HOMEAssociate Professor Raita Tamaki

Faculty

Associate Professor Raita Tamaki

Speciality / Research theme / Keywords
Infectious disease surveillance, Field epidemiology, International health
Supervision
Masters ProgrammeDoctoral Programme

Qualifications

  • PhD in Medicine
  • Master of Medical Science
  • Clinical Biomedical Statistics
  • Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery

Background

  • Associate Professor, Nagasaki University, 4yrs (Present)
  • JICA Expert (Infectious Disease), attached to Kenya Medical Research Institute, 3yrs
  • JICA Expert (Disease Surveillance Advisor), attached to Ministry of Health, Kenya, 3yrs
  • Senior Lecturer, Nagasaki Women’s Junior College, 1yr
  • JICA Expert (Infectious Disease), attached to SATREPS project in the Philippines, 5yrs
  • Assistant Professor, Tohoku University, 9yrs
  • Research Associate, Tohoku University, 1yr
  • JICA Volunteer (JOCV, Papua New Guinea), 2yrs

Teaching

  • Mentoring researchers in the Project for Research Capacity Building at KEMRI
  • Provided technical guidance and training on national disease surveillance systems to technical staff at the Ministry of Health, Kenya
  • Delivering lectures and seminars on Public Health, Epidemiology, and International Health for undergraduate and postgraduate students

Research

Grants

  • Development of indicators to evaluate the International Health Regulations (IHR) core capacity in the post-COVID-19 era
  • Cost-effectiveness analysis of revised Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) guidelines for childhood pneumonia in the Philippines
  • Research on the health seeking behavior for the pediatrics pneumonia in the community, the Philippines
  • Investigation of methods for the prevention and treatment of sand flea disease that are in line with lifestyles that do not require behavioral change
  • Transmission dynamics of Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Establishing New Control Measures
  • Transmission dynamics and evolution of influenza viruses in Asia
  • Establishment Influenza Epidemiology Network in Asia

Project

  • Comprehensive Etiological and Epidemiological Study on Acute Respiratory Infections in Children: Providing Evidence for the Prevention and Control of Childhood Pneumonia in the Philippines, Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS)
  • Tohoku-RITM Collaborating Research Center on Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Japan Initiative for Global Research Network on Infectious Disease (J-GRID)

The country/countries where you work currently

  • Kenya
  • Philippines
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Japan

Five MOST IMPORTANT/INTERESTING recent publications

  1. Santa K, Tamaki R, Watanabe K, Nagaoka I. Comparative analysis of COVID-19 responses in Japan and Africa: diet, phytochemicals, vitamin D, and gut microbiota in reducing mortality—A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Nutr. 2024; 11: 1465324.
  2. Sayama Y, Okamoto M, Saito M, Saito-Obata M, Tamaki R, Joboco CD, Lupisan S, Oshitani H. Seroprevalence of four endemic human coronaviruses and, reactivity and neutralization capability against SARS-CoV-2 among children in the Philippines. Sci Rep. 2023; 13(1): 2310.
  3. Otani K, Saito M, Okamoto M, Tamaki R, Saito-Obata M, Kamigaki T, Lirio IC, Segubre-Mercado E, Tallo V, Lupisan S, Oshitani H. Incidence of lower respiratory tract infection and associated viruses in a birth cohort in the Philippines. BMC Infect Dis. 2022; 22(1): 313. 
  4. Sayama A, Okamoto M, Tamaki R, Saito-Obata M, Saito M, Kamigaki T, Sayama Y, Lirio I, Manalo JIG, Tallo VL, Lupisan SP, Oshitani H. Comparison of Rhinovirus A-, B-, and C-Associated Respiratory Tract Illness Severity Based on the 5′-Untranslated Region Among Children Younger Than 5 Years. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2022; 9(10): ofac387.
  5. Furuse Y, Tamaki R, Suzuki A, Kamigaki T, Okamoto M, Saito-Obata M, Nakagawa E, Saito M, Segubre-Mercado E, Tallo V, Lupisan S, Oshitani H. Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of children with acute respiratory viral infections in the Philippines: a prospective cohort study. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2021; 27(7): 1037.e9-1037.e14.

Message

The path into global health can sometimes begin in unexpected places. For me, it started in Papua New Guinea, working as an interpreter for a UNICEF documentary on HIV. That’s where I met a boy whose life had been deeply stigmatized by his community, and who eventually lost his life. His story taught me that public health and epidemiology, as tools for global health, are the science of identifying the vulnerable. Sure, textbooks may tell you that 630,000 people die from HIV annually. But it’s the story of 1/630,000 that can truly resonate—and sets someone on a path into global health. That’s why I really encourage you to get out into the field.
Here at TMGH, you’re fortunate to be surrounded by a diverse group of experts who are committed to researching vulnerable communities, whether directly or indirectly. I hope you take full advantage of this exceptional environment. Find one story during your time here—and let it shape how you contribute to global health.
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