Approach to the function of biological membranes by creating and manipulating lipid nanoparticles

Our goal is to elucidate phenomena in the living body (especially on biomembranes) using methods based on surface chemistry and colloid science, and in turn, to utilize the acquired knowledge for drug development. Biological membranes play roles as the interface that separates the inside and the outside of cells and subcellular organelles, and as the stage for various life activities such as energy conversion, material transport, and signal transduction. We are developing research to approach biological phenomena on the biomembranes from both the spatial (Å-μm) and temporal (ns-min) structure from the viewpoint of biophysics and biointerface chemistry. We aim at explaining how biological membranes play vital functions with physical chemistry and colloid chemistry terms, such as thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, by measuring the complex spatio-temporal structure of the biointerface consisting of lipids and proteins. In addition to the basic scientific researches of complex nanoparticles formed by lipids and proteins, we are also conducting practical research aimed at applying them to pharmaceutical preparations.