Research Outline

Our department conducts epidemiological studies on the etiology (genetic and environmental factors), pathogenesis, prevention and treatment of viral infections, child development specific conditions (congenital and acquired), from the standpoints of international health science, virology, immunology and neuroscience, with research and education goals for the development of measures that contributes to the improvement of maternal-child health and public health in general.

Research Themes

Epidemiological and virological studies

Together with our collaborators from Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Myanmar, our department conducts mosquito-borne virus cohort studies and research on viral and host-immunological factors that affect outbreaks.
Through a better understanding of transmission dynamics and our immune response to infection, these research output allows the identification of key biological signatures according to disease severity, regional characteristics and individual variability, which will lead to better clinical management and control strategies.

Featured Publications:

• Buerano CC, Pangilinan LS, Dimamay MTA, Mapua CA, Dimamay MPS, Matias RR, Natividad FF, de Guzman Daroy ML, Hasebe F, Morita K, Moi ML. Zika Virus Infection, Philippines, 2012. Emerg Infect Dis. 2020 Sep;26(9):2300-2301.
• Le TQM, Takemura T, Moi ML, Nabeshima T, Nguyen LKH, Hoang VMP, Ung THT, Le TT, Nguyen VS, Pham HQA, Duong TN, Nguyen HT, Ngu DN, Nguyen CK, Morita K, Hasebe F, Dang DA.Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Shedding by Travelers, Vietnam, 2020. Emerg Infect Dis. 2020 Jul;26(7):1624-1626.
• Wijesooriya SL, Nguyen CT, Nguyen TTT, Vu TBH, Taichiro T, Morita K, Le TQM, Dang DA, Hasebe F, Moi ML. Long-term surveillance needed to detect Zika virus outbreaks in endemic regions. Lancet Infect Dis. 2020 Feb;20(2):168-169.

Virus-host interactions and pathogenesis studies

Dengue remains a major public health treat globally. As the patterns of circulation of dengue virus serotypes across regions are linked to cross-reactive immunity in the population, understanding viral outbreaks in a region requires knowledge regarding immune response to other flaviviruses and dengue virus serotypes.
At our department, we define the mechanisms of cross-reactive immunity during dengue, Zika, Japanese encephalitis and flavivirus secondary infection, with aims to determine the mechanisms behind pre-existing immunity in protection or pathogenesis and influences viral evolution during infection. This knowledge is critical for developing and deploying flavivirus vaccines and anti-viral therapeutics in an increasingly flavivirus-experienced world.

Featured Publications:

• Nakamura Y, Moi ML, Shiina T, Shin-I T, Suzuki R. Idiotope-Driven T-Cell/B-Cell Collaboration-Based T-Cell Epitope Prediction Using B-Cell Receptor Repertoire Sequences in Infectious Diseases. Viruses. 2023 May 17;15(5):1186.
• Azami NAM, Moi ML, Ami Y, Suzaki Y, Taniguchi S, Tajima S, Saijo M, Takasaki T, Kurane I, Lim CK. Genotype-Dependent Immunogenicity of Dengue Virus Type 2 Asian I and Asian/American Genotypes in Common Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus): Discrepancy in Neutralizing and Infection-Enhancing Antibody Levels between Genotypes. Microorganisms. 2021 Oct 21;9(11):2196.
• Ly MHP, Moi ML, Vu TBH, Tun MMN, Saunders T, Nguyen CN, Nguyen AKT, Nguyen HM, Dao TH, Pham DQ, Nguyen TTT, Le TQM, Hasebe F, Morita K. Dengue virus infection-enhancement activity in neutralizing antibodies of healthy adults before dengue season as determined by using FcγR-expressing cells. BMC Infect Dis. 2018 Jan 10;18(1):31.

Research on development of diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics against viral infectious diseases

Our department investigates the immunology and pathogenesis of flaviviral infections by developing biological relevant in-vitro and in-vivo models. In collaboration with academic and industrial counterparts, our department also conducts studies on the development of diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases including dengue, Zika, Chikungunya, Japanese encephalitis viruses.
Ongoing studies include the development of in-vitro (Fcgamma receptor (FcγR) expressing cells) and in-vivo (mouse and marmoset, non-human primate (NHPs)) models to determine antibody immune response towards viral infection.

Featured Publications：

• Balingit JC, Phu Ly MH, Matsuda M, Suzuki R, Hasebe F, Morita K, Moi ML. A Simple and High-Throughput ELISA-Based Neutralization Assay for the Determination of Anti-Flavivirus Neutralizing Antibodies. Vaccines (Basel). 2020 Jun 10;8(2):297.
• Moi ML, Ami Y, Muhammad Azami NA, Shirai K, Yoksan S, Suzaki Y, Kitaura K, Lim CK, Saijo M, Suzuki R, Takasaki T, Kurane I. Marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) as a non-human primate model for evaluation of candidate dengue vaccines: induction and maintenance of specific protective immunity against challenges with clinical isolates. J Gen Virol. 2017 Dec;98(12):2955-2967.
• Moi ML, Lim CK, Kotaki A, Takasaki T, Kurane I. Development of an antibody-dependent enhancement assay for dengue virus using stable BHK-21 cell lines expressing Fc gammaRIIA. J Virol Methods. 2010 Feb;163(2):205-9

Ongoing research themes

• Development and evaluation for flavivirus diagnostics
• Host immune response during emerging and re-emerging viral infection
• Contribution of host factors during disease protection or pathogenesis
• Flavivirus vaccine and therapeutics development and evaluation
• Development and evaluation of animal and in-vitro disease models
• Antibody-dependent enhancement mechanism during dengue and flavivirus infection
• Viral infectious disease field and epidemiological studies
• Maternal-child infection and congenital disorders
• Communicable diseases surveillance for maternal-child healthcare and global public health issues, informed decision and policy-making