Program Outline

About Human Biology

To understand human beings in the contexts of the natural and social environments and thereby contribute to the happiness of a sustainable earth

What is ‘Human Biology’? Human biology is a new area of study in biology. In human biology, a human being is relativized to other living organisms as one species on this planet in the universe, and as one species born in the time-axis of biological evolution.

Human Biology
– Structure and Homeostasis of the Human Body -

Translation and supervised by Kyosuke Nagata

This book is a primer explaining “Human Biology” clearly using many charts and pictures.
With its interdisciplinary approach, readers can understand the human being as one living entity in space and on earth, as well as the structure and homeostasis of the human body in its place on the temporal axes of global environment and organic evolution.

Human biology is the area of study to understand the maintenance mechanism of the homeostasis,and the inheritance mechanism of successive life in variable circumstance and thereby to contribute to formation of the unstinted human society and the sustainable world.

Human biology is categorized into biology, but not medicine. However, medical knowledge and concept are important for human biology. We have realized that the college students majored in biology and medicine do not sufficiently study the mathematical science (i.e., mathematics, physics, chemistry, etc.) during their high school days, or in a university general education curriculum, which is truly helpful for subsequent learning.

  • Diseases
  • Food shortages
  • Environmental pollution
  • Natural disastar

A fundamental problem for human science is lack of experimental test systems for human beings. Although an animal is naturally used as an alternative experiment medium, is the result applicable to humans as well? When we consider development of a new medication as the example, this shall be the case. Here in our Ph.D. Program in Human Biology, we will integrate the knowledge acquired in medical science with the result obtained from the life science research using animals and cells; use the concept and methods of the mathematical science; and simulate biological processes in computers using the latest computing science. In cooperation with a wide range of interdisciplinary approaches, we will try to reproduce human beings in virtual space and use them to further develop technological application.

Science pursues to generalize the principle in the nature fact, while technology can prove the correctness of the principle by appropriate application. Those who are responsible for the future world with science and technology shall expand and deepen science academically; create new technology based on the knowledge acquired in learning and give it back it to the human community; and coordinate to tie science and technology with the society. In our human biology degree program, we have prepared the curricula which make these various careers possible. For example, we offer subjects relevant to International Research Rotation, Entrepreneurship Trial, Appropriate Technology Program, and so forth.

We designate our program as the "Shipmaster Program”, alternatively. The shipmaster of present-day fisherman convoy as well as one in Great Navigation Age should have not only the professional skill, including the helmsmanship based on information obtained by GPS and a mariner's compass, but also the skill for "cognoscente", "breakthrough", and "accomplishment" to for correct navigation performances for their ultimate targets and objects.

Now, let's set sail! See the world with friends having diverse backgrounds and cultures.

Human Biology
– Structure and Homeostasis of the Human Body -

Translation and supervised by Kyosuke Nagata

This book is a primer explaining “Human Biology” clearly using many charts and pictures.
With its interdisciplinary approach, readers can understand the human being as one living entity in space and on earth, as well as the structure and homeostasis of the human body in its place on the temporal axes of global environment and organic evolution.

  • Diseases
  • Food shortages
  • Environmental pollution
  • Natural disastar

Our Vision for Human Biology Research

This chart shows the research on influenza viral disease as an example of the study of human biology.

The influenza virus's natural host is waterfowl. Disease resulting from the virus occurs when it is spread to other animals in areas inhabited by humans. However, there are many instances in which humans are not infected with forms of the virus that do have high pathogenicity in mice. We aim to understand the onset of pathogenicity and the adaptive evolution of the virus in humans by using computational models of the changes in immune and physiological functions and of cell and tissue infectivity.

With this framework of knowledge, it will be possible to predict flu outbreaks, to make vaccines, and to search in silico for antiviral drugs that viruses cannot develop resistance to.