Nagai Laboratory

What we do

• The Nagai Lab is comprised of clinician-scientists focused on translational research that combines clinical research and developmental research with basic science.

On-going projects

• Association between Mastication and Cognitive Function by Case-Controlled, Population-Based, Matched-Cohort Study
  • The goal of this study is to establish an effective preventive approach to integrating oral health and cognitive health to decrease oral risk factors for Alzheimer’s Disease
• Paradigm Shift in the Molecular Transport to Brain through the Direct Central Nerve-Innervation Based Retrograde Axonal Transport of Craniofacial Tissue Exosomes (RATCE)
  • Our goal is to identify neuroprotective agents produced by oral facial tissues and to validate the retrograde axonal transport as an effective drug delivery route to the brain. These findings could pave the way for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases.
• Material Science and Clinical Development of Simultaneous Non-Invasive Diagnosis and Therapeutic Treatment of Dental Caries
  • The goal of the proposed research is to develop a novel dental material (varnish) that both detects and inhibits dental caries (enamel caries and dentin caries).
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) guided comprehensive treatment planning
  • The aim of this study is to develop an efficient and accurate tool for tooth prognosis decision and comprehensive treatment planning using an AI-based algorithm.
• Color Science in Dentistry
  • Color vision deficiency is a condition that affects the perception of color and is present in approximately 1 in 12 men (8%) and 1 in 200 women (0.5%). Nagai lab is investigating effects of color vision deficiency on dental clinical color matching and developing educational approaches and materials.