Department of Advanced Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kagoshima UniversityChemistry and Biotechnology Program

Computational chemistry is a research field in which effort is being made to understand and predict various chemical phenomena by solving the governing equations that molecules, atoms and electrons follow. These equations are usually very complex, but the rapid development of computers in recent years has made computational chemistry one of the many practical means in a great variety of research and development fields. Ishikawa Research Group aims to develop proprietary computational theories and programs and apply them to various problems related to life sciences to contribute to society.

The plastics around us are made from fossil resources which are non-renewable. It is desirable to develop a material synthesis process that does not use limited resources. We synthesize functional polymer materials by effectively utilizing biomass, a renewable resource. We particularly focus on “polysaccharide” polymers such as cellulose, starch, chitin, and many others, whose usage has been limited, and aim to develop new materials by functionalization.

Human cell surfaces are covered with molecules called sugar chains. Sugar chains are essential for living organisms since they play an important role in the recognition and transmission of information between cells. On the other hand, these molecules are also deeply involved in viral and bacterial infection. It is also known that the structure of sugar chains changes when an individual is in a state of sickness, which is why a comprehensive understanding of sugar chains is highly regarded in the research and development of new diagnostic methods and drugs. We utilize our proprietary nanotechnology based on organic chemistry and biochemistry to analyze the function of sugar chains at the molecular level in order to develop new diagnostic methods and pharmaceuticals.

Microorganisms have complex symbiotic or parasitic relationships with almost all living organisms. The relationship is mediated by the same molecules responsible for biological functions involved in the interaction among an organism’s cells. Findings on such molecular mechanisms will lead to the development of novel biofunctional molecules. We focus our research on bacteria, viruses and bacteriophages to explore and create molecules which control biological function and proceed with analysis leading to practical application to a variety of beneficial functions including pharmaceuticals used for vaccines, antiallergic agents and to functional foods.

In order to develop cutting-edge nanotechnology, we are conducting research into the phenomena taking place on thin films and in fine particles formed of a variety of materials, including metals as small as several nanometers (one nanometer is one millionth of a millimeter) at the minimum, and applying the results to the development of measurement methods and analytical instruments. We develop specialists of analytical chemistry who think flexibly and have excellent research ability within the student’s process of development of analytical methods, instruments and software.

Our research involves combining living cells with polymers, inorganic or even organic materials to design and develop the kinds of materials in which the functions of living cells and materials cooperate and function together. Our research topics are first the modeling of artificial organs using nanofibers, defined as microcapsules of about several hundred micrometers which protect microorganisms from ultra-violet rays as well as acidic and alkaline molecules, and second, allowing these organs to produce fuel and move around by a micro reactor driven by artificial cells functioning like living cells.

We are conducting research on the synthesis and structural control of hybrid materials in which organics (e.g., plastics) and inorganics (ceramic, silica, and other such materials) are mixed on nanometer scales as well as hybrid compounds in which organic and inorganic ingredients are combined on even smaller scales (the element level). Another pillar of our research is the creation of functional materials made of these compounds that should contribute to global issues such as solving environmental and energy problems.

The importance of clean water is probably one of the most salient issues that arise in the event of a natural disaster. During such events, communities become keenly aware of the fact that clean water is not only essential for our everyday life in general, it is also vitally important for food production, industrial output and conservation of ecosystems. We are developing technologies to analyze trace chemical substances in the environment based on inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and mass spectrometry. Specifically, we are focusing on the development of high-sensitivity analysis technology to detect inorganic pollutants and trace organic pollutants whose structures are unknown.

We are surrounded by many organic molecules such as pharmaceuticals, pesticides, dyes, and functional products. Synthetic organic chemistry is the study of designing the properties and functions of these organic molecules and synthesizing them efficiently, that is, the research of manufacturing organic molecules. Numerous groundbreaking discoveries have made tremendous progress so far, and it may seem as if any substance can be synthesized with ease. However, in reality, it is not possible to synthesize molecules as freely as you would by assembling a molecular model, and it generally takes a very long time and effort depending on the structure of the target molecule. The Matsumoto Research Group is working on ``development of unique environmentally friendly organic synthesis reactions'' with the aim of efficient and short-step synthesis of organic molecules.