Organic Chemistry, Protein Engineering, Biomaterials Chemistry, Bioinorganic Chemistry, Coordination Chemistry
Our lab pursue developing new biocatalysts, biomaterials, and biomedicine with the knowledge of organic chemistry, biotechnology, and materials science. We seek to solve fundamental questions that leads to innovative solution in the field of environment and medicine. For this purpose, we develop new methods for chemical modification and directed evolution of proteins.
Structural Organic Chemistry, Photochemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Glyco-polymer Science
We design and synthesize highly sensitive functional fluorescent and chemiluminescent dyes and develop sensing systems using them for environmental conservation and clarification of biological functions of organisms. As for fluorescent and chemiluminescent dyes, we mainly synthesize compounds whose emission color changes depending on their environment, using synthetic techniques such as the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling method. As for sensing systems, we challenge ourselves to develop inexpensive, high-performance on-site analytical methods that take advantage of excellent visibility and ratiometry.
Furthermore, we also research to utilize polysaccharides such as chitosan and alginic acid as materials for sensors and other applications.
Synthetic Organic Chemistry、Natural Product Chemistry、Marine Natural Product Chemistry
Our studies focus on syntheses of natural product with a potent biological activity and developments of a new synthetic methodology about organic synthesis. For examples, effective and selective syntheses of dolastatin 16 and omaezallene with potent antifouling activity are studied in our laboratory.
Marine Natural Product Chemistry, Chemical Ecology, Biosynthesis
Our research targets are secondary metabolites from cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), red algae and symbionts of marine invertebrate. We isolate new compounds to determine their structures and test bioactivities including cytotoxicity and enzyme inhibition. We are also interested in biosynthesis of cyanobacterial peptides and halogenation of algal compounds.
In addition, we search for antifouling compounds and chemical signals of marine invertebrate larvae.