Yoshifumi Saisho, MD, PhD
- Director, Saisho Diabetes Clinic, Tokyo, Japan
- Adjunct Professor, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Adjunct Clinical Professor, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Academic Councilor, Japan Diabetes Society
- Board member, International Society of Personalized Medicine
- Board member, Certification Board for Diabetes Educators in Japan
- Editorial board, Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice
- Editorial board, Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
- Editorial board, BMC endocrine disorders
Biography
Dr. Saisho received his medical degree in 1998 and his PhD degree in 2009, both from the Keio University School of Medicine in Tokyo. Before obtaining his current position as assistant professor, Dr. Saisho completed a three-year postdoctoral fellowship at the Larry L. Hillblom Islet Research Center at the University of California-Los Angeles’s David Geffen School of Medicine (Prof. Peter C. Butler). Dr. Saisho’s area of interest is Diabetology, especially beta cell dysfunction in diabetes. Dr. Saisho is the author or coauthor of more than 100 publications.
How does your research relate to the SDGs?
Prevention is a key to “well-being”. Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease, with decline in beta cell function. Since impairment of beta cell function started more than 10 years before the development of hyperglycemia, earlier intervention for type 2 diabetes is critical to preserve beta cell function. Having that beta cell expansion in response to obesity in humans is limited, insulin resistance inevitably leads to an increment in beta cell workload, even before the onset of diabetes. Longstanding overwork of beta cell results in beta cell malfunction, and eventually beta cell death, like “Karoshi” in Japanese. Once the number of beta cells starts to decrease, the rest of beta cells must work harder to maintain normoglycemia, forming the vicious cycle. Therefore, the lifestyle modification including healthy eating and physical activity should direct towards the reduction in beta cell workload, and protection of beta cell will be the path to the prevention of diabetes, as well as achievement of the SDGs.
- Beyond glucose: A beta-cell centric approach to prevent type 2 diabetes (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPE66_w7uR4)
Why did you decide to go into your field of research?
In Japan, there are many patients with type 2 diabetes without obesity. Moreover, despite lifestyle modification, diabetes cannot be cured in most patients. Based on these facts, I hypothesized that beta cell dysfunction is the key to explore the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes.
How has knowledge of topic developed over the course of your career?
I conducted my research at UCLA (Prof. Peter C Butler) between 2006 and 2009 as a postdoctoral fellow. This experience gave me the opportunity to develop my career thereafter.
What are your hopes for progress in the future?
Based on the beta cell centric concept of diabetes which we proposed, medical staffs and patients with type 2 diabetes should work together to protect beta cell. The beta cell centric concept will empower the people with type 2 diabetes, diminish the stigma, and enhance the advocacy among the people with type 2 diabetes.