Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology

The predecessor of our department, “The Third department of Internal Medicine” was established in April 1981, and was named “Department of Hematology and Respiratory Medicine” since incumbent Professor Akihito Yokoyama was appointed in April 2007. We have been in charge of respiratory and hematological diseases in the internal medicine field. However, in order to respond to the current situation where medical care in each specialized internal medicine field is extremely advanced, “the department of Hematology” has been separated and made independent as a new department from June 2019, and our department has been called “The department of Respiratory medicine and Allergology”.

Our department mainly focuses on the advanced or standard treatment of chronic airway diseases, such as bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), interstitial pneumonia, and lung cancer, which have been increasing in recent years. We conduct researches on respiratory diseases: pathological analysis and treatment studies on airway diseases using some animal models, and development of biomarkers for interstitial pneumonia.

Since there are no respiratory specialists outside the central part of Kochi Prefecture and there is a great shortage of them nationwide, we are actively working to train clinicians. Our goal is for every member of our medical staff to acquire a medical specialist certified by the Japanese Society of Internal Medicine, and to become a certified medical specialist in respiratory, allergy, and clinical oncology field in the shortest possible time. In addition, doctors from our department are active as specialists at Kochi Health Sciences Center, Aki General Hospital, and private hospitals in Kochi prefecture. We welcome those who plan to return to their hometown outside of Kochi Prefecture after obtaining a medical specialty, or those who wish to work at other facilities or overseas for research, etc.

【Medical Student education】

We are in charge of lectures on respiratory diseases for 4th graders. Following lectures on general remarks and diagnostics of diseases, lectures on typical diseases, featured in the respiratory system of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology model core curriculum, are given by associate professors, lecturers, and assistant professors. The 5th grader's clinical training includes some small lectures and observation of bronchoscopy. We have placed emphasis on one-on-one instruction, assigning each student a patient, giving them assignments, and having them present their case studies.

The purpose of our department is to conduct basic and clinical research on respiratory and allergic diseases, to investigate the causes and mechanisms of diseases, and to improve and develop treatments. In addition, we participate in nationwide multicenter clinical research on airway disease, lung cancer, and diffuse interstitial lung disease.

We conduct research on asthma treatment using mice model, research on inflammatory substances and pathologies in induced sputum in airway diseases such as asthma and COPD, and research on development of biomarkers for interstitial pneumonia. We are participating in multicenter clinical trials to make evidences. Applicants are actively making researches in other facilities both in Japan and abroad.