Faculty in Ophthalmology
Makoto Nakamura, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor & Chairman
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery
Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine
SPECIALTY:Glaucoma and Neuro-ophthalmology
CAREER HISTORY
- 2013 – present
- Professor & Chairman
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 2005 – 2013
- Senior Assistant Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 2001 – 2005
- Assistant Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 1999 – 2001
- Research Scholar
Department of Ophthalmology and Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Penn State University School of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania - 1995 – 1999
- Assistant Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 1994
- Senior Resident
Department of Ophthalmology, Nippon Steel Corporation Hirohata Hospital, Himeji, Japan - 1990 – 1994
- Graduate Student
Departments of Ophthalmology and Radiation Biophysics and Genetics, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 1989
- Resident
Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe University Hospital
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
American Academy of Ophthalmology
Japanese Ophthalmological Society (Board Member)
Japan Glaucoma Society (Board Member)
The Japanese Neuro-ophthalmological Society (Board Member)
Japanese Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision (Director)
The Japanese Society of Ophthalmic Surgeons
Japanese Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology
Japanese Association of Strabismus and Amblyopia
MESSAGE
Prof. Nakamura graduated from Kobe University School of Medicine, Japan, in 1989 and undertook his residency in ophthalmology there. He also obtained Ph.D. from the Department of Radiation Biophysics and Genetics, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine in 1994 for the thesis regarding mitochondria genetics of Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy in Japanese pedigrees. He completed his post-doctoral fellowship at the Penn State University School of Medicine in 2001, where he devoted himself to the molecular mechanisms of neuronal death in diabetic retinopathy (J Biol Chem 276: 43748-55, 2001). He was appointed as an associate professor in 2005 and subsequently promoted in 2013 to a Professor and Chairman of Kobe University.
Prof. Nakamura has published over 90 peer-reviewed scientific publications covering both clinical research in glaucoma and neuro-ophthalmology field and basic research in the ocular neuroscience (Am J Pathol. 182: 1727-1739, 2013). He received the most honorable award from the Japanese Ophthalmological Society (JOS), called the JOS Council Award, for his glaucoma and neuroscience research in 2011. He is also a skilful surgeon and meticulous physician and has done numerous glaucoma surgeries and treated neuro-ophthalmology patients.
PUBLICATIONS
Publication
Shigeru Honda, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery,
Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine
SPECIALTY:Medical and surgical Retina
CAREER HISTORY
- 2014 – present
- Associate Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 2008 – 2014
- Senior Assistant Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 2004 – 2008
- Assistant Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 2001 – 2004
- Assistant Director
Department of Ophthalmology Tazukekofukai Medical Research Institute, Kitano Hospital, Osaka, Japan - 1998 – 2001
- Research Scholar
Department of Ophthalmology, Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis - 1996 – 1998
- Senior Resident
Department of Ophthalmology, Saiseikai Hyogo Hospital, Hyogo, Japan - 1992 – 1996
- Graduate Student
Departments of Ophthalmology and Pharmacology, Bio-signal Research Center, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 1991
- Resident
Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe University Hospital
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
American Academy of Ophthalmology
The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
Japanese Ophthalmological Society
Japan Retina and Vitreous Society
The Japanese Society of Ophthalmic Surgeons
MASSAGE
Prof. Honda graduated from Kobe University School of Medicine, Japan, and obtained M.D. in 1991. He also obtained Ph.D. from the Department of Pharmacology and Bio-signal Research Center, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine in 1996 for the thesis regarding GABA transporter subtypes in the retina. He completed his post-doctoral fellowship at the University of California in 2001, where he engaged in disclosing the aging mechanism of retinal pigment epithelium. He raised up his career as an assistant professor in 2004 and subsequently became to an Associate Professor of Kobe University in 2014.
Prof. Honda has published over 70 peer-reviewed scientific publications covering both clinical and basic research in the retina. He is an expert of ophthalmic genetics, especially of age-related macular degeneration and related diseases. He has won a number of public and private grants in his career. He is also a skilful vitreo-retinal surgeon and has done numerous surgeries. In the mean time, he has directed many young surgeons.
PUBLICATIONS
Yuko Yamada, M.D., Ph.D.
Senior Assistant Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery,
Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine
SPECIALTY:Pediatric ophthalmology, Neuro-ophthalmology and Glaucoma
CAREER HISTORY
- 2013 – present
- Senior Assistant Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 2006 – 2013
- Assistant Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 2003 – 2005
- Postdoctoral Fellow
Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine - 2002 – 2003
- Assistant Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 1999 – 2001
- Chief Doctor
Department of Ophthalmology, Hyogo Prefectural Kobe Children’s Hospital - 1998 – 1999
- Senior Resident
Department of Ophthalmology, Akashi City Hospital - 1994 – 1998
- Graduate Student
Department of Surgery, Division of Ophthalmology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 1993 – 1994
- Resident
Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe University Hospital
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
Japanese Ophthalmological Society
Japanese Association of Strabismus and Amblyopia
Japanese Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology
The Japanese Neuro-ophthalmological Society
Japan Glaucoma Society
PUBLICATIONS
Sentaro Kusuhara, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery,
Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine
SPECIALTY:Retina and Uveitis
CAREER HISTORY
- 2014/6 – present
- Assistant Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 2012/7 – 2014/5
- Senior Research Associate
Translational Vision Research (Prof. Shima’s Lab), UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (as a 24-month overseas business trip) - 2008/4 – 2012/6
- Assistant Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 2007/4 – 2008/3
- Chief Doctor
Department of Ophthalmology, Hyogo Prefectural Amagasaki Hospital - 2006/9 – 2007/3
- Senior Resident
Department of Ophthalmology, Hyogo Prefectural Amagasaki Hospital - 2006/4 – 2006/8
- Assistant Professor
Department of Ophthalmology,Kobe University Hospital - 2004/4 – 2006/3
- Research Associate
RIKEN, Center for Developmental Biology, Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology, Kobe, Japan - 2003/4 – 2004/3
- Senior Resident
Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe University Hospital - 1999/4 – 2003/3
- Graduate Student
Department of Surgery, Division of Ophthalmology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 1998/4 – 1999/3
- Resident
Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe University Hospital
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
Japanese Ophthalmological Society
The Japanese Society of Ophthalmic Surgeons
The Vitreoretina Society of Japan
The Japanese Society of Ophthalmic Diabetology
Japanese Ocular Inflammation Society
The Japanese Neuro-ophthalmological Society
MASSAGE
As Dr. Kusuhara is interested in vascular endothelial dysfunction in retinal vascular diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, uveitis, etc., much of his research efforts are focused on retinal blood vessels. Dr. Kusuhara conducts basic studies identifying the role of ABC transporters in physiological and pathological retinal angiogenesis.
PUBLICATIONS
Akiyausu Kanamori, M.D., Ph.D.
Lecturer
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery
Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine
SPECIALTY:Glaucoma and Neuro-ophthalmology
CAREER HISTORY
- 2014 - present
- Lecturer
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 2008 - 2014
- Instructor (Glaucoma and Neuro-ophthalmology sections) and assistant professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 2006 - 2008
- Postdoctoral fellow
Department of Ophthalmology (Prof. Leonard A.Levin), Montreal University, Canada - 2004 – 2006
- Clinical Fellow
Department of Ophthalmology, Hyogo Prefectural Amagasaki Hospital - 2000 - 2004
- Clinical Fellow
Department of Ophthalmology, Hyogo Prefectural Amagasaki Hospital - 2000 - 2004
- Graduate Student
Department of Surgery, Division of Ophthalmology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 1999 - 2000
- Resident
Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe University Hospital
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
American Academy of Ophthalmology
Japanese Ophthalmological Society
Japan Glaucoma Society
The Japanese Neuro-ophthalmological Society
The Japanese Society of Ophthalmic Surgeons
MASSAGE
Dr. Kanamori earned his medical degree from Kobe University School of Medicine in 1999. Having completed his ophthalmology residency, Dr. Kanamori proceeded to Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, where he studied the pathogenesis of retinal ganglion cell apoptosis in an experimental glaucoma rodent model. He also worked as a physician in Kobe University hospital and performed clinical studies regarding imaging analyses of the optic nerve head and retinal nerve fiber layer in patients with glaucoma and other optic neuropathies, which have been published in Ophthalmology, Am J Ophthalmology and so forth.
After earning his Ph.D. in 2004, he has been appointed as an assistant professor of Department of Ophthalmology in Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine and an instructor of glaucoma and neuro-ophthalmology clinics in the Kobe University hospital. During working hard as a clinician by examining, treating, and operating a number of patients, he has made excellent studies regarding structural changes in glaucomatous patients using imaging technique and neuroprotection on retinal ganglion cells using molecular biological approach.
In 2008-2010, he was a post-doctoral fellow in prof. Leonard A Levin’ s lab at Montreal University, Canada. He made great success in research about oxidative stress in axonal injury, those were reported in Brain, Am J Pathology and so forth. After he returned to Japan in 2010, he has continued both clinical imaging analyses and experiments using glaucoma rodent models. In 2013, he published three IOVS papers and so forth. He has been promoted to be a lecturer of Department of Ophthalmology in Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine.
Dr.Kanamori has published over 50 peer-reviewed scientific publications covering both clinical research in glaucoma and neuro-ophthalmology field and basic research.
PUBLICATIONS
Hisanori Imai, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery,
Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine
SPECIALTY:Vitreoretinal diseases, vitrectomy, cataract surgery
CAREER HISTORY
- 2014/7 - present
- Assistant Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 2014/4 - 2014/6
- Chief Doctor
Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe Kaisei Hospital - 2010/10 - 2014/3
- Clinical Fellow
Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe Kaisei Hospital - 2009/9 - 2010/9
- Assistant Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 2007/7-2009/8
- Postdoctoral Fellow
Penn State University School of Medicine (Prof. Thomas W. Gardner), USA - 2003/4 - 2007/3
- Graduate Student
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Organ Therapeutics, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 2001/4 - 2003/3
- Resident
Department of Ophthalmology, Hyogo Prefecture Amagasaki Hospital
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
Japanese Ophthalmological Society
Japanese Retina and Vitreous Society
Japanese Society of Ophthalmic Surgeons
MASSAGE
After received the degree of M.D. from Kobe University Medical School, Dr. Hisanori Imai started the residency in Dept. of Ophthalmology, Hyogo Prefecture Amagasaki Hospital. After finished the residency he entered Kobe University Graduate School. He also worked in Kobe University hospital as a retina fellow and performed clinical studies regarding data analysis of the effect of treatments in various retinal diseases, especially for age-related macular degeneration using OCT, FA, IA and ERG. He obtained Ph.D. from the Dept. of Ophthalmology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine in 2007 and also completed his post-doctoral fellowship at the Penn State University School of Medicine in 2009.
After he returned to Japan, he worked as a physician in Kobe Kaisei Hospital from 2010 to 2014 and performed over 5,000 cataract surgeries and over 1,000 vitrectomies. Now, he has enough ability and experience as a specialist of vitreoretinal diseases.
From July in 2014, Dr. Hisanori Imai was reinstated as an assistant professor of Department of Ophthalmology in Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine.
PUBLICATIONS
Takayuki Nagai, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery,
Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine
SPECIALTY:Retina, Vitreous, Cornea, Orbital disease
CAREER HISTORY
- 2011 – present
- Assistant Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 2009 – 2011
- Senior Resident
Department of Ophthalmology, Nippon Steel Corporation Hirohata Hospital - 2005 – 2009
- Graduate Student
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 2004 – 2005
- Resident
Department of Ophthalmology, Mitsubishi Kobe Hospital - 2003 – 2004
- Resident
Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe University Hospital
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
Japanese Ophthalmological Society
Japanese Retina and Vitreous Society
PUBLICATIONS
Yukako Inoue, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery,
Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine
SPECIALTY:Glaucoma, Pediatric Ophthalmology, Strabismus and Amblyopia, and Neuro-Ophthalmology
CAREER HISTORY
- 2014 - present
- Assistant Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 2013 - present
- Graduate Student
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 2013 - 2014
- Chief Doctor
Department of Ophthalmology, Hyogo Prefectural Kobe Children’s Hospital - 2012 - 2013
- Chief Doctor
Department of Ophthalmology, Hyogo Prefectural Kakogawa Medical Center - 2008 - 2012
- Senior Resident
Department of Ophthalmology, Kakogawa West City Hospital - 2007 - 2008
- Senior Resident
Department of Ophthalmology, Kohnan Hospital - 2005 - 2006
- Senior Resident
Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe University Hospital - 2004 - 2005
- Resident
Department of Ophthalmology, Miki City Hospital - 2003 - 2004
- Resident
Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe University Hospital
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
Japanese Ophthalmological Society
Japan Glaucoma Society
Japanese Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology
Japanese Retina and Vitreous Society
Wataru Matsumiya, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery,
Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine
SPECIALTY:Medical retina, Vitreoretinal surgery, Cornea and Uveitis
CAREER HISTORY
- 2013 – present
- Assistant Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 2009 – 2013
- Graduate Student
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 2008 – 2009
- Senior Resident
Department of Ophthalmology, Tazuke Kofukai Foundation, Medical Research Institute, Kitano Hospital - 2006 – 2008
- Junior Resident
Tazuke Kofukai Foundation, Medical Research Institute, Kitano Hospital
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
Japanese Ophthalmological Society
Japanese Retina and Vitreous Society
Japanese Ocular inflammation Society
PUBLICATIONS
Akiko Miki, M.D.
Graduate student / Assistant professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery
Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine
SPECIALTY:Retina and vitreous
CAREER HISTORY
- 2014 - present
- Assistant Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 2010 - present
- Graduate Student
Department of Surgery, Division of Ophthalmology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine - 2008 - 2010
- Research Associate
Department of Ophthalmology (Prof. Peter A. Campochiaro), Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University Hospital, U.S.A. - 2007 - 2008
- Clinical Fellow
Department of Ophthalmology, Steel Memorial Hirohata Hospital - 2006 - 2007
- Senior Resident
Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe University Hospital - 2004 - 2006
- Resident
Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe University Hospital
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
American Academy of Ophthalmology
Japanese Ophthalmological Society
Japanese Retina and Vitreous Society
Japanese Ocular Inflammation Society
MASSAGE
Dr. Miki earned her medical degree from Kobe University School of Medicine in 2004. In 2008-2010, she was a research fellow in prof. Peter A Campochiaro’ s lab at Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Baltimore, U.S.A.. She made great success in research about anti-VEGF drugs in angiogenesis, those were reported in J Cell Physiol, and Biomaterials. After she returned to Japan in 2010, she proceeded to Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, where she has studied the pathogenesis of retinal ganglion cell apoptosis in an experimental glaucoma rodent mode, which led her to a publication in Am J Patholl. She also worked as a physician in Kobe University hospital and performed clinical studies and genetic studies regarding age-related macular degeneration and other macular diseases, which have been published in Ophthalmology, Br J Ophthalmology and so forth. In 2014, she has been appointed as an assistant professor of Department of Ophthalmology in Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine.
PUBLICATIONS
