Multi-omics analysis and comprehensive understanding of viral perturbation of pathogenesis principles

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18KK0447
• Research Category: Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research (A))
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 49060:Virology-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Sato Kei 東京大学, 医科学研究所, 教授 (10593684)
• Project Period (FY): 2019 – 2023
• Keywords: ウイルス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The main objective of this project was to elucidate the mechanisms of disease expression by viruses (Project 1) and virus-derived elements (Project 2) from an interdisciplinary approach combining experimental virology (wet research) and bioinformatics analysis (dry research). In this study, international joint research with four overseas research institutes (Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom) was planned for each of the above plans 1 and 2. Immediately after the start of the research project, COVID pandemic broke out, making it extremely difficult to travel to the planned overseas research institutes. In light of the social situation of the new coronavirus pandemic, we changed our original plan and started a research project on SARS-CoV-2. To promote this project, Vietnam was added to the list of overseas research institutions, and efforts were made to promote international joint research.

Free Research Field

ウイルス学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

社会的情勢を鑑み、研究の方向性を変更した。具体的には、本研究を通して構築した解析方法を駆使し、新型コロナウイルスに関する研究も実施し、複数の学術論文をcorresponding authorとして発表した。出現が続く新型コロナウイルスの変異株(デルタ株、ラムダ株、ミュー株、オミクロン株)のウイルス学的性状を包括的に解析し、それらを世界に先駆けて解明した。これらの研究成果は、NatureやNew England Journal of Medicine、Cell姉妹誌などに、corresponding authorとして発表した。