Assistant Professor Mai Izumida

Speciality / Research theme / Keywords

Infectious diseases, Tuberculosis, Genetic engineering, Immunology, Chronic infections, Molecular biology, Translational research

Supervision

Masters ProgrammeDoctoral Programme

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Medicine
• Board-certified General Internist
• Board-certified Infectious Disease Specialist

Background

I graduated from the School of Medicine, Nagasaki University in 2007 and entered the Department of Medicine at the Institute of Tropical Medicine. I earned my Ph.D. in 2016 from the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, with a focus on host-pathogen interactions.
From 2022 to 2024, I served as a postdoctoral researcher in the TB Immunology group at the MRC Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), within the Vaccine and Immunity department.

Teaching

I am involved in clinical education in infectious diseases at Nagasaki University Hospital and Nagasaki University, mentoring medical students and junior physicians.

Research

While working as an ID consultant at the bedside, I also conduct research as a physician-scientist, focusing on how chronic infections affect the human immune system using molecular biology techniques.
During my time at the MRC Unit The Gambia, I engaged in research on tuberculosis immunology, particularly host immune factors and mechanisms involved in TB diagnosis and disease progression prediction.

The country/countries where you work currently

Japan, The Gambia, and  Philippines

Five Key Recent Publications

1. Izumida M, Jobe H, Coker EG, Barry A, Rashid M, Manneh IL, Daffeh GK, Ariyoshi K, Sutherland JS. HBHA Induces IL-10 from CD4+ T Cells in Patients with Active Tuberculosis but IFN-γ and IL-17 from Individuals with Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Infection. Front Immunol. 2024: 15: 1422700.

2. Izumida M, Kakoki K, Hayashi H, Matsuyama T, Kubo Y. Rab3a, a Small GTP-Binding Protein, Is Required for the Stabilization of the Murine Leukaemia Virus Gag Protein. Small GTPases. 2022; 13(1): 162–182.

3. Izumida M, Kotani O, Hayashi H, Smith C, Fukuda T, Suga K, Iwao M, Ishibashi F, Sato H, Kubo Y. Unique Mode of Antiviral Action of a Marine Alkaloid against Ebola Virus and SARS-CoV-2. Viruses. 2022; 14 (4): 816.

4. Izumida M, Hayashi H, Smith C, Ishibashi F, Suga K, Kubo Y. Antivirus Activity, but Not Thiolreductase Activity, Is Conserved in Interferon-Gamma-Inducible GILT Protein in Arthropod. Mol Immunol. 2021;140: 240–249.

5. Izumida M, Hayashi H, Tanaka A, Kubo Y. Cathepsin B Protease Facilitates Chikungunya Virus Envelope Protein-Mediated Infection via Endocytosis or Macropinocytosis. Viruses. 2020; 12 (7): 722.

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