- Dr. Takebe's study proves mammals can breathe through their rear, opening new avenues for emergency oxygenation.
- Eel-inspired research nets scientist an Ig Nobel Prize and a whopping 40-cent payday in Zimbabwean currency.
Dr. Takanori Takebe, MD, PhD, is best known for his groundbreaking work in organoid medicine, but he might be remembered for something even more unusual—his research showing that mammals can "breathe" through their intestines.
This surprising discovery made headlines in June 2021 when his team published a successful study on the topic in the journal Med. The research caught the attention of major outlets like the New York Times, New York Post, Science NOW, and the science show The Nature of Things.
Recently, Takebe's unconventional finding earned him the quirky scientific honor of an Ig Nobel Prize.
Since 1991, the satirical Ig Nobel Prize has been awarded annually by the scientific humor magazine Annals of Improbable Research to recognize achievements that "first make people laugh, then make them think."
The 2024 awards were presented on Sept. 12 at MIT by actual Nobel laureates.
Takebe holds academic positions in Tokyo and the U.S. He serves as Director for Commercial Innovation at Cincinnati Children's Center for Stem Cell and Organoid Research and Medicine (CuSTOM) and is a professor at Tokyo Medical and Dental University. Takebe's interest in an unusual eel-like fish, the loach, sparked years ago. Known for surviving in oxygen-depleted water, the loach uses its intestines to breathe by gulping air when necessary, adding to its usual gill-based respiration.
What if people could do something similar? Well, it appears quite possible.
“There are multiple health conditions including respiratory distress in newborn patients that can threaten lives by disrupting our lungs' ability to transfer oxygen to the bloodstream. These include injuries or inflammation affecting the airway, pneumonia filling the lungs with fluid, and so on. During the COVID pandemic, many patients suffered in part because there was a global shortage of ventilators and limited accessibility to ECMO,” says Takebe.
“Enteric ventilation could serve as an important alternative oxygen delivery route. Further confirmation is needed by our initial studies indicate that our ventilation system is capable of supporting patients experiencing severe respiratory failure.”
Researchers have developed a groundbreaking "butt-breathing" technique using a liquid called perfluorocarbon, which carries far more oxygen than water. When delivered through a rectal tube, this liquid allows the lower intestine to absorb oxygen and transfer it directly into the bloodstream, similar to an enema.
Now, EVA Therapeutics, Inc., co-founded by Takebe and his team, is advancing human trials in Japan, with the first dose given in June 2024. While promising, further research is needed to refine the system and ensure patient safety.
And not to mention, along with the Ig Nobel Prize, Takebe's efforts earned him a playful 100 trillion Zimbabwean dollar bill—worth about 40 U.S. cents.
Edited by Harshajit Sarmah
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