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  • Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology

    • Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology

    The Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology carefully supports public health services in the community and contributes to the advancement of medical services using cutting-edge technology, such as genomic analysis, by setting up the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study, the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Community-Based Cohort Study, and the ToMMo Child Health Study. In the areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, there are concerns that the occurrence of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and mental illnesses, including PTSD (Posttraumatic stress disorder), mood and anxiety disorders may increase associated with various stress factors. Especially, special attention needs to be paid to vulnerable populations such as pregnant women, children and the elderly. Considering the situation, the Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology intends to conduct long-term cohort studies of people in the communities more or less affected by the disaster. Based on the study, the department provides information useful to promote health of each participants. Information beneficial for promoting public health, and for improving technologies and systems for prevention, detection, and treatment of diseases will be extracted from the data, and shared with local communities, as well as global societies.

     

    Professor Atsushi Hozawa Naoki Nakaya Shinichi Kuriyama
    Tomoko Kobayashi Hiroaki Tomita  
    Associate Professor
    		 Taku Obara Masatsugu Orui Kotaro Nochioka
    Keiko Murakami    
    Senior Assistant Professor
    		 Mami Ishikuro Noriyuki Iwama Mana Kogure
    Assistant Professor
    		 Masato Takase Ippei Chiba Kumi Nakaya
    Aoi Noda Rieko Hatanaka  
    Research Associate
    		 Genki Shinoda    
    Adjunct Professor Masahiro Kikuya Hirohito Metoki  
    Adjunct Faculty
    		 Fumihiko Ueno Naho Tsuchiya  Masato Nagai
    Takumi Hirata    

     

     

    Atsushi Hozawa, Professor
    Department Chair
    Sector Director of Cohort Studies
    Center Director of Promotion of Cohort Studies
    Center Director of Tagajo Community Support Center
    Personalized Prevention and Epidemiology
    Department of Traffic and Medical Informatics in Disaster (Endowed Research Division)


    Specialty
    -Preventive medicine, Epidemiology
    Education and Professional Positions
    -Tohoku University, M.D., Ph.D., Medicine
    -Fellowships from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, 2002-2005
    -University of Minnesota, Visiting Research Associate, 2004-2006
    -Shiga University of Medical Science, Project Assistant Professor, 2006-2008
    -Tohoku University, Assistant Professor, 2008-2010
    -Yamagata University, Assistant Professor, Lecturer, 2010-2012
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Professor, 2012-
    Personalized Prevention and Epidemiology (Graduate School of Medicine)
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    Naoki Nakaya, Professor
    Deputy Department Chair
    Deputy Center Director of Promotion of Cohort Studies (Community Based Cohort)
    Health Behavioral Epidemiology
     

     


    Specialty
    -Public health, Epidemiology, Psychooncology, Behavioral medicine, Applied health sciences
    Education and Professional Positions
    -Azabu University, B.Sc., 1996
    -Tohoku University, Ph.D., Disability Science
    -Tohoku University, Division of Epidemiology, Postdoctoral Fellow
    -National Cancer Center Hospital East, Japan, Psycho-Oncology Division, Postdoctoral Fellow
    -Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Assistant Professor
    -Danish Cancer Society, Denmark, Postdoctoral Fellow for Research Abroad (Japan Society for the Promotion of Science)
    -Kamakura Women's University, Senior Assistant Professor
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Senior Assistant Professor, 2012
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Associate Professor, 2015-2019
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Adjunct Professor, 2019-2021
    -Saitama Prefectural University, Professor, 2019-2021
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Professor, 2021-
    Awards
    -Young Investigator Award by the Japan Epidemiological Association, 2013
    Spouses Really Are Together in Sickness and in Health Suggests New Study[Press Release]
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    Shinichi Kuriyama, Professor
    Special Adviser to the Executive Director
    Molecular Epidemiology
    Department of Traffic and Medical Informatics in Disaster (Endowed Research Division)

     


    Specialty
    -Molecular epidemiology, Disaster public health
    Education and Professional Positions
    -Osaka City University, Ph.D., Medicine
    -Osaka City University Hospital, Internal Medicine
    -Occupational Health Physician
    -Tohoku University, Assistant Professor, Lecturer, Associate Professor
    -Tohoku University, Professor, 2010-
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Professor, 2012-
    -Tohoku University International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Director, 2023-
    Awards
     -FY2007 Tohoku University Medical School Gold Medal
    Molecular Epidemiology (Graduate School of Medicine)
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    Tomoko Kobayashi, Professor
    Adviser to Group Leader of Health Survey Promotion (Child health survey support)
    Child Development

     

     


    Specialty
    -Pediatrics, Child Neurology, Medical genetics
    Education and Professional Positions
    -Nippon Medical School, M.D., 1997
    -Tohoku University, Ph.D., Medicine
    -Tohoku University Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Staff
    -Tohoku University, Assistant Professor, 2013
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Senior Assistant Professor 2017-2019
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Associate Professor 2019-2025
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Professor 2025-
    Awards
    -FY2023 MEXT Science and Technology Prize
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    Hiroaki Tomita, Professor
    Deputy Center Director of Health Survey Promotion(Clinical neuroscience research)
    Disaster Psychiatry

     

     

    Specialty
    -Psychiatry, Disaster Psychiatry, Molecular genetics
    Education and Professional Positions
    -Department of Neuropsychiatry, OKAYAMA UNIVERSITY, M.D. (1989), Ph.D. (1995)
    -Department of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Nagasaki University, 1996
    -Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Collage of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Research Fellow, 2000
    -Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Research Fellow, 2001
    -Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Assistant Professor-equivalent Faculty Researcher, 2002
    -Department of Biological Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Associate Professor, 2006
    -Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, and Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Professor, 2012-
    -Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, and Tohoku University Hospital, 2018-
    Interviews
    -Post 3/11: Interview Based Narration of Japan's Progress (Published on Nov. 27th, 2014)
    Psychiatry (Graduate School of Medicine)
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    Taku Obara, Associate Professor
    Deputy Center Director of Promotion of Cohort Studies (Birth and Three-Generation Cohort)
    Molecular Epidemiology

     

     


    Specialty
    -Pharmacoepidemiology
    Education and Professional Positions
    -Tohoku Pharmaceutical University, 2003
    -Tohoku University, Ph.D., 2008
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Assistant Professor, 2012-2013
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Senior Assistant Professor, 2013-2015
    -Tohoku University Hospital, Pharmaceutical Department, Associate Professor, 2015-
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Associate Professor, 2015-
    Awards
    -Young Researcher's Award by Miyagi Pref. Pharmaceutical Association, 2015
    Molecular Epidemiology (Graduate School of Medicine)
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    Masatsugu Orui, Associate Professor
    Molecular Epidemiology
    Center Director of Community Support Center (Ishinomaki, Kesennuma)
     

     

     

    Specialty
    -Epidemiology, Disaster mental health, Suicide prevention
    Education and Professional Positions
    -Yamagata University, M.D. 2001
    -Yamagata University, Ph.D., Medicine
    -Department of Health and Welfare, Yamagata Prefectural Office
    -Senai City Mental Health and Welfare Center
    -Department of Public Health, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Lecture
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Senior Assistant Professor, 2023-2024
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Associate Professor, 2024-
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    Kotaro Nochioka, Associate Professor
    Personalized Prevention and Epidemiology

     

     


    Specialty
    -Heart failure, Transplantation, Epidemiology
    Education and Professional Positions
    -Tohoku University, M.D., 2004
    -Tohoku University, Ph.D., Medicine
    -Harvard School of Public Health, MPH.
    -Harvard University, Research Fellow
    -Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Research Fellow
    -Tohoku University, Specialty Appointed Assistant Professor
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Senior Assistant Professor, 2017-2021
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Associate Professor 2021-
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    Keiko Murakami, Associate Professor
    Molecular Epidemiology

     

     

     

    Specialty
    -Public health, Epidemiology
    Education and Professional Positions
    -The University of Tokyo, 2007
    -The University of Tokyo, MPH
    -The University of Tokyo, Ph.D., Medical Science
    -Teikyo University, Assistant Professor
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Assistant Professor, 2018-2020
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Senior Assistant Professor, 2020-2025
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Associate Professor, 2025-
    Molecular Epidemiology (Graduate School of Medicine)
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    Mami Ishikuro, Senior Assistant Professor
    Molecular Epidemiology

     

     

     

    Specialty
    -Molecular epidemiology, Maternal and child health
    Education and Professional Positions
    -Akita University, B.S.N.2007
    -Tohoku University, M.Med.Sci., the Course of Public Health Sciences for Human Security
    -Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Technical Assistant
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Research Associate, 2012
    -Tohoku University, Ph.D., Medicine
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Assistant Professor, 2013-2020
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Senior Assistant Professor, 2020-
    Molecular Epidemiology (Graduate School of Medicine)
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    Noriyuki Iwama, Senior Assistant Professor
    Molecular Epidemiology

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    p_kogureMana Kogure, Senior Assistant Professor
    Personalized Prevention and Epidemiology
    Department of Traffic and Medical Informatics in Disaster(Endowed Research Division)
     

     

     

    Specialty
    -Epidemiology, Nutritional epidemiology
    Education and Professional Positions
    -Kamakura Women’s University, R.D., 2008
    -National Center for Child Health and Development, R.D.(part time)
    -Kamakura Women’s University, Research Associate
    -Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, MSc
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Research Associate, 2016-2017
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Assistant Professor, 2017-2022
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Senior Assistant Professor, 2022-
    Personalized Prevention and Epidemiology (Graduate School of Medicine)
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    Masato Takase, Assistant Professor
    Personalized Prevention and Epidemiology

     

     

     

    Specialty
    -Epidemiology, Public health, Molecular epidemiology
    Education and Professional Positions
    -Utsunomiya University
    -Tohoku University, MPH
    -Tohoku University, Ph.D., Medicine
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Assistant Professor, 2024-
    Awards
    -The 45th Annual Japanese Society of Hypertension Young Scientists Best Poster Award (2023)
    -Special Award for Outstanding Student, Tohoku University Shinyukai (2023)
    -Shigeaki Hinohara Award, 35th Blood Pressure Management Research Society (2023)
    -2024 Tohoku University President's Award
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    Ippei Chiba, Assistant Professor
    Personalized Prevention and Epidemiology

     

     

     

    Specialty
    -Epidemiology for physical disability and dementia
    Education and Professional Positions
    -International University of Health and Welfare, PT 2009
    -Tohoku University, M.S., Science
    -Shinshu University, Ph.D., Medicine
    -National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Researcher
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Assistant Professor, 2022-
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    Kumi Nakaya, Assistant Professor
    Personalized Prevention and Epidemiology

     

     

     

    Specialty
    -Epidemiology, Behavioral medicine
    Education and Professional Positions
    -Yamagata University, 1998
    -Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Ph.D., Disability Science
    -The Japan Foundation for Aging and Health, Postdoctoral Fellow
    -National Cancer Center Hospital East, Japan, Psycho-Oncology Division, Postdoctoral Fellow
    -Danish Cancer Society, Denmark, Visiting Researcher, Postdoctoral Fellow for Research Abroad (The Uehara Memorial Foundation)
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Researcher
    -Saitama Prefectural University, Part-time Researcher
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Researcher
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Assistant Professor, 2021-
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    Aoi Noda, Assistant Professor
    Molecular Epidemiology

     

     

     

    Specialty
    -Clinical pharmacy, Pharmacoepidemiology
    Education and Professional Positions
    -Showa University, B.S., 2014
    -Tohoku University Hospital, Pharmaceutical Department
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Technical Assistant, 2018
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Research Associate, 2018-2023
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Assistant Professor, 2023-
    Molecular Epidemiology (Graduate School of Medicine)
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    Rieko Hatanaka, Assistant Professor
    Personalized Prevention and Epidemiology

     

     

     

    Specialty
    -Epidemiology
    Education and Professional Positions
    -Tohoku University Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, B.S., 2005
    -Tohoku University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, M.S.
    -Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Ph.D.
    -Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (DC2)
    -Aomori Prefectural Government
    -Osaka City Government
    -Osaka Prefectural Government
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Technical Assistant, 2020-2021
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Assistant Professor, 2021-
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    Genki Shinoda, Research Associate
    Molecular Epidemiology

     

     

     

    Specialty
    -Medical Technology, Clinical Neurology, Behavioral Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience
    Education and Professional Positions
    -Niigata University of Health and Welfare, B.S., 2016
    -Tohoku University, M.S., Disability Science
    -Gifu University Hospital, Clinical Laboratory
    -Tohoku University Hospital, Clinical Physiological Laboratory
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Researcher, 2021-2022
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Research Associate, 2023-
    Molecular Epidemiology (Graduate School of Medicine)
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    Masahiro Kikuya, Adjunct Professor

     

     

     

     

    Specialty
    -Cardiovascular epidemiology, Child development
    Education and Professional Positions
    -Hirosaki University, M.D., 1995
    -Tohoku University, Ph.D., Medicine, 2001
    -Tohoku University, Research Associate, 2003-2007
    -University of Leuven, Research Fellow, 2006
    -Tohoku University, Assistant Professor, 2007-2010
    -Tohoku University, Lecturer, 2010-2012
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Associate Professor, 2012-2018
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Adjunct Professor, 2018-
    -Teikyo University School of Medicine, Professor, 2018- 
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    Hirohito Metoki, Adjunct Professor

     

     

     

     

    Specialty
    -Obstetrics and gynecology, Medical genetics, Cardiology, Public health, genetic epidemiology
    Education and Professional Positions
    -Tohoku University School of Medicine, M.D., 2001
    -Furukawa City Hospital, Resident of Internal Medicine
    -Tohoku University School of Medicine, Department of Clinical Therapeutics and Pharmacology, Ph.D., Medicine
    -Tohoku University School of Medicine, Department of Medical Genetics, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) PD fellow
    -Tohoku University School of Medicine, Environmental and Genome Research Center (Japan Eco & Child Study), Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Assistant Professor
    -Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Senior Assistant Professor, 2012-2016
    -Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Professor, 2016-
    -Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Adjunct Professor, 2016-
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    Fumihiko Ueno, Adjunct Faculty

     

     

     

     

    Specialty
    -Infectious disease epidemiology
    Education and Professional Positions
    -University of Shizuoka, BPharm, 2015 
    -Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Ph.D., 2019
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Assistant Professor, 2019-2023
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Adjunct Faculty, 2023-
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    p_tsuchiyaNaho Tsuchiya, Adjunct Faculty

     

     

     

     

    Specialty
    -Epidemiology, Epidemiology in infectious diseases, Public health
    Education and Professional Positions
    -Asahikawa Medical University, M.D., 2002
    -Yamagata University, Research assistant
    -Nagasaki University, Clinical Fellow (Infectious Diseases)
    -Nagasaki University, Ph.D., Medicine
    -London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, M.Sc., Epidemiology
    -Nagasaki University Institute of Tropical Medicine, staff doctor
    -Nagasaki University, COE research fellow
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Assistant Professor, 2013-2018
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Senior Assistant Professor, 2018-2020
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Associate Professor, 2020
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Adjunct Faculty, 2020-
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     Masato Nagai, Adjunct Faculty

     

     

     

     

    Specialty
    -Epidemiology
    Education and Professional Positions
    -Iwate University, B.A., 2006
    -Utsunomiya University, M.ed.
    -Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Ph.D., Medicine
    -Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
    -Japan Cardiovascular Research Foundation, Research resident (Shiga University of Medical Science, Visiting Assistant Professor)
    -Shiga University of Medical Science, Research Assistant Professor
    -Fukushima Medical University, Assistant Professor
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Assistant Professor, 2016-2020
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Adjunct Faculty, 2020-
    Awards
    -7th Hypertension Research Award, 2016
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    Takumi Hirata, Adjunct Faculty

     

     

     

     

    Specialty
    -Clinical epidemiology for atherosclerosis, Endocrinology, Metabolism and geriatric medicine, Preventive medicine
    Education and Professional Positions
    -Keio University School of medicine, M.D. 2002
    -Kyoto University, M.P.H., 2012
    -Keio University School of Medicine, Ph.D., Medicine, 2014
    -Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nephrology, Keio University School of Medicine, Medical staff
    -Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation, Senior Researcher
    -Center for Supercentenarian Medical Research, Keio University School of Medicine, Project Assistant Professor
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Senior Assistant Professor, 2018-2019
    -Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Adjunct Faculty, 2020-
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