Stomach & Duodenum

BIOGRAPHY

ACADEMIC POSITION:
Associate Professor and Director of Molecular Pathogenesis Laboratory, Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center, Texas

MEMBERSHIPS:
• American Gastroenterological Association
• American College of Gastroenterology
• Texas Gulf Coast Digestive Diseases Center
• Japanese Society of Gastroenterology (Board Certified Fellow)
• Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Endoscopy (Board Certified Fellow)
• Japanese Society of Internal Medicine (Board Certified Membership)
• Japanese Society for Bacteriology Editorial Board, World Journal of Gastroenterology

RESEARCH INTERESTS:
Professor Yamaoka's research is aimed at understanding the important human bacterial pathogen, Helicobacter pylori, which is the major cause of peptic ulcer disease and of gastric cancer. All Helicobacter pylori-infected individuals develop gastric damage (histological gastritis) and approximately 25% of infected individuals develop a symptomatic clinical outcome, such as ulcer or gastric cancer. Importantly, the risk for different outcomes varies both among and within populations. These different outcomes are poorly understood and are currently thought to reflect differences in the virulence of the infecting Helicobacter pylori strain, in host genetic factors, in environmental factors, as well in interactions among these elements. His work has pursued basic studies of bacterial gene function and tries to provide critical information to help eliminate the suffering caused by peptic ulcer and deaths caused by gastric cancer. The problem however remains only partially solved and my work is important in helping eliminate this important human pathogen. His group discovered a novel virulence factor in 2000, which was termed outer inflammatory protein A (OipA). His group also discovered a novel Helicobacter pylori virulence factor, which was termed duodenal ulcer promoting (DupA) in 2005. The discovery of these new virulence factors provided a much-needed breakthrough into the field of pathogenesis of gastrointestinal disease.