We are pleased to announce that Prof. Yoshikazu Nakaoka from National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Japan will join Second Conjoint RIKEN – ISM 2026 as a speaker and give a presentation entitled “Oral-to-Gut Bacterial Translocation in Cardiovascular Diseases“.

Prof. Yoshikazu Nakaoka, Vice Director of the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center (NCVC) Research Institute and Director of the Department of Vascular Physiology, will discuss how the gut–vascular axis is shaped not only by microbial metabolites, but also by oral-to-gut bacterial translocation, a mechanism that may reframe cardiovascular risk and progression in chronic inflammatory vascular diseases.

Cardiovascular microbiome research has often centered on metabolite-mediated effects (for example, diet-derived pathways linked to atherosclerotic risk). Prof. Nakaoka’s work expands this view by focusing on how ectopic colonization of oral commensals in the intestine can associate with clinically meaningful outcomes, and how common medications may unintentionally influence these dynamics.

During his talk, he will present patient-based evidence across multiple conditions, including: enrichment of an oral commensal (Campylobacter gracilis) in Takayasu arteritis in association with proton pump inhibitor use and higher aneurysm/progression-related events; links between microbiota alterations and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) activation in pulmonary hypertension; and gut microbiota changes associated with stroke prognosis. He will also outline where the field is heading in terms of actionable targets, biomarkers, and realistic intervention strategies.

This presentation connects microbial ecology and vascular pathology to define emerging translational opportunities in cardiovascular medicine.

For more information about his talk: 
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The 2^nd RIKEN-ISM Conjoint Meeting
Tokyo Microbiota 2026
September 24-25, 2026 – The University of Tokyo, Japan
tokyo.microbiota-ism.com