobu Azuma (Asahikawa Univ.), Dr. Keiji Koguma (Okayama Univ.), Dr. Nobuhiro Fujii (Sapporo Medical Univ.), and Dr. Akio Nakane (Hirosaki Univ.). 

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Interferon 

​The first professor of Department of Bacteriology, Dr. Yutaka Nakamura was focusing on the research about smallpox virus and cowpox virus when he first established his laboratory. According to the article of alumni magazine published by Dr. Yasuichi Nagano's laboratory (Infectious Disease Research Institute), Dr. Nakamura had already felt that neutralization antibodies can't by itself explain the resistance to viruses, as he knew that the antiviral antibody is induced relatively quickly during viral infection. He kept his focus on this research and tried to experimentally demonstrate, but it did not go so well. Many researchers from foreign countries also tried the experimental with the same or similar method, but no one was able to get a clear answer. The famous immunovirologist for clonal selection theory, Sir., Frank Macfarlene Burnet (Novel Prize awardee in 1960) was one of them. Later, this research was passed down to Profs. Yamada and Nagano. Dr. Nagano started his research as an assistant researcher in the Prof. Nakamura's lab, after graduating Hokkaido University, School of Medicine. In 1947, he became professor in Infectious Disease Research Institute (current The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo). His research team discovered that the antiviral action was recognized within 24 hours after the smallpox virus injection to a rabbit. Dr. Kojima, who at that time was one of the member of Dr. Nagano's team, also discovered the soluble antiviral action by using ultracentrifuge which was imported to Japan around that time. He called that antiviral action as Virus Inhibiting Factor, had presented in 1954, and it was published in the French scientific journals. The virus inhibiting factor later called as Interferon, as it took the name from English paper which Dr. Alick Issacs and Dr. Jean Lundenmann published in 1957. 

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1872    Kaitakushi Tentative School was founded 

1875    Sapporo Agricultural College was founded 

1907    Renamed as College of Agriculture, Tohoku Imperial University 

1918    Renamed and established as Hokkaido Imperial University 

​1919    School of Medicine was founded 

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First Generation           Prof. Yutaka Nakamura (1922-1951)

​In May of 1922, Prof. Nakamura was appointed as a professor at Hokkaido University after his research abroad to Germany and France, from Tokyo Imperial University Infectious Disease Research Institute. His research included not only bacteriology and virology, but also immune response during the viral infection. During this period, the Department of Bacteriology was not only responsible as the main inspection facility, but also responsible for the public health in entire state of Hokkaido. There is a record that shows when the infection disease was spread around in the area, he sent his team to examine and took necessary preventive measures. 

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Second Generation       Prof. Mamoru Yamada (1951-1970)

​The second generation professor was Dr. Yamada, who was an assistant professor at that time. He conducted wide research about host microbial response, which includes virus interference (a phenomenon that is less likely to get infected with virus when infected). 

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Third Generation           Prof. Hiroo Iida (1970-1985)

​Dr. Iida, who was working at the Hokkaido Institute of Public Health became the third generation of professor. He managed his first International Interferon Conference at Heidelberg in 1984. 

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Fourth Generation         Prof. Tomoki Minagawa (1986-2003)

Dr. Minagawa who was an assistant professor became a fourth generation of professor. His research was focused on microbiology research, including echinococcus and sarcoidosis. In 2000, the department name was changed as Department of Infection Control. 

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Fifth Generation             Prof. Tsukasa Seya (2004-2016)

​Dr. Seya was appointed as a fifth generation professor from Osaka International Cancer Institute. His research was focused on molecular biology, especially about innate immune system which was a leading edge at that time. In 2007, the department name was changed to the Department of Immunology, specializing immunology. The newly established department, Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, which was parted way from our department, handled research and education of microbiology. 

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Sixth Generation (current)           Koichi Kobayashi (2017-)

​Dr. Kobayashi was appointed as a sixth generation professor from Texas A&M University, which he concurrently holds position there as well.