Members

Ikuo Tsunoda, MD, PhD, Professor and Chair
Fumitaka Sato, PhD, Associate Professor
Seiichi Omura, PhD, Associate Professor
Cong Thanh Nguyen, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor
Alfredo A. Hinay, Jr., PhD, Assistant Professor
Ijaz Ahmad, PhD, Graduate Student
Sandesh Rimal, MS, Graduate Student

CURRICULUM VITAE

Ikuo Tsunoda was born in Fukushima, Japan. He obtained his MD and PhD degrees from Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan. His thesis was immunopathological studies on a viral model for multiple sclerosis (MS), Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) infection. Thereafter, He continued to conduct research on MS as a Research Associate (Junior Faculty, "Joshu") at the Department of Neurological Sciences (Neuropathology), Tohoku University School of Medicine for one year. While in Japan, he trained as a Neurology resident for two years under Teiji Yamamoto, MD, Professor, Department of Neurology, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima. He also trained in human neuropathology under Yuzo Iwasaki, MD, PhD,
Major Research Interests: Neurovirology, Viral Pathogenesis, Neuroimmunology, Autoimmunity, Multiple Sclerosis

Education/Training
M.D., 1990, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
Ph.D., 1994, Neuropathology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
1996- The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) Certification
1995-1999 Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah

Full-time Positions
1994 Research Associate, Department of Neurological Sciences, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
1999-2002 Research Associate, Department of Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
2002-2005 Instructor, Department of Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
2005-2007 Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
2007-2009 Research Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Division of Cell Biology & Immunology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
2008-2009 Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
2009-2015 Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, Louisiana
2015-2016 Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Neurology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, Louisiana
2016-present Professor and Chair, Department of Microbiology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osakasayama, Osaka, Japan

Editorial Committees and Reviewer Experience
2005-2009 Merit Grant Reviewer, The Salt Lake VA Research and Development Committee
2008 Reviewer, The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS)
2009-present Editorial Board Member, Multiple Sclerosis International
2010-2012 Editorial Board Member, Neural Regeneration Research
2010 Study Section Reviewer, The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), Department of Defense, Multiple Sclerosis Research Program (MRSP)
2010-present Reviewer, The Italian Multiple Sclerosis Society (AISM-FISM)
2010 Reviewer, The Italian Ministry of Health (Research Funding Call grant 2009)
2012-present Editorial Board Member, Virology Discovery
2013-present Study Section Reviewer, The Department of Veterans Affairs Neurobiology-B (NURB) Scientific Review Group
2014-present Editorial Board Member (Associate Editor, Demyelinating diseases), BMC Neurology
2014 Co-Chairs Scientific Committee, Congress of Immunology and Molecular Immunopathology (CIMIP)

2014 Reviewer, Multiple Sclerosis Society, UK (Project Grant)
2015-2017 Reviewer, Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Society (Research Grant)
2015-present Reviewer, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE), Pacific Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Research, COBRE Small Grants Program P30GM114737. University of Hawaii
2016-present Advisory Board Member, Japan Multiple Sclerosis Society (JMSS)
2016-present Councilor, Japanese Society for Neuroimmunology
2016-present Editorial Board Member, Clinical & Experimental Neuroimmunology (CENI)
2016 Reviewer, Florida Department of Health, Zika Research Grant Initiative
2017-present Councilor, Japanese Society for Neuroinfectious Diseases
2018-present Editorial Board Member, Frontiers in Neurology
2019 Reviewer, Research Foundation - Flanders (Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek - Vlaanderen – FWO), Senior Project Fundamental Research Project, Belgium
2020 Reviewer, Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), Project funding in biology and medicine (division III), Switzerland.
2020-present Councilor, Japanese Society for Virology
2020-present Editorial Board Member, Pathophysiology
2021 Reviewer, Dutch Research Council (NWO, Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek), A Veni grant, Netherland.
2022-present Councilor, Japanese Society of Pathophysiology

Ad Hoc Reviewer
Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis, Acta Neuropathologica, Acta Neuropathologica Communications, Advances in Virology, Advances in Virus Research, American Journal of Physiology – Heart and Circulatory Physiology, Annals of Medicine, Antiviral Research, Autoimmunity, Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, Bioscience Reports, BioTechniques, BMC Neurology, BMC Neuroscience, Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, Brain Research, Brain Sciences, Cells, Clinical and Experimental Neuroimmunology, Clinical Investigation, eBioMedicine, European Journal of Pharmacology, EMBO Molecular Medicine, Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, Frontiers in Neurology, Hepatic Medicine: Evidence and Research, Helicobacter, Human Immunology, Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, Immunological Investigations, Immunology Letters, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, iScience, Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology, Journal of Neuroimmunology, Journal of Neuroinflammation, Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology, Journal of NeuroVirology, Journal of Virology,　 Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE), Medical Hypothesis, Microbiology and Immunology, Molecular Neurobiology, Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine, Neuroscience, Neuroscience and Behavioral Reviews, Neuroscience Journal, Neuroscience Letters, Neuroscience Research, Neurotherapeutics, Pathophysiology, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, PLoS One, PLoS Pathogen, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Progress in Neurobiology, Psychopharmacology, Scientific Reports, Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety, Vaccine, Viral Immunology, Virology, Virology Journal, World Journal of Neurology

Fumitaka Sato, PhD
Associate Professor

CURRICULUM VITAE

Dr. Fumitaka Sato joined the Department of Microbiology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, as an Assistant Professor on April 1, 2016, and has been promoted to Associate Professor on April 1, 2021. He had studied cellular immunology using an animal model of allergic asthma induced with influenza A virus for 6 years at the Department of Immunology (Professor Mutsuhiko Minami), Yokohama City University (YCU) School of Medicine, Japan. After he obtained his Ph.D. in March 2009, he had trained as a Postdoctoral Fellow first at the Department of Neurosurgery, YCU School of Medicine, and then at the Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-Shreveport (LSUHSC-S), USA, until March 2016. At LSUHSC-S, he studied neuroimmunology and neurovirology using two animal models of multiple sclerosis: experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV). He also established a novel model of viral myocarditis induced with TMEV, using his own fellowship grant from the Malcolm Feist Cardiovascular Diseases and Sciences ($ 225,000).

Education/Training
April, 1999-March, 2003: Department of Science, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan, B.S.
April, 2003-March, 2005: Department of Immunology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan, M.S.
April, 2005-March, 2009: Department of Immunology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan, Ph.D.
April, 2009-August, 2016: Department of Neurosurgery, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan, Postdoctoral Fellow
September, 2009-March, 2016: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-Shreveport, Shreveport, Louisiana, USA, Postdoctoral Fellow

Full-time Positions
April, 2016-March, 2021 Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osakasayama, Osaka, Japan
April, 2021-present Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osakasayama, Osaka, Japan

Ad Hoc Reviewer
Journal of Multiple Sclerosis, Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE), Pathophysiology

Publications
1. Sato F., Nakazawa M., Yamamiya S., Tamura C., Hongo N., Hotta C., Minami M. Effect of BSA Antigen Sensitization during the Acute Phase of Influenza A Viral Infection on CD11c+ Pulmonary Antigen Presenting Cells. Allergol. Int., 2009, 58(3): 445-454.
2. Sato F., Tanaka H., Hasanovic F., Tsunoda I. Theiler’s Virus Infection: Pathophysiology of demyelination and neurodegeneration. Pathophysiology, 2011, 18(1): 31-41.
3. Sato F., Omura S., Martinez N.E., Tsunoda I. Heterogeneity Versus Homogeneity of Multiple Sclerosis. Expert Rev. Clin. Immunol., 2011, 7(2): 165-167.
4. Sato F.*, Omura S.*, Martinez N.E., Tsunoda I. Animal Models of Multiple Sclerosis. In: Neuroinflammation, Minagar A. (Ed), Elsevier, Burlington, 2011, pp55-79. *Drs. Sato and Omura contributed equally.
5. Sato F., Martinez N.E., Shahid M., Rose J.W., Carlson N.G., Tsunoda I. Resveratrol exacerbates both autoimmune and viral models for multiple sclerosis. Am. J. Pathol., 2013, 183(5): 1390-1396.
6. Sato F., Omura S., Kawai E., Martinez N.E., Acharya M.M., Reddy P.C., Chaitanya G.V., Alexander J.S., Tsunoda I. Distinct kinetics of viral replication, T cell infiltration, and fibrosis in three phases of myocarditis following Theiler’s virus infection. Cell. Immunol., 2014, 292(1-2): 85-93.
7. Kawai E.*, Sato F.*, Omura S., Martinez N.E., Reddy P.C., Taniguchi M., Tsunoda I. Organ-specific protective role of NKT cells in virus-induced inflammatory demyelination and myocarditis depends on mouse strain. J. Neuroimmunol., 2015, 278:174-184. *Drs. Kawai and Sato contributed equally.
8. Sato F.*, Martinez N.E.*, Stewart E.C., Omura S., Alexander J.S., Tsunoda I. “Microglial nodules” and “newly forming lesions” may be a Janus face of early MS lesions; implications from virus-induced demyelination, the Inside-Out model. BMC Neurol., 2015, 15: 219. *Drs. Sato and Martinez contributed equally.
9. Sato F., Omura S., Jaffe S.L., Tsunoda I. Role of CD4 T lymphocytes in pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis. In: Multiple sclerosis: A mechanistic view. Minagar A. (Ed), Elsevier, Burlington, 2016, in press.

Awards
2011 The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) Travel Award
September, 2011-August, 2015, Fellowship from the Malcolm Feist Cardiovascular Research Endowment, $225,000. “Regulatory role of natural killer T (NKT) cells in cardiovirus-induced myocarditis”.
2012 American Heart Association (AHA) BCVS 2012 Travel Award for Young Investigator
2014 International Travel Grant, Japanese Society of Neurology
2015 American Society for Virology Medical Virology Club Travel Award, London, Ontario, Canada

Oral presentations
1. Center of Excellence for Arthritis and Rheumatology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Autoimmunity Discussion Group, “The role of resveratrol, a red wine component, on immune-mediated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE)”, Shreveport, Louisiana, USA, November 13, 2009.
2. Yokohama City University School of medicine, “Demyelination and axonal degeneration in animal models of multiple sclerosis: Outside-In model and Inside-Out model”, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan, February 9, 2010.
3. The 23rd Annual Meeting of Japanese Society for Neuroimmunology (JSNI), “Effect of curdlan, a Th17-cell inducer, in a viral model for multiple sclerosis: Theiler’s virus infection”, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, September 1517, 2011.
4. The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) South Central Branch Annual Meeting, “Role of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 in a viral model for myocarditis”, Monroe, Louisiana, USA, December 23, 2011.
5. The 55th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Neurology (JSN), “Autoimmune and viral models of MS in Th2-biased GATA3 transgenic mice”, Hakata, Fukuoka, Japan, May 2124, 2014.
6. The 34th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Virology (ASV), “Th1 transcription factor T-bet, but not Th2 transcription factor GATA3, overexpression is detrimental in a neurotropic viral infection in the CNS”, London, Ontario, Canada, July 1115, 2015.

Seiichi Omura, PhD
Associate Professor

Dr. Omura was born in Kakogawa, Hyogo, Japan. Before Dr. Omura joined Tsunoda laboratory in Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, he studied the physiology of estrogen receptor, using transgenic medaka fish, in Hiroshima University and the toxicity of environmental and man-made nanoparticles, using microarray, in the National Institute of Environmental Studies (NIES) in Japan. Since April, 2010, Dr. Omura had moved to the US, and worked in Tsunoda laboratory at the Departent of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC)-Shreveport, as a Postdoctoral Fellow and studied molecular mechanisms involved in multiple sclerosis (MS) and viral myocarditis, using bioinformatics approaches. Dr. Omura was supported by his own grant, Malcolm Feist Cardiovascular Research Fellowship, entitled “Systems Biology Approach for Molecular Mechanisms in Viral Myocarditis,” which was funded by Center for Cardiovascular Diseases and Sciences, LSUHSC. His study will make it possible for tailor-made treatment for the patients in the future. Currently, Dr. Omura has started trying to identify the novel biomarkers for MS and viral myocarditis, using bioinformatics approaches for RNA sequencing, as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.

Education
B.S.: 2000, Biotechnology Program, Faculty of Engineering, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
M.S.: 2002, Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Graduate School of Advanced Sciences of Matter, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
Ph.D.: 2010 Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japanbr>
Postdoctoral Fellow: April, 2010 - March, 2016, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, USA

Full-time Positions
April, 2016 - March, 2021, Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osakasayama, Osaka, Japan
April, 2021-present, Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osakasayama, Osaka, Japan

Ad Hoc Reviewer
Pathophysiology

Publications
1. Omura S, Kawai E, Sato F, Martinez NE, Chaitanya GV, Rollyson PA, Cvek U, Trutschl M, Alexander JS, and Tsunoda I. (2014). Bioinformatics multivariate analysis determined a set of phase-specific biomarker candidates in a novel mouse model for viral myocarditis. Circ Cardiovasc Genet, 7 (4): 444-454.
2. Fernando V*, Omura S*, Sato F, Kawai E, Martinez NE, Elliott SF, Yoh K, Takahashi S, Tsunoda I. (2014). Regulation of an autoimmune model for multiple sclerosis in Th2-biased GATA3 transgenic mice. Int J Mol Sci, 15 (2): 1700-1718. *Drs. Fernando and Omura contributed equally.
3. Omura S*, Sato, F.*, Martinez, N.E.,and Tsunoda, I. (2011). Animals models of multiple sclerosis. In: Neuroinflammation. Minagar A (Ed), Elsevier. *Drs. Omura and Sato contributed equally. 55-79.
4. Omura S, Koike, E., and Kobayashi, T. (2009). Microarray analysis of gene expression in rat alveolar epithelial cells exposed to fractionated organic extracts of diesel exhaust particles. Toxicology. 262: 65-72.

Oral presentations
1. Omura S, Sato F, Kawai E, Martinez NE, Cvek U, Trutschl M, Alexander JS, and Tsunoda I. (2014). Phase-specific cardiac biomarkers and blood surrogate markers for a mouse model of myocarditis induced by cardiovirus. The 33rd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Virology (ASV), June 21-25, Fort Collins, CO.
2. Omura S, Cvek U, Trutschl M, Sato F, Martinez NE, Kawai E, Fernando V, Morris LA, Acharya M, Shafiei F, Alexander JS and Tsunoda I. (2014). Brain biomarkers and spleen surrogate markers for primary progressive MS models. International Workshop and Oral Presentation: MS Model 1, the 55th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Neurology. May 21-24, Fukuoka, Japan.
3. Omura S, Sato F, Kawai E, Martinez NE, Pearson SF, Rollyson P, Cvek U, Trutschl M, and Tsunoda I. (2013). Computational analysis of microarray gene expression patterns discriminates the acute viral versus subacute immune phases of myocarditis induced by cardiovirus. The 32nd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Virology (ASV), July 20-24, State College, PA, p179.
4. Omura S, Sato F, Martinez NE, Chaitanya GV, Claycomb WC, Alexander JS, and Tsunoda I. (2012). Upregulation of chemokines and interferon-associated genes in a novel model for myocarditis induced by cardiovirus infection. 31st The American Society for Virology (ASV) Annual Meeting, July 21-25, Madison, WI, U.S.A., p144.
5. Omura S, Sato F, Martinez, NE, Kennett NJ, and Tsunoda I. (2011). Roles of Th1 and Th17 cells in autoimmune and viral models for relapsing-remitting versus progressive multiple sclerosis. 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, April 9-16. Honolulu Hawaii. Neurology 76 (9) Suppl 4: A40.

Awards

The International Society for Neurovascular Disease’s Award for Best Abstract-Poster, The 6th International Society for Neurovascular Disease (ISNVD) Meeting, New York Academy of Sciences, April 29-30, 2016, New York, NY
September, 2011-August, 2015, Fellowship from the Malcolm Feist Cardiovascular Research Endowment, $225,000.
Travel Grant, 55th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Neurology, May 21-24, 2014, Fukuoka, Japan.
Medical Virology Club Travel Grant, The 32nd American Society for Virology (ASV) Annual Meeting, July 20-24, 2013, State College, PA.
Travel Award for Postdoctoral Fellow, The 31st American Society for Virology (ASV) Annual Meeting, July 21-25, 2012, Madison, WI.

Cong Thanh Nguyen, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor

Dr. Nguyen was born in Vietnam. He graduated from the General Medicine Program of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in 2015. Then he worked in the Department of Clinical Hematology, Cho Ray Hospital, Vietnam, for 1 year before coming to Japan as a Graduate Student at the Department of Pathology, the Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Shiga, in 2016. His Ph.D. dissertation was about the pathogenesis of the avian influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 infection, using monkey models. He got his Ph.D. in 2021 and continued working as a Research Assistant Professor in the same department for 2 years, where he focused on the metabolism relating to Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD) in the host cells during viral infections. Since April 2023, he has worked in the Department of Microbiology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine. His research aims to clarify the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis, using experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus-induced demyelinating disease (TMEV-IDD) models.

Publications
1. Nguyen, C. T., Suzuki, S., Itoh, Y., Ishigaki, H., Nakayama, M., Hayashi, K., Matsuno, K., Okamatsu, M., Sakoda, Y., Kida, H., & Ogasawara, K. Efficacy of neuraminidase inhibitors against H5N6 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in a non-human primate model. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 2020, 64(7): e02561-19.
2. Nguyen CT, Nakayama M, Ishigaki H, Kitagawa Y, Kakino Akemi, Marumi Ohno M, Shingai M, Suzuki Y, Sawamura T, Kida H, and Itoh Y. Increased expression of CD38 on endothelial cells in SARS-CoV-2 infection in cynomolgus macaques. Virology 594, 110052 PDF
Awards

1. Visiting Researcher Fellowship, Shiga University of Medical Science, 2016-2017. Developing vaccines and antiviral drugs against influenza virus using non-human primate model. ($13460)

2. Scholarship for Self-supporting Students, Sato Yo International Scholarship Foundation, 2017-2021. Efficacy of antiviral drug against H5N6 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in a non-human primate model. ($55187)
3. Special Recognition Award, The 37th Symposium at Shiga University of Medical Science, Shiga Prefecture, 2020. Pneumonia and immune response in SARS-CoV-2-infected cynomolgus macaques. ($374)
4. Grants-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, No. 21K20757, 2021-2023. Investigating the mechanism of endothelial injury by COVID-19. ($22434)

Alfredo A. Hinay, Jr., PhD
Assistant Professor

Dr. Hinay, born in the Philippines, earned his Master of Science in Public Health: Medical Microbiology from the University of the Philippines in 2016 under a Philippine National Scholarship. He then served as an Assistant Professor at the University of the Immaculate Conception in Davao City, Philippines, for 4 years, with his research showing potent in vitro inhibition of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase by Philippine Crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis) serum. In 2019, he moved to Japan as a graduate student at the Division of Virology, Tottori University, and completed his Ph.D. in Medical Science in 2023 under the MEXT scholarship. His doctoral work focused on the intrinsic replication competence and antiretroviral drug susceptibility of high-growth HIV isolates from the Philippines, as well as the pro-inflammatory cytokine responses induced by seasonal influenza A virus in human lung epithelial cells. Following the completion of his doctorate, he spent 2 years as a Research Fellow at the Systems Virology Division, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, specializing in SARS-CoV-2 variant characterization and antiviral resistance. During this time, he also served as an Associate Professor at University of the Immaculate Conception through online distance learning for graduate students. In April 2025, Dr. Hinay became an Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology at Kindai University Faculty of Medicine with his current research interests on murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68), an experimental model for studying EBV-like infections, specifically viral reactivation dynamics during respiratory viral co-infections and host innate immune modulation.

Publications
1. Hinay, A.A., & Sarol, L.D.C. In vitro inhibition kinetics of Crocodylus mindorensis (Philippine crocodile) serum against Human immunodeficiency virus type I reverse transcriptase. Advances in Animal and Veterinary Sciences, 2018, 6(5): 213-218.
2. Hinay, A.A., Kakee, S., Kageyama, S., Tsuneki-Tokunaga, A., Perdana, W.Y., Akena, Y., Nishiyama, S. & Kanai, K. Pro-inflammatory cytokines and interferon-stimulated gene responses induced by seasonal influenza A virus with varying growth capabilities in human lung epithelial cell lines. Vaccines, 2022, 10(9): 1507
3. Hinay, A.A., Kanai, K., Tsuneki-Tokunaga, A., Komatsu, M., Telan, E.O. & Kageyama, S. In Vitro susceptibility of HIV isolates with high growth capability to antiretroviral drugs. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022, 23(23): 15380 4. Hinay, A.A., Cadotdot, N.M.T., Tablizo, M. V. & Francisco, A.F. Anti-HIV activity of Philippine crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis) serum on infected human mononuclear cells. Acta Microbiologica Hellenica, 2024, 69(3): 180–186.
Oral presentations
1. Hinay, A.A., Kanai, K., Tsuneki-Tokunaga, A., Komatsu, M., Telan, E.O. & Kageyama, S. In Vitro susceptibility of HIV isolates with high growth capability to antiretroviral drugs. The 63rd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Clinical Virology. June 18-19, 2022, Tokyo, Japan.
2. Hinay, A.A., Kakee, S., Kageyama, S., Tsuneki-Tokunaga, A., Perdana, W.Y., Akena, Y., Nishiyama, S. & Kanai, K. Pro-Inflammatory cytokines and interferon-stimulated gene responses induced by seasonal influenza A virus with varying growth capabilities in human lung epithelial cell lines. The 36th Chugoku and Shikoku Regional Virus Research Conference. October 30, 2022, Tokushima, Japan.

Ijaz Ahmad, PhD

Graduate Student

Ijaz Ahmad completed his Master degree in Microbiology from Abasyn University Peshawar, Pakistan. He arrived at Japan on December 24, 2020 as a MEXT Scholarship Student to enter the PhD course at Kindai University Faculty of Medicine.

Education
M.Phil. (Microbiology), 2018, Abasyn University Peshawar, Pakistan.
M.Sc (Biochemistry), 2014, PMAS Arid Agriculture Rawalpindi Pakistan.

Publications
1. Ahmad I, and Khan H. Prevalence of enteric fever in the local population of Rawalpindi and Islamabad Pakistan. Abasyn J Life Sci, 2021, in press.

2. Sato F, Nakamura Y, Katsuki A, Khadka S, Ahmad I, Omura S, Martinez NE, and Tsunoda I. Curdlan, a microbial β-glucan, has contrasting effects on autoimmune and viral models of multiple sclerosis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol, 12: 805302.PDF

3. Moriguchi K*, Nakamura Y*, Park A-M, Sato F, Kuwahara M, Khadka S, Omura S, Ahmad I, Kusunoki S, and Tsunoda I. (2023). Anti-glycolipid antibody examination in five EAE models and Theiler’s virus model of multiple sclerosis; Detection of anti-GM1, GM3, GM4, and sulfatide antibodies in relapsing-remitting EAE. *, contributed equally. Int J Mol Sci Int J Mol Sci, 24(16), 12937.PDF

4. Ahmad I, Omura S, Sato F, Park A-M, Khadka S, Gavins FNE, Tanaka H, Kimura MY, and Tsunoda I. Exploring the role of platelets in virus-induced inflammatory demyelinating disease and myocarditis. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(6), 3460 PDF

Contact
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ijaz-ahmad-bab921a2/

Sandesh Rimal, MS

Graduate Student

Mr. Sandesh Rimal, a native of Nepal, completed his Master of Science in Medical Microbiology from Tribhuvan University in 2023. Following his graduation, he served as a Research Assistant at the University, contributing to a dengue research project. In October 2024, he moved to Japan to pursue further studies as a Graduate Student at the Department of Microbiology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine under the prestigious MEXT Scholarship. Currently, his research focuses on the effects of Tamoxifen in the viral and autoimmune models of multiple sclerosis, contributing to advancing the understanding of neuroinflammatory diseases.

Publications
1. Rimal S, Shrestha S, Khadka A, Matsuda M, Suzuki R, Dumre SP, Pandey BD. Seroprevalence of hepatitis A virus and hepatitis E virus antibodies in Madhesh Province, Dhanusha, Nepal. Jpn J Infect Dis. 2025 Jan 31. doi: 10.7883/yoken.JJID.2024.321. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39894473.
2. Rimal S, Shrestha S, Paudel SW, Shah Y, Bhandari G, Pandey K, Kharbuja A, Kapandji M, Gautam, I., & Bhujel, R. (2024). Molecular and Entomological Characterization of 2023 Dengue outbreak in Dhading district, central Nepal. Viruses, 16(4), 594.
3. Rimal S, Shrestha S, Pandey K, Nguyen TV, Bhandari P, Shah Y, Acharya D, Adhikari N, Rijal KR, Ghimire P, Takamatsu Y, Pandey BD, Fernandez S, Morita K, Tun MMN, Dumre SP. “Co-circulation of Dengue virus serotypes 1, 2, and 3 during the 2022 Dengue outbreak in Nepal: A Cross-sectional Study.” Viruses 15, no. 2 (2023): 507.

Awards

1. Second Runner Up- Hult Prize, Tribhuvan University, 2020

PDF and reprint request Information:

Address:
Department of Microbiology
Kindai University Faculty of Medicine
Ohnohigashi Osakasayama, Osaka 589-8511, Japan USA
Email: itsunoda@hotmail.com or　itsunoda@med.kindai.ac.jp
Phone: 81-72-366-0221
Fax: 81-72-366-0206