About NIMD
Our organization, departments, staff and researchers
Masaaki Nagano
The research group I work for : Pathomechanism Group, Risk Assessment Group
I conduct research with a main focus placed on the potential utilization of functions of food constituents to reduce the risk of methylmercury on health. Part of my research findings was selected to appear on a cover page of Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin (2021 Vol. 44 No. 4) and my paper published there was selected as a Highlighted Paper by the Editor-in-Chief as well as a Featured article.
Research theme - Areas of work
Research
- Research on reduction of health risk of methylmercury with food constituents (Principal Investigator)
- Basic research on neurotoxicity mechanisms in methylmercury poisoning and on the prevention and treatment to address them (Collaborator)
Work
Supplying information through analysis of mercury in hair (Principal staff member)
Main research achievements
Externally-funded research
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FY2018 Japan Food Chemical Research Foundation, a Public Interest Incorporated Foundation (Principal Investigator)
Fundamental research on effect of fructo-oligosaccharide and wheat bran on tissue mercury concentration under low level methylmercury exposure from fish eating.
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FY2017-2018 Environment Research and Technology Development Fund from the Ministry of the Environment (Co-Investigator)
Comprehension and modelling of bioaccumulation dynamics of inorganic mercury methylation reactions and mercury compounds in the ocean
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FY2013-2016 JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (Co-Investigator)
Studies on diffusion mechanisms of several raremetal elements dissolved from wastes into soil environment and their impact on microbial ecosystems
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FY2012-2014 JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (Co-Investigator)
Studies on effects of environmental factors on methylation reaction of mercury in seawater
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FY2007-2008 JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists (B) (Principal Investigator)
Study on the mechanism and role of methylmercury demethylation in vivo
Main career history, academic history, academic degrees, awards, etc.
Daiichi University of Pharmacy, graduated
Doctor's Degree Program, Graduate School of Pharmacy, Kumamoto University, completed Ph. D. (Pharmacy)
Pharmacist; Type-I Radiation Protection Supervisor
- FY2022- Executive Member, Biometals Specialty Section, The Japanese Society of Toxicology
Media coverage
- Special Episode: Lessons from Minamata Disease (NHK WORLD-JPAN, Science View, 2022)
- Learning lessons from Minamata disease (2018, Kumamotonichinichi Shimbun)
- Methylmercury toxicity reported by researchers (NHK Kumamoto, Kumaroku!, News 845, 2016)