2019年より本講座の主任教授を務める北田と申します。

本講座は、本学医学部における教育として１学年の組織学講義・実習、２学年の骨学・肉眼解剖学・神経解剖学および発生学の一部を担当しています。肉眼解剖学は医学部教育における登竜門とも言える学問領域であり、実習ではご遺体を用いた人体解剖を行います。関西医大白菊会に献体登録をされた方々が亡くなられ、そのご遺体が献体されて初めて可能となる実習です。献体という行為により、ご遺体が大学に搬入されてからご遺骨としてご遺族の方々のお手元に戻るまでに、数年を要します。献体制度は、献体者の無償の篤志（献体行為による医学教育への貢献に対する篤い志し）のみならず、ご遺族の深いご理解により成り立っています。解剖実習に際しては、こうした献体制度への深い理解と献体者およびご遺族への心からの感謝の気持ちを常に忘れてはなりません。

また、本邦では2012年より日本解剖学会と日本外科学会が共同で策定した「臨床医学の教育及び研究における死体解剖のガイドライン」が施行されたことにより、献体されたご遺体の用途が広がっております。本学におきましても、遺体使用の臨床医学教育・研究専門委員会および臨床解剖教育研究センターを立ち上げ、ご遺体を用いた手術手技研修（CST: Cadaver Surgical Training）を執り行っています。2025年度現在、12外科系診療科が本学においてCSTを主催しており、臨床解剖教育研究センターと共に本講座の教員が一丸となって本学のCSTをサポートしています。

研究に関しては、それぞれの教員が主体性を持って幅広い研究を行っています。解剖学は「もののかたち」を観察することを通して、その機能に迫る学問です。解剖学的手法に加え、細胞生物学、生化学、分子生物学、遺伝学等、様々な手法を用いて研究を推進していますが、現在においても「もののかたち」を顕微鏡で直接観察することを基本としています。試行錯誤の実験とその結果を顕微鏡で観察することを重ねることで、新しい知見が見出されます。私達が手を下したその結果を、顕微鏡下に自分の目で直接見て確かめることができる。これが解剖学の醍醐味であると考えています。研究に興味のある学生さんは、どうぞお気軽に解剖学講座を訪ねてください。

I am Masaaki Kitada and have served as Professor and Chair of this department since 2019.

Our department is responsible for several components of the medical curriculum at our university. In the first year, we provide lectures and practical training in histology. In the second year, we teach osteology, gross anatomy, neuroanatomy, and part of the developmental biology curriculum. Gross anatomy is often regarded as a gateway discipline in medical education, and the practical course includes human dissection using donated bodies.

These anatomical dissection courses are made possible only through body donation. Individuals who registered with the Kansai Medical University Shirogiku Society generously chose to donate their bodies after death. The donated bodies are transported to the university and used for medical education. It typically takes several years from the time the body is received by the university until the remains are returned to the bereaved family. The body donation system is sustained not only by the altruistic intentions of the donors—who wish to contribute to medical education through their donation—but also by the deep understanding and support of their families. During anatomical dissection training, it is essential that students always maintain a profound respect for the body donation system and express sincere gratitude to both the donors and their families.

In Japan, the “Guidelines for Cadaver Dissection in Education and Research in Clinical Medicine,” jointly established by the Japanese Association of Anatomists and the Japan Surgical Society, came into effect in 2012. These guidelines have broadened the educational and research uses of donated bodies. At our university, we have established the Committee for Clinical Education and Research Using Human Bodies and the Center for Clinical Anatomy (CCA). Through these initiatives, we conduct Cadaver Surgical Training (CST), in which surgeons practice and refine surgical techniques using donated bodies. As of the 2025 academic year, twelve surgical departments at our university host CST programs. Faculty members of our department work together with CCA to support these CST activities.

With regard to research, each faculty member conducts a wide range of studies with a high degree of independence. Anatomy is a discipline that seeks to understand biological function through the observation of form and structure. In addition to classical anatomical approaches, our research incorporates various methodologies including cell biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, and genetics. Nevertheless, the direct observation of biological structures under the microscope remains a fundamental aspect of our work. Through repeated experimentation and careful microscopic observation of the results, new insights can be discovered. One of the unique attractions of anatomical research is the ability to directly observe with one’s own eyes, under the microscope, the outcomes of experiments that one has personally conducted.

Students who are interested in research are always welcome to visit our Department of Anatomy.