Department of NeonatologyMedicine and Medical Science

Program-specific Professor MASAHIKO KAWAI

Neonatal medicine achieved excellent results in in Japan for these several decades. But shortage of neonatologist is becoming a barrier to maintain standard neonatal medicine for the future. In order to attract young doctors and increase a number of neonatologists, we considered that an academic interest of neonatology should be established. Through the training of research, we also train clinical skills necessary for neonatal medicine.

Lab Website

Research and Education

Current progress of Neonatal Medicine enabled the survival of extremely premature babies and babies with severe fetal growth restriction, but their developmental outcome is not good enough. In order to achieve a better outcome, we need to investigate the physiology of such small infants and clarify their pathogenesis in more detail.

# Research Theme
1) In preterm infants, endocrinological problem such as hypothyroxinemia, relative adrenal insufficiency, hypoglycemia and metabolic bone disease is common. These problems could affect not only their somatic growth but also psychomotor development.
2) For SGA (Small for gestational age) infants, fetus try to adjust their growth to the unfavorable intrauterine environment. It enables their lives, but they need to accept their future health problems. It includes not only metabolic sequence but also neural impairment.
We are trying to clarify these mechanisms, and innovate new strategy for treatment.

Our research subkjects are small babies. Thyey are surrounded by the many mechanicalitems. We are tring to clarify their pathogenesis.

This is a symbol mark for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Kyoto University Hospital. We are researching under this symbol.

Recent Publications

  1. Kawai M. High mortality rate of preterm infants with Down syndrome. Pediatric Research　2024; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-023-03003-4
  2. Shimotsuma T, Tomotaki S, Akita M, Araki R, Tomotaki H. Iwanaga K, Kobayashi A, Saitoh A, Fuchimi Y, Takita J, Kawai M. Severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia adversely affects brain growth in preterm infants. Neonatology 2024:　https://doi.org/10.1159/000538527
  3. Kanazawa H, Yamada Y, Tanaka K, Kawai M, Niwa F, Iwanaga K, Kuniyoshi Y. Open-ended movements structuren sensorimotor information in early human development. PNAS 2023;120:doi.org/10.107/pnas.2209953120
  4. Yamamoto A, Motokura K, Iwanaga K, Niwa F, Takita J, Kawai M. Glucocorticoid receptor expression pattern in very low birth weight infants changes drastically within the first week of life. Horm Res Pediatr 2022: doi:10.1159/000526915
  5. Motokura K, Tomotaki S, Hanaoka S, Yamauchi T, Tomotaki H, Iwanaga K, Niwa F, Takita J, Kawai M. Appropriate Phosphorus Intake by Parenteral Nutrition Prevents Metabolic Bone Disease of Prematurity in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants. Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 2020 Aug 12.doi: 10.1002/jpen.1993.

Laboratory

Program-specific Professor: MASAHIKO KAWAI
Program-specific Assistant Professor: RYOSUKE ARAKI


TEL: +81-75-751-3237

FAX: +81-75-751-3237

URL: https://pediatrics.kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp/shinryo_group/neonate/

Research Fields
  1. Home
  2. Research
  3. Research Fields