Future outlooks in plasma medical science

Plasma medical research started late in Japan, but over the past 5 years has made truly remarkable progress, creating a flow of new research that leads the world. A foundation is steadily being built for the investigation of plasma’s effects on the body’s homeostatic mechanisms and therapeutic interventions in pathological conditions. As a result, we have reached the level of vigorous and detailed analyses of the effects of plasma on a diverse array of important life phenomena, including cell membrane transport, intracellular signaling systems, autophagy, apoptosis, and cell proliferation and differentiation. The results of these studies strongly suggest the possibility that plasma science will contribute not only to the resolution of major research questions in life science but also make unique contributions to the resolution of problems confronting modern clinical medicine, including wound healing, regenerative medicine, and cancer control. Among the series of findings that have been obtained in translational studies of plasma science and technology, one particularly worth noting is the concrete achievement of a practical plasma hemostasis device that allows less-invasive treatment. With a view toward medical applications, solid progress has also been made in investigations to improve the selectivity of plasma actions and control its biological effects, as well as investigations aimed at ensuring the safety of plasma medicine. From this series of research findings, one strongly feels not only the possibilities of plasma as a new option on the front lines of clinical medicine in the future, but also its development as a spectacular field of medical science that holds the potential to bring about far-reaching innovations.