Development of Preventive Therapy by Clarification of Mechanisms of Environmental-Factor-Mediated Diseases

Environmental factors affecting human health are generally classified into physical, chemical and biological factors. In this review article, we focus on ultraviolet (UV) as a physical factor, heavy metals as a chemical factor and Japanese cedar pollens as a biological factor. Since we believe that progress based on both fieldwork research and experimental research is essential in hygiene study, we included the results of both the research approached. We first introduced the mechanism of development of and prevention of UV-mediated skin melanoma in our experimental research after showing our epidemiological research on UV-mediated DNA damage in humans. We then introduced our evaluation of toxicity and development of a remediation system in our experimental research on heavy metals after showing our fieldwork research for the monitoring of drinking water from wells in Asian countries. We finally introduced the results of pathogenic analysis of pollinosis in our clinical study. We would be very happy if young researchers would re-realize the importance of experimental research as well as epidemiological research in hygiene study.