Hirofumi Kai is currently Dean & Professor of the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University. He used to be a UCSF research associate, 1992-1994. Kai’s group is currently investigating the molecular mechanisms of chronic diseases such as alport syndrome, cystic fibrosis, amyloidosis, diabetes and COPD. Their main goal is to elucidate the factors involved in these diseases which could ultimately provide useful information to develop therapy.