Saga University launched a new exhibition in June 2026 in the International Exhibition Room (1st Floor, Industry-Academia Collaboration Plaza, Honjo Campus), showcasing research and initiatives from the Faculty of Medicine.

The International Exhibition Room previously featured an exhibition in FY2025 highlighting the achievements of the Institute of Ocean Energy. The new exhibition focuses on the advanced and socially impactful research promoted by the Faculty of Medicine at Saga University, aiming to share its appeal and significance with a wider audience both in Japan and abroad.

In addition to research panels, this exhibition features video content on an excavation project in the Republic of Kenya, Africa, as well as a promotional video highlighting the Helicobacter pylori screening program for third-year junior high school students in Saga Prefecture.
The exhibition also displays an actual fully automated genetic analyzer, “Smart Gene,” creating an immersive and engaging experience for visitors.

The International Exhibition Room attracts a wide range of visitors, including international guests, university students, and high school students on campus tours. All exhibits are presented bilingually (Japanese and English). This exhibition showcases the Faculty of Medicine’s research achievements and contributions to society in a clear and accessible way, while further enhancing the university’s global profile in education and research.

●Mechanisms of Virus-Induced Diabetes and Development of a Coxsackievirus B Vaccine

(Department of Hepatology, Diabetes and Endocrinology, Saga University Faculty of Medicine, in collaboration with Boston University)

This project investigates how Coxsackievirus B triggers diabetes, including the identification of susceptibility genes (TYK2 and STAT2) and the development of high-precision detection technologies. Its long-term goal is to develop a preventive vaccine.

The project has received a ¥10 million grant from the Japan IDDM Network for type 1 diabetes prevention research, bringing its total funding to ¥107.7 million.

Exhibits: Panels

●Excavation Project in Kenya

(Yasuhiro Kikuchi, Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University)

This project conducts excavations in Kenya, Africa, aiming to shed light on the process by which humans acquired bipedalism. By searching for fossils of the common ancestor of humans and great apes, the research seeks to uncover the origins of human evolution and provide important insights into the fundamental question of what defines humanity.

Exhibits: Research panels and video content

●Toward Zero Stomach Cancer in Saga: Starting Prevention from Junior High School Students

— Helicobacter pylori Screening Program for Junior High School Students —
(Department of Pediatrics, Saga University Faculty of Medicine)

This pioneering prefecture-wide initiative targets Helicobacter pylori, a primary cause of stomach cancer, by screening third-year junior high school students for early detection and eradication. It also enables rapid, non-invasive diagnosis of infection and antibiotic resistance using stool samples, contributing to advances in pediatric care and H. pylori treatment.

Exhibits: Panels, video content, and medical devices

●Extending Healthy Life Expectancy: Personalized Prevention

(Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine)

This research promotes personalized prevention based on genetic data and objective measures of physical activity. It demonstrates that increased physical activity can reduce biological age and that genetic analysis enables accurate assessment of diabetes risk, thereby advancing personalized prevention strategies.

Exhibits: Panels

【Contact】
International planning Office, Saga University
Tel: +81-952-28-8701
Email: kokusai@mail.admin.saga-u.ac.jp