Development of Nano-Medical-Agricultural Applied Technology Using Ion-Controlled Plasma

Features

Since we have developed the techniques (ion control plasma) to generate and control ions, electrons, reactive species (radicals) in the low temperature non-equilibrium plasmas which I can touch by hand, the composite materials using nanoparticles, nanocarbons, biological molecules are synthesized in the nano-electronics field, the minimally-invasive and highly-efficient drug/gene transfection systems are developed in the medical field, and bacteria and insects are killed by the plasma in place of pesticide in the agricultural field.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

The ion-controlled plasmas are applied for the minimally-invasive gene transfection system, next-generation agricultural system, the electrode material of highly-efficient battery, and so on. We hope to conduct the collaborative research with a willing company for a practical application of the novel plasma nano-medical-agricultural applied technology in industry.

Development of New Drugs and Devices Regulating Inter-Organ Neural Network for Obesity Therapy

Features

Obesity induced the metabolic syndrome, which causes cardiovascular diseases. Obesity has now become a major health concern not only in developed countries but developing countries. However, diet and exercise are still major therapies. We discovered endogenous systems maintaining homeostasis of energy metabolism and revealed several neuronal networks among organs to be responsible for the regulation systems.
1) Afferent neuronal signals from adipose tissue regulate appetite and prevent over-eating during obesity development (Cell Metab 2006)
2) Neuronal network from the liver enhances basal metabolic rates to prevent obesity development when energy store is increasing (Science 2006) 3) Neuronal network from the liver suppresses adaptive thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue (Cell Metab 2012).

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

On the basis of these original discoveries, we are aiming at developing new drugs and/or building devices which regulate the inter-organ neuronal networks and hope to conduct collaborative research with a willing company for a practical application to obesity therapy.

Development of New Reactions Using Organocatalyst

Features

Organocatalyst is a synthetically useful catalyst in synthetic organic chemistry, because of the several merits. We have been investigating the development of new and efficient organocatalysts derived from proline. We have already reported the diphenylprolinol silyl ether, which is called as a Jorgensen-Hayashi catalyst, and siloxyproline, which is effective in the presence of water. We have also developed several practical asymmetric catalytic reactions based on the organocatalysts. We also applied these reactions to the total synthesis of natural products and drugs. We have already synthesized Tamiflu in one-pot reaction, and prostaglandin E1 methyl ester via three one-pot procedure.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Our newly developed reactions using organocatalysis can be widely used for synthesis of medicines, agrichemicals, and chemical products.

Development of next-generation sterilization method by a plasma flow at atmospheric pressure

Features

Plasma sterilization has been developed as an alternative sterilization method due to its chemical activity, operation at low temperature and atmospheric pressure, low power consumption, low cost and safety. We have studied a mechanism of chemical species generation and transport in a plasma flow and, the sterilization efficacy and mechanism for several plasma sources at atmospheric pressure, such as a microwave plasma flow, a dielectric barrier discharge in a tube and a water vapor plasma flow. We already clarified that the damages of outer membrane and destructions of the cytoplasmic membrane of Escherichia coli by exposure to the microwave plasma flow. Fig. 1 shows the effect of plasma exposure on the E. coli. When the E. coli was exposed to the plasma, the height of the E. coli decreased and the potassium leakage of cytoplasmic material increased. For sterilization in a tube, we also clarified that an induced flow in the narrow tube by DBD transports chemical species and sterilize the whole inside surface of a tube as shown in Fig. 2. We hope to conduct collaborative research with a willing company for a practical application of this technology in industry.

Development of Novel Bone Substitute Biomaterials Showing Highly Osteoconductive Property

Features

Novel bone substitute biomaterials should have a property not only to support cellular attachment on the material surfaces but also activate cellular function of osteoblasts that promote regeneration of bone tissue. Our laboratory successfully developed such materials composed of octacalcium phosphate (OCP) (Suzuki O et al. Biomaterials 27:2671, 2006), obtained by a restricted synthesis condition originally developed, with specific crystal characteristics, and various natural polymers, such as gelatin, collagen, alginate and hyaluronic acid. The materials consist from OCP and these polymers are capable of enhancing new bone formation concomitant with their own biodegradations. The concept to develop such materials is that (1) design of reaction of calcium phosphate ceramics and the synthesis; (2) design of material strength to meet the mechanical stress from living body; (3) selection of natural and synthetic polymer materials for the calcium phosphate ceramics.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

We are prepared to provide academic consultations to companies interested in our research.

Development of Optical Sysytems for Noninvasive Treatment and Diagnosis

Features

Optical fiber-based endoscopic systems for non-invasive treatment and diagnosis are developed. The fiber transmits high-powered laser light for treatment and low-powered light for diagnosis. We develop treatment and diagnosis systems utilizing not only common glass-based optical fibers but hollow-optical fibers. Hollow optical fibers deliver high-powered infrared lasers and light with wide range of wavelength from ultraviolet and far infrared.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Our potential collaborators will be medical device manufactures, as well as any electronic device, communication device, and measurement instrument manufactures considering new entry to the field.

Development of PHD-Targeted Drug for Ischemic Injury

Features

All the living organisms generate energy from molecular oxygen to maintain their own lives. Once the concentration of oxygen falls down, life activity gets severely hampered and it could sometimes cause death. Typical examples that are related to local hypoxia are ischemic heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.
We focus on the function of prolyl hydroxylase (PHD) as a sensor to detect the hypoxia, and we are developing drugs to treat ischemic injury by controlling hypoxia.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Currently, we have several compounds that inhibit the PHD. We want to commercialize in conjunction with pharmaceutical companies in Japan and overseas, advancing our non-clinical studies for clinical development.

Development of preventive medicine for aortic aneurysm and dissection of Marfan syndrome

Features

Marfan’s syndrome (MF) is a severe, systemic disorder of connective tissue formation. A variety of MFS therapies have been developed, including surgical therapy for aortic root aneurysm and dissection (AAD) that are life-threatening, traditional medical therapies such as β-adrenergic receptor or angiotensin II receptor blockers for slow aortic growth and to decrease the risk of AAD. However these treatments did not prevent tissue destruction in the AAD of MF. To develop preventive strategy for AAD, it will be necessary to identify molecular mechanisms of microfibril formation and an appropriate fibrillin-1 microfibril associated molecule. Recently, ADAMTSL6β, which is a microfibril-associated extracellular matrix protein contributes the regeneration of microfibril by promoting fibrillin-microfibril assembly. We try to develop ADAMTSL6β as a preventive medicine for AAD of MF by regeneration of fibrillin-1 microfibril assembly.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

Development of Production System of Valuable Proteins Using a Koji-Mold, Aspergillus Oryzae, as a Host

Features

Because a koji-mold, Aspergillus oryzae, has an ability to secret a higher amount of proteins and is regarded as a safe microorganism, it has been expected as a promising host for production of useful proteins derived from plants and animals. However, Aspergillus oryzae produces various proteolytic enzymes that could degrade heterologous proteins produced, and hence we constructed mutant strains in which a transcription factor gene involved in proteolytic enzyme production was disrupted. In addition, codon optimization of heterologous gene resulted in a significant increase in the stability of heterologous gene transcripts. These attempts would lead to an increase in the amount of valuable proteins produced.

Targeted Application(s)/Industry

The technology could be applied to the high-level production of pharmaceutical proteins and industrially useful enzymes. We look forward to developing the collaborative project with enzyme and pharmaceutical industries.