Department of Life Science and Chemistry

Chemistry and Drug Discovery Division

Overview

With a basis in chemistry, clarifying biological phenomena and the utilization of vital life functions, and how biological molecules are created, will lead to the production of pharmaceutical intermediates and the development of functional polymers, both of which are academically and socially important challenges. Therefore, in this department, we engage in developing analytic methods and organic synthesis techniques that mainly target molecules with low molecular weight, and based on these techniques, create molecular probes and molecules that possess a response to external stimulation, such as light, heat, and stress. We also educate and conduct research to promote fields wherein these efforts can be utilized, while developing human resources who contribute to the field.
Rapid advancements in the life sciences have gradually revealed various phenomena of biology at the molecular and atomic levels. The engineering of applications related to biological functions requires the ability to comprehensively understand research results in terms of the chemistry involved. Therefore, we educate and perform research that develops human resources who understand how biopolymers are involved in biological functions, and who contribute to engineering applications of biomolecules and their derivatives, as well as the development of new generations of genomic drugs.

Laboratory introduction

For faculty member details, please see the staff introductions.

Laboratory	Nano-biomaterials, supramolecular chemistry, chemical biology, pharmacological chemistry
Faculty members	Professor IKEDA Masato	Assistant professor SHIBATA Aya
Research details	With a basis in chemistry, our laboratory aims to contribute to the development of novel functional molecules and materials with medical applications, and a better understanding of biological phenomena.

Laboratory	G protein signal regulation and pharmaceutical discoveries
Faculty members	Professor Ueda Hiroshi	Assistant professor NAKAMURA Katsuyuki
Research details	Our laboratory aims at contributing to the clarification of mechanisms that develop into clinical conditions including cancer, and the discovery of pharmaceuticals for treating those conditions. In particular, we conduct research to elucidate the mechanisms that control cell morphology with intracellular signals via trimeric G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR), mechanisms that produce extracellular vesicles, and the functions of olfactory receptors for the types of GPCRs expressed in cancer tissue.

Laboratory	Cell biology, neuroscience
Faculty members	Professor OHASHI Kentaro
Research details	With the intent of developing fundamental prophylaxes and therapeutics for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, our laboratory conducts both basic and applied research: clarifying molecular mechanisms of cell death caused by oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and other stresses that are deeply involved with various pathogenic conditions; developing measurements of endoplasmic reticulum stress with applications in analyses of neurological disorders; and, creating compounds to protect nerve cells from stresses.

Laboratory	Synthetic organic chemistry, bio-related chemistry
Faculty members	Professor OKA Natsuhisa
Research details	Our laboratory purposes to develop highly efficient and highly selective organic chemical reactions, and apply them to the synthesis of bioactive substances, including complex natural compounds and biomolecules. In particular, we develop new approaches for synthesizing various alkenes with high yields and high stereoselectivity, as well as the development of methods for synthesizing nucleic acids and sugar derivatives, with the objective of applications in biology, medicine, and pharmacology.

Laboratory	Evaluation of bioactive substances with applications to biotechnology and mass production
Faculty members	Professor TAKEMORI Hiroshi
Research details	In order to clarify novel biological phenomena and develop related applied biotechnologies, our laboratory creates novel bioactive substances and elucidates their mechanisms of action. For example, our study of a skin pigment synthesis inhibitor has helped elucidate intracellular and extracellular transport mechanisms using pigments as markers. In addition, we are working to develop an evaluation technique useful for establishing therapeutic methods for treating diseases commonly caused by abnormalities within those mechanisms.

Laboratory	Structural analysis and characterization of biopolymer and molecular assemblies
Faculty members	Professor FUJISAWA Tetsuro	Associate professor KAMAGATA Kiyoto	Assistant professor ISHIGURO Ryo
Research details	With the aim of understanding biological functions from the aspect of physical chemistry using small-angle X-ray scattering methods, high-hydrostatic pressure technologies, and chemometrics for biopolymers in aqueous solutions and related molecular assemblies, we engage in the structural analysis of molecules, experimental studies evaluating physical properties, and the development of analysis methods.

Laboratory	Molecular biology, genetic engineering, protein engineering
Faculty members	Professor YOSHIDA Toyokazu	Associate professor MITSUKURA Koichi
Research details	Our laboratory aims to develop biocatalytic processes for synthesizing biologically and chemically useful compounds. We utilize an enzymatic reaction that has been newly discovered in microorganisms isolated from a natural environment to efficiently produce synthetic intermediates of pharmaceuticals and pesticides, optically-active substance precursors, and functional polymer units, among other compounds.

Laboratory	Molecular biology, genetic engineering, protein engineering
Faculty members	Professor YOKOGAWA Takashi	Associate professor OHNO Satoshi	Assistant professor OGINO Hiromi
Research details	Our laboratory studies in detail the mechanisms that accurately maintain nucleic acid sequence information and the mechanisms that accurately convert genetic information into the amino acid sequencing information of proteins. We also conduct research to produce useful nucleic acids and proteins by utilizing those mechanisms, and their applications with recombinant DNA technologies, research tools for molecular biology, in vitro diagnostic kits, etc.

Laboratory	Separation and analytical chemistry, capillary liquid chromatography
Faculty members	Professor LIM Lee Wah	Assistant professor MATSUYAMA Tsugufumi
Research details	Our laboratory engages in research to improve the performance of chromatography. Chromatography consists of a mobile phase and a stationary phase. Sample components are separated by differences of interactions during the stationary phase. We prepare separation columns with capillary inner diameters from 0.1 to 0.8mm in order to develop a novel stationary phase, aiming to improve separation selectivity. Our laboratory creates particle-filled columns and integrated (monolithic) capillary columns. When using capillary columns, significantly decreased mobile phases are necessary, enabling the achievement of eco-friendly separation and analysis methods.

Laboratory	Organoelement chemistry, organometallic chemistry
Faculty members	Associate professor KOYAMA Hiroko
Research details	From the perspective of human molecular imaging, we conduct the following research: development of label synthesis methods using the short-lived radionuclides 11C and 18F; inventing functional molecular probes for diagnosing and treating refractory central nervous system-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and cerebral tumors; and, creation of drug structures with high intracerebral transferability.

Laboratory	Organoelement chemistry, organometallic chemistry
Faculty members	Associate professor SHIBAHARA Fumitoshi
Research details	The two fundamental fronts propelling our research are: 1) creating new compound groups by utilizing the "individuality of an element"; and 2) developing synthesis reactions of simple compounds by focusing on "what and how do we make, and from what?" Recently, based on these policies with particular attention to properties of new cyclic compounds that contain homologues of oxygen and nitrogen, our laboratory promotes the creation of chemical species exhibiting specific luminescent properties and the development of highly active catalysts that realize highly efficient compound synthesis.

Laboratory	Supramolecules + biomimetics = supramolecular biomimetics
Faculty members	Associate professor MIYAJI Hidekazu
Research details	Our laboratory studies biomimetics using molecular aggregates formed by coordinate bonds and hydrogen bonds, a so-called supramolecule. Specifically, we conduct research on the development of antenna concentrator systems (artificial photosynthesis) using artificial receptors and porphyrin supramolecules that selectively recognize specific biomolecules, as well as the application of such novel supramolecules in medical treatments, catalysts, and solar cells, among other applications.

Laboratory	Synthetic organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry
Faculty members	Assistant professor KITAMURA Yoshiaki
Research details	Our laboratory aims to develop practical organic synthesis methods and apply for drug discovery. With the aim of developing revolutionary new drugs, we are designing and synthesizing candidate compounds that can be produced via diversity-oriented synthesis using highly chemoselective reactions in the last step of synthetic process.