Message

Message from Professor Gojiro Nakagami, PhD, RN

I took over the Department of Gerontological Nursing from the founding professor Hiromi Sanada on April 1, 2022. The Department of Gerontological Nursing was established in June 2003. Under the strong leadership of the former Professor Sanada, we have been developing nursing care techniques to alleviate symptoms of geriatric syndromes in the elderly and systematizing methods for the prediction, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of bedsores, which frequently occur especially in bedridden elderly patients, as a research theme of the Department of Gerontological Nursing since its opening. We have also established our personnel and research environment as a center for pressure ulcer research in Japan. In addition, we have participated in clinical activities as a member of the Pressure Ulcer Control Committee, including pressure ulcer rounds at the affiliated hospitals, and have continued to do so for about 20 years. Through these efforts, we have developed technologies for assessing deep tissue damage using ultrasound equipment and rapid detection of wound biofilm using wound blotting, which have been included in international guidelines. We have also conducted policy research and have worked to establish pressure ulcer care in Japan through the evaluation of additional care for high-risk patients with pressure ulcers and reductions in the amount of money spent for pressure ulcer control. In 2006, the Department of Wound Care Nursing was established to establish nursing techniques to care for important difficult-to-treat wounds other than bedsores, such as diabetic foot ulcers, which will become a major problem in the future due to lifestyle changes, incontinence-related dermatitis caused by voiding disorders, which is an important geriatric syndrome, and venous leg ulcers related to walking disorders. In addition, the nursing department and the Department of Diabetes and Metabolism have been working together to establish a new course of study. Furthermore, in collaboration with the Nursing Department and the Department of Diabetes and Metabolism, a diabetic foot prevention outpatient clinic was established to provide a place to practice wound nursing. Through the practice of diabetic foot ulcer prevention, new monitoring techniques such as thermography and plantar pressure measurement devices have been developed.

By carrying out clinical and research activities in the field of gerontological nursing/wound care management, social implementation of research results has become a challenge. In order to achieve this mission, we have established the field of nursing science and engineering, which is based on clinical research and integrates molecular biological and engineering perspectives into nursing science, and has promoted integrated research with various natural science disciplines such as mechanical engineering, information engineering, and molecular biology. While there is a worldwide lack of basic research in the field of nursing that examines the mechanisms underlying the symptoms and signs of patients, our department has incorporated molecular biological methods into nursing science and has made significant contributions to the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of pressure ulcers and wound infections in particular. Based on the results, we have conducted many translational researches to develop and commercialize risk assessment and identification technologies that can be used in clinical practice.

With the aim of forming a research foundation for nursing science and engineering and speeding up product development, we have been conducting research in the following areas: Advanced Skin Care (established in April 2008), Life Support Technology (Molten) (established in October 2010), Advanced Nursing Technology (established in December 2012), Skin Care Science (established in February 2017), and Imaging Nursing Science (established in April 2017) as cooperative courses, and have launched studies necessary to solve clinical issues. Innovation through industry-government-academia collaborative research has been disseminated to society while fulfilling the fusion of different fields.

As described above, we would like to take over as is the place to cultivate the research mindset fostered by the founding professor Hiromi Sanada, to create the next disruptive innovation, and to contribute to gerontological nursing, wound care management, and nursing science and engineering by mobilizing young power to improve the level of people's health.

Message from Professor Emeritus Hiromi Sanada, PhD, RN, WOCN, FAAN

Aging is regarded as a natural process of human development and maturity. Our purpose is to promote education and studies to enhance self-dignity, ability for self-care, and self-actualization of the Japanese elderly to be an essential part of society. We hope that the society learns from the accumulation of life experience and wisdom of the elderly with respect, to realize prosperous community which does not rely solely on material productivity.

The Department of Gerontological Nursing is the newest department of the Health Sciences and Nursing Division of the Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, which was established in June 2003. In 2006, Wound Care Management field was established as one of the advanced nursing course. Moreover, The Department of Life Support Technology was established in 2010, which was sponsored by Molten Corporation, intends to reveal the cause of life-style originated health issues and develop new monitoring system and preventive measures to avoid disease. In addition, The Department of Advanced Nursing Technology was established in 2012, in order to create tailor-made nursing art based on ongoing clinical needs, with cooperation of clinical staffs in hospitals, companies, and the university.

Our main study involves the development of Gerontological Nursing and Wound Care Management based on clinical settings, and innovation of evidence based practices. We are striving to create new nursing techniques and instruments by translational research, which has potential of translating expert knowledge and techniques in basic science and engineering, and developing evidence based methodology to contribute prevention, prediction, diagnosis and treatment of health problems in the vulnerable elderly, such as pressure ulcer, incontinence, swallowing disorder, malnutrition, pain and dementia. We hope that our research helps the elderly people to live independently with best physical functioning and self-esteem, and to enhance their ‘active’ life in the world.

Our mission from the position of an educator is to assist new clinical researchers and coachers to maximize their potential who desire to innovate the practice for geriatric syndrome. We hope to share our outcomes with the rest of the world.