Professor

Hideo Murata

■Area and Subject Taught：Nutritional Hygiene, Animal welfare, Animal Ethics
■Research Theme(s)：Effects of feed contaminants on animal health
■Academic Degrees：Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University
■Keywords for Research Field：Feed contaminants, Animal health

[Research Overview]

As well as humans, all human-associated animals, including livestock, companion and experimental animals, should have the same rights to acquire safe aliment (i.e. feed) to maintain their healthy conditions, thereby contributing to humans. I have been interested in detecting and reducing feed contaminants that could harm animal health, and my recent research purpose is to (1) establish a rapid, easy and cheap screening method on melamine, a toxic chemical that can cause kidney stones and kidney failure when ingested, and (2) elucidate the adverse effects of the contaminant on health, using immunity and metabolic indicators in experimental animals. The knowledge to be obtained would be useful not only for animals but also for us humans in order to lead a healthy life.

[Notable Publications and Works in the last three years]

1) H. Murata, M. Mitsumatsu and N. Shimada. Reduction of feed-contaminating mycotoxins by ultraviolet irradiation: an in vitro study. Food Additives and Contaminants 25 (2008). 1107-1110
2) O. Mikami, H. Yamaguchi, Murata H, Nakajima Y. and S. Miyazaki. Induction of apoptotic lesions in liver and lymphoid tissues and modulation of cytokine mRNA expression by acute exposure to deoxynivalenol in piglets. Journal of Veterinary Science 11 (2010). 107-113
3) H. Murata and K. Otsuki. Swine influenza and cytokines: Less of a storm, more of a breeze. Veterinary Journal 187 (2011). 16-17
4) H. Murata and others. Reduction of deoxynivalenol contaminating corn silage by short-term ultraviolet irradiation: A pilot study (Submitted).