Toru Watanabe, Ph.D.
Project Associate Professor
Environmental Science Center
The University of Tokyo

7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku
Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
Tel & Fax: +81-3-5841-0644
Email: watanabe(at)esc.u-tokyo.ac.jp
日本語のページはこちら!!

Educational Record
December 2006 Received Ph.D. in Engineering (Civil and Environmental Engineering) from Tohoku University, Japan
Ph.D. thesis "Development of risk evaluation methods for waterborne pathogens in the watershed - As a powerful tool for the watershed management from the viewpoint of public health -"
March 1998 Graduated from Department of Civil Engineering, Tohoku University
Bachelor of Engineering (Civil Engineering)
Bachelor thesis "Risk assessment for waterborne diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms through drinking water"
April 1994 Entered Faculty of Engineering, Tohoku University
March 1994 Graduated from Akita High School, Akita Prefecture, Japan
Academic Career
April 2009 - Present Project Associate Professor, Environmental Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Japan
(Employed for "Water-Intro Project" which is a Japan-Thailand bilateral project supported by JST and JICA)
April 2008 - March 2009 Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
(Sponsered by Japan Society for Promotion of Science (JSPS))
April 2007 - March 2008 Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tohoku University, Japan
April 1998 - March 2007 Instructor, Department of Civil Engineering, Tohoku University
Membership
Research Interests
Awards
November 2009 Best Paper Award, Environmental Engineering Research (Environmental Engineering Committee, JSCE)
Awarded paper "Risk evaluation for waterborne infectious diseases based on seroprevalence in rural Cambodia" (Published in Environmental Engineering Research, 45，169-177，2008)
November 2007 Best Paper Award, Environmental Engineering Research (Environmental Engineering Committee, JSCE)
Awarded paper "Risk evaluation for water infectious diseases in the Mekong watershed considering water supply systems" (Published in Environmental Engineering Research, 43, 245-254, 2006)
Publication
Research articles in peer-reviewed journals:
  1. Toru Watanabe, Timothy A. Bartrand, Tatsuo Omura, Charles N. Haas. Dose-response assessment for influenza A virus based on the datasets of infection with its live attenuated reassortants. Risk Analysis, under review
  2. Toru Watanabe, Timothy A. Bartrand, Mark H. Weir, Tatsuo Omura, Charles N. Haas. Development of a dose-response model for SARS coronavirus. Risk Analysis, in press
  3. Yutaka Midorikawa, Kaoru Midorikawa, Bounphenh Sangsomsack, Trykhouane Phoutavane, Kampheng Chomlasak, Toru Watanabe, Nanthasane Vannavong, Shigehisa Habe, Masami Nakatsu, Yasuyuki Kosaka, Kongsap Akkhavong, Micheal Strobel, Boungnong Boupha, Satoshi Nakamura. Water, livelihood and health in Attapeu province in Lao PDR. Southeast Asian Studies, 47(4), 113-133, 2010
  4. Tsukasa Sasaki, Toru Watanabe, Takayuki Miura, Yoshifumi Masago, Satoshi Nakamura, Tatsuo Omura. Risk evaluation for waterborne infectious diseases based on seroprevalence in rural Cambodia. Environmental Engineering Research, 45，169-177，2008 (in Japanese)
  5. Toshiki Aizawa, So Kazama, Toru Watanabe, Masaki Sawamoto. Analysis of seasonal variation in the patients of waterborne infectious diseases by the hydraulic inundation simulation. Annual Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, 51, 1189-1194, 2007(in Japanese)
  6. Takayuki Miura, Toru Watanabe, Satoshi Nakamura, Tatsuo Omura. Risk evaluation for infectious diarrhea due to drinking water in the Mekong watershed with a GIS-based model. Journal of Japan Society on Water Environment, 30(11), 611-616, 2007 (in Japanese)
  7. Daisuke Sano, You Ueki, Toru Watanabe, Tatsuo Omura. Genetic variation in the conservative gene region of norovirus genogroup II strains in environmental and stool samples. Environmental Science and Technology, 40, 7423-7427, 2006
  8. Yoshifumi Masago, Hiroyuki Katayama, Toru Watanabe, Eiji Haramoto, Atsushi Hashimoto, Tatsuo Omura, Tsuyoshi Hirata, Shinichiro Ohgaki. Quantitative risk assessment of noroviruses in drinking water based on qualitative data in Japan. Environmental Science and Technology, 40, 7428-7433, 2006
  9. Toru Watanabe, Takayuki Miura, Tsukasa Sasaki, Satoshi Nakamura, Tatsuo Omura. Risk evaluation for water infectious diseases in the Mekong watershed considering water supply systems. Environmental Engineering Research, 43, 245-254, 2006 (in Japanese)
  10. D. Sano, Y. Ueki, T. Watanabe, T. Omura. Removal of indigenous norovirus by membrane filtration. Water Science and Technology, 54(3), 77-82, 2006
  11. Manabu Fujii, Akira Sasaki, Shun Otomo, Toru Watanabe, Tatsuo Omura. Spatial and seasonal distributions of dissolved organic matter and iron in Matsushima Bay, Japan. Journal of Japan Society on Water Environment, 29(3), 169-176, 2006 (in Japanese)
  12. Toshiki Aizawa, So Kazama, Toru Watanabe, Masaki Sawamoto. The risk fluctuation of waterborne infectious disease on flood scales in the Mekong river. Annual Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, 50, 625-630, 2006 (in Japanese)
  13. T. Watanabe, K. Hashimoto, Y. Abe, T. Omura. Evaluation of health risks in the wastewater reclamation in the Abukuma watershed, Japan. Journal of Water and Environment Technology, 3(2), 223-233, 2005
  14. You Ueki, Daisuke Sano, Toru Watanabe, Kazuo Akiyama, Tatsuo Omura. Norovirus pathway in water environment estimated by genetic analysis of strains from patients of gastroenteritis, sewage, treated wastewater, river water and oysters. Water Research, 39, 4271-4280, 2005
  15. Toshiki Aizawa, So Kazama, Toru Watanabe, Masaki Sawamoto. Risk assessment of infection in the Mekong flood using the hydraulic inundation simulation. Environmental Engineering Research, 42, 443-450, 2005 (in Japanese)
  16. Takayuki Miura, Toru Watanabe, Satoshi Nakamura, Tatsuo Omura. Water utilization and microbial contamination of water environment in the Mekong watershed. Environmental Engineering Research, 42, 451-462, 2005 (in Japanese)
  17. You Ueki, Kazuo Akiyama, Toru Watanabe, Tatsuo Omura. Genetic analysis of noroviruses taken from gastroenteritis patients, river water and oysters. Water Science and Technology, 50(1), 51-56, 2004
  18. Daisuke Sano, Toru Watanabe, Takahiro Matsuo, Tatsuo Omura. Detection of infectious pathogenic viruses in water and wastewater samples from urbanized areas. Water Science and Technology, 50(1), 247-251, 2004
  19. Akira Sasaki, Manabu Fujii, Toru Watanabe, Tatsuo Omura. Development of the coagulation model for humic substances in estuarine condition. Environmental Engineering Research, 41, 377-388, 2004 (in Japanese)
  20. Manabu Fujii, Akira Sasaki, Toru Watanabe, Tatsuo Omura. Equilibrium and coagulation characteristics of humic iron complex in estuaries. Environmental Engineering Research, 41, 389-400, 2004 (in Japanese)
  21. You Ueki, Kazuo Akiyama, Toru Watanabe, Tatsuo Omura. Analysis of contamination route of oysters with Novovirus (NV) on the basis of the genetic homology. Environmental Engineering Research, 40, 607-616, 2003 (in Japanese)
  22. T. Watanabe, D. Sano, T. Omura. Risk evaluation for pathogenic bacteria and viruses in sewage sludge compost. Water Science and Technology, 46(11-12), 325-330, 2002
  23. Koshi Hashimoto, Toru Watanabe, Tatsuo Omura. Evaluation of water reclamation for decreasing damages of water shortage on the basis of infectious risks. Environmental Engineering Research, 39, 123-134, 2002 (in Japanese)
  24. Toru Watanabe, Tatsuo Omura. Development of propagation model on outbreak of waterborne infectious diseases between two cities in the watershed. Journal of Environmental Systems and Engineering, Japan Society of Civil Engineers, 664, 75-83, 2000 (in Japanese)
  25. Toru Watanabe, Kensuke Fukushi, Tatsuo Omura. Development of outbreak model on waterborne infectious diseases by pathogenic microorganisms through drinking water. Journal of Environmental Systems and Engineering, Japan Society of Civil Engineers, 650, 25-32, 2000 (in Japanese)
  26. Yasuko Makanae, Toru Watanabe, Tatsuo Omura, Ginro Endo. A study on quantitative detection for Legionella pneumophila by colony-hybridization. Journal of Japan Society on Water Environment, 23(12), 771-777, 2000 (in Japanese)
Books:
  1. Tatsuo Omura, Kensuke Fukushi and Toru Watanabe. Chapter 5. Environmental Management for Water Resources in Asia. In: Sustainability Science, Volume 5, Visions for Sustainable Asia (Edited by Nobuo Mimura and Kensuke Fukushi), University of Tokyo Press, in press (in Japanese)
  2. Toru Watanabe, Tsukasa Sasaki, Takayuki Miura, Satoshi Nakamura, Tatsuo Omura. Health risks due to contamination of groundwater with heavy metals and pathogenic microorganisms at an arsenic-affected village in Cambodia. In: Southeast Asian Water Environment 3 (Edited by Satoshi Takizawa, Futoshi Kurisu and Hiroyasu Satoh), pp. 67-72, IWA Publishing, London, UK, 2009
  3. Toru Watanabe. 15-3-3 Virus Infectivity and tolerance to disinfectants. In: Handbook on Water Environment (Edited by Japan Society on Water Environment), pp. 448-452, Asakura Publishing, Tokyo, Japan, 2006 (in Japanese)
Others:
  1. Toru Watanabe. Risk assessment for waterborne infectious diseases in developing countries - To achieve safe and sustainable water utilization -. Kankyo Anzen, 123, 16-19, 2009 (in Japanese)
  2. Toru Watanabe, Takayuki Miura, Tatsuo Omura. Water utilization and risk of infectious diseases in the Mekong watershed. Modern Media，53(4)，15-20，2007 (in Japanese)
  3. Toru Watanabe, Tatsuo Omura. Water utilization in the Mekong watershed and research evolution for reducing risk of waterborne infection Environmental Conservation Engineering, 36(8)，538-545，2007 (in Japanese)
  4. Toru Watanabe. Risk evaluation for infection by viruses in the water environment. Journal of Japan Society on Water Environment, 29(3), 143-146, 2006 (in Japanese)
  5. Daisuke Sano, You Ueki, Toru Watanabe. Actual situation of water pollution with pathogenic viruses. Modern Media，52(4), 23-32, 2006 (in Japanese)
Presentation
Presentation at international conferences, symposia or workshops ([I]: Invited, [F]: Reviewed with full paper, [A]: Reviewed with abstract, [P]: Poster presentation)
  1. Toru Watanabe and Kazuo Yamamoto. Dose-response models for Leptospira infection via skin route. Water and Environment Technology Conference (WET2010) (Yokohama, Japan), June 2010 [A]
  2. Toru Watanabe. Hazard through water: People and risk. cSUR-UT International Symposium on Vulnerability in Cities: The Diagnosis and Remedy (Kashiwa, Japan), February 2010 [I]
  3. T. Watanabe, T.A. Bartrand, T. Omura, C.N. Haas. Dose-response assessment for influenza A virus based on the datasets for its vaccine strains. Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) 2009 Annual Meeting (Baltimore, USA), T3-C.10, December 2009 [A,P]
  4. T. Watanabe.　 Dose-response analysis for influenza A virus - the difference in virulence between wild-type and vaccine strains - . The 4th International Workshop on Environmental and Health Risk for Sustainabiligy in Developing Countries (Sendai, Japan), November 2009 [I]
  5. Tim Bartrand, Mark Gibson, Sharon Nappier, Toru Watanabe, Charles Haas. A refinement and assessment of the adenovirus dose-response model. American Water Works Association (AWWA) 2009 Water Quality Technology Conference and Exhibition (Seattle, USA), November 2009 [A,P]
  6. T. Watanabe, T.A. Bartrand, M.H. Weir, T. Omura, C.N. Haas. A dose-response model for quantitative risk assessment of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak. American Society for Microbiology (ASM) the 109th General Meeting (Philadelphia, USA), May 2009 [A,P]
  7. Toru Watanabe, Charles N. Haas. Dose-response model for SARS coronavirus via intranasal inoculation. The University Network Student Day hosted by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) (Washington DC, USA), March 2009 [A,P]
  8. Toru Watanabe, Charles N. Haas. Consistency of dose-response models and outbreaks - the case of SARS. The 3rd Annual DHS University Network Summit (Washington DC, USA), March 2009
  9. Toru Watanabe, Charles N. Haas. Quantitative microbial risk assessment for SARS coronavirus. The 3rd International Workshop on Environmental and Health Risk for Sustainability in Developing Countries (Sendai, Japan), February 2009 [I]
  10. T. Watanabe, T. Miura, Y. Masago, T. Sasaki, S. Nakamura, T. Omura. Significance of fecal contamination of drinking water in seroprevalences against Helicobacter pylori and Campylobacter jejuni in rural Cambodia. Proceedings of IWA World Water Congress and Exhibition (Vienna, Austria), CD-ROM, 2008 [A]
  11. Takayuki Miura, Toru Watanabe, Satoshi Nakamura, Boungnong Boupha, Muth Sinuon, Trinh Thi Long, Krittiya Lertopocasombut and Tatsuo Omura. Risk evaluation for infectious diarrhea in the water utilization in the Mekong watershed with a GIS-based model. Proceedings of 14th IWA International Symposium on Health-Related Water Microbiology (Tokyo, Japan), 14-16, 2007 [A]
  12. Satoshi Nakamura, Yutaka Midorikawa, Kaoru Midorikawa, Bounpheng Sonsangsack, Trykhouane Phoutavane, Kampheng Chomlasak, Toru Watanabe, Nanthasane Vannavong, Shigehisa Habe, Yasuyuki Kosaka, Kongsap Akkhavong, Michel Strobe, Boungnong Boupha. Water, livelihood and health at a resettlement village in Lao PDR. Proceedings of 14th IWA International Symposium on Health-Related Water Microbiology (Tokyo, Japan), 5-6, 2007 [A]
  13. Toru Watanabe, Tsukasa Sasaki, Takayuki Miura, Satoshi Nakamura, Tatsuo Omura. Health risks due to contamination of groundwater with heavy metals and pathogenic microorganisms at an arsenic-affected village in Cambodia. Proceedings of International Symposium on Southeast Asian Water Environment (Chiang Mai, Thailand), 5, 205-212, 2007 [F]
  14. Toru Watanabe, Takayuki Miura, Tsukasa Sasaki, Yoshifumi Masago, Satoshi Nakamura, Tatsuo Omura. Risk evaluation of waterborne infectious diarrhea in the Mekong watershed and possible scenarios of water utilization for risk reduction. Proceedings of AEARU Joint Workshop - International Collaboration for Asian Sustainable Society (ICASS) 2007 (Wuxi, China), 211-214, 2007
  15. T. Watanabe, T. Miura, T. Sasaki, S. Nakamura, N. Surinkul, K. Lertpocasombut, M. Sinuon, T. Omura. Effects of provincial and village water supply systems on the risk reduction of infectious diseases associated with drinking water. Proceedings of 3rd International Symposium on the Development of Water Resource Management System in Mekong Watershed (Bangkok, Thailand), 72-78, 2006
  16. Toru Watanabe, Takayuki Miura, Tatsuo Omura, Satoshi Nakamua, Narong Surinkul, Lrittiya Lertopocasombut, Muth Sinuon. Risk evaluation of infectious diseases associated with drinking water. Proceedings of International Conference on Mekong Research for the People of the Mekong (Chiang Rai, Thailand), CD-ROM, 2006
  17. Tatsuo Omura, Toru Watanabe. Development of risk management system for the purpose of the safety of water utilization. Proceedings of International Conference on Mekong Research for the People of the Mekong (Chiang Rai, Thailand), CD-ROM, 2006
  18. Satoshi Nakamura, Hajime Matuda, Masashi Kirinoki, Jun Matsumoto, Viroj Kittkoon, Shigehisa Habe, Toru Watanabe, Naoko Nihei, Kongsap Akkhavong, Boungnong Boupha. Evaluation of Shistosomiasis Mekongi prevalence after drug treatment in southern part of Khong district, Champark, Lao PDR. Proceedings of International Conference on Mekong Research for the People of the Mekong (Chiang Rai, Thailand), CD-ROM, 2006
  19. T. Watanabe, Y. Abe, T. Miura, T. Omura. Effects of sunlight, temperature and suspended solids on inactivation of poliovirus in river water. Proceedings of 13th IWA International Symposium on Health-Related Water Microbiology (Swansea, UK), CD-ROM, 2005 [A]
  20. D. Sano, Y. Ueki, T. Watanabe, T. Omura. Removal of indigenous norovirus by membrane filtration. Proceedings of 13th IWA International Symposium on Health-Related Water Microbiology (Swansea, UK), CD-ROM, 2005 [A]
  21. T. Watanabe, S. Nakamura, D. Sano, Y. Ueki, T. Omura. Viral contamination of water environment in the southern part of Lao PDR. Proceedings of 1st IWA-ASPIRE (Asia-Pacific Regional Group) Conference and Exhibition (Singapore), CD-ROM, 2005 [A]
  22. T. Watanabe, S. Nakamura, T. Miura, Y. Moroishi, T. Omura. Regional characteristics of water utilization and risk of waterborne infectious diseases in the Mekong delta, Vietnam. Proceedings of 2nd International Symposium on the Development of Water Resource Management System in Mekong Watershed (Bangkok, Thailand), 97-104, 2005
  23. T. Aizawa, S. Kazama, T. Watanabe, M. Sawamoto. Risk assessment of infection in the Mekong flood using the hydraulic inundation simulation. Proceedings of 2nd International Symposium on the Development of Water Resource Management System in Mekong Watershed (Bangkok, Thailand), 69-76, 2005
  24. N. T. Viet, H. Tanaka, T. Watanabe. Simulation of time series of salinity intrusion in the Hau river estuary. Proceedings of 2nd International Symposium on the Development of Water Resource Management System in Mekong Watershed (Bangkok, Thailand), 62-68, 2005
  25. T. Miura, T. Watanabe, S. Nakamura, T. Omura. Detection of indicator bacteria from the drinking water sources in the Mekong watershed. Poster Presentation Proceedings of 3rd International Symposium on Southeast Asian Water Environment (Bangkok, Thailand), 50-53, 2005
  26. Satoshi Nakamura, Hajime Matsuda, Masaaki Kirinoki, Shigehisa Habe, Viroj Kitikoon, T. Watanabe, Naoko Nihei, Bounlay Phommasack, Soulaxay Phrommala, Kongsap Akkhavong, Boungnong Boupha. Present situation of Shistosoma mekongi and other helminth infections at Khong district in Champasack province, Lao People's Democratic Republic. Proceedings of International Conference on Emerging Snail-borne Helminthic Diseases (Copenhagen, Demark), CD-ROM, 2005 [A]
  27. Satoshi Nakamura, Hajime Matsuda, Masaaki Kirinoki, Shigehisa Habe, Viroj Kitikoon, T. Watanabe, Naoko Nihei, Kongsap Akkhavong, Boungnong Boupha. Present situation of Shistosoma mekongi infection in Champasack province, Lao PDR. Proceedings of "Medicine and Health in the Tropics" Conference (Marseille, France), CD-ROM, 2005 [A]
  28. T. Watanabe, K. Hashimoto, Y. Abe, T. Omura. Evaluation of health risks in the wastewater reclamation in the Abukuma watershed, Japan. Proceedings of 8th International Conference on Nonpoint/Diffuse Pollution (Kyoto, Japan), CD-ROM, 2004 [A]
  29. T. Watanabe, S. Nakamura, T. Miura, T. Omura, Y. Midorikawa, K. Moji, B. Boupha, S. Insisiengmay. Microbial contamination on the water environment in Lao P.D.R. and Cambodia. Proceedings of International Symposium on the Development of Water Resource Management System in Mekong Watershed (Hanoi, Vietnam), 88-98, 2004
  30. S. Nakamura, H. Matsuda, M. Kirinoki, S. Habe, V. Kitikoon, T. Watanabe, N. Nihei, S. Phrommala, B. Boupha, N. Boutta. Reconfirmation on high prevalence of Schistosoma mekongi infection in southern part of Khong District, Champasak Province, Lao PDR. Proceedings of the 2nd Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia Symposium (Hanoi, Vietnam), 236-237, 2004
  31. T. Watanabe, K. Hashimoto, Y. Abe, T. Omura. Risk evaluation of pathogens in wastewater reclamation as a drinking water source. Proceedings of WEFTEC 2003 (the 76th Annual Water Environment Federation (WEF) Technical Exhibition and Conference) (Los Angeles, USA), CD-ROM, 2003 [A]
  32. You Ueki, Kazuo Akiyama, Toru Watanabe, Tatsuo Omura. Genetic analysis of noroviruses taken from gastroenteritis patients, river water and oysters. Proceedings of 12th IWA International Symposium on Health-Related Water Microbiology (Cape Town, South Africa), CD-ROM, 2003 [A]
  33. T. Watanabe, K. Hashimoto, Y. Abe, K. Fukushi, T. Omura. Risk evaluation of viral infectious diseases through drinking water with the secondary infection. Poster Presentation Proceedings of 2nd IWA Asia-Pacific Regional Conference (Bangkok, Thailand), CD-ROM, 2003 [A,P]
  34. T. Watanabe, D. Sano, T. Omura. Risk evaluation for pathogenic bacteria and viruses in the compost of sewage sludge. Proceedings of 1st IWA Asia-Pacific Regional Conference (Fukuoka, Japan), 729-734, 2001 [A]
  35. K. Watanabe, C. Yoshimura, T. Watanabe, T. Omura. Estimation of ecological recovery time (ERT) for river benthic community damaged by muddy water from earthwork. Poster Presentation Proceedings of 1st IWA Asia-Pacific Regional Conference (Fukuoka, Japan), 235-240, 2001 [A,P]
  36. T. Watanabe, K. Fukushi, T. Omura. Development of propagation model on outbreak of waterborne infectious diseases in the watershed. Poster Presentation Proceedings of 1st IWA World Water Congress (Paris, France), CD-ROM, 2000 [A,P]
  37. Toru Watanabe. Development of propagation model on outbreak of waterborne infectious diseases through water supply and sewer system. Proceedings of the International Symposium on Water Environment (Sendai, Japan), 15-22, 2000
  38. T. Watanabe, K. Fukushi and T. Omura. Risk assessment for waterborne disease by poliovirus in city through drinking water. Proceedings of 7th IAWQ Asia-Pacific Regional Conference (Taipei, Taiwan), 1, 370-375, 1999 [F]
  39. K. Fukushi, T. Tsuchida, T. Watanabe, H. Tanaka, Y. Takahashi, T. Omura. Development and evaluation of risk assessment models for pathogenic microorganisms in natural water environment. Conference Proceedings of Advanced Wastewater Treatment, Recycle and Reuse (Milan, Italy), 1, 363-370, 1998 [F]
Presentation at national conferences, symposia or workshops
I have given a total of 50 presentations at national conferences, symposia or workshops since 1989. I am sorry but the presentation titles are omitted.