Hirohito Ichii, M.D., Ph.D. is a Research Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Human Cell Processing laboratory at the Diabetes Research Institute.
Dr. Ichii’s expertise lies in the use of sophisticated image analysis techniques, including the use of FAC analysis, laser-scanning cytometry, and confocal microscopy.
He has been largely responsible for the development of novel tests of islet viability and apoptosis that represent a critical component of evaluating the potency and functionality of these cells prior to transplantation.
The work will be used to help structure the federal guidelines governing islet transplantation as it moves toward widespread clinical application. Dr. Ichii and his colleagues are also working on methods to maximize the yield of islets from a single donor pancreas, the results of which were recently published in the American Journal of Transplantation.