Worldwide R&DSeeking Revolutionary Biomaterials
Kazuhiko Ishihara, Professor
Madoka Takai, Lecturer
Department of Materials Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
7. Synthesis of polymers for stabilizing bioactivemolecules
8. Preparation of protein adsorption resistible
materials for use in microspaces to improvechip functions

There has been much anticipation for the development of a
new biotechnology that would enable us to recover ourhumanity and contribute to healthy enjoyable lives. In addition
to the great contribution from materials created through ourlatest technologies, the construction of a biointerface forinterfacing with organisms is an important subject. It is ourhope that Japan will pioneer future biotechnology in medicaldevices, time reset medical treatment, order-made medicaltreatment, brain function analysis, biochips, after genetic
information analysis.

Professor Kazuhiko Ishihara (an associate professor at thetime) established this laboratory in April 1998 with two
undergraduate students as part of the material engineeringdevelopments. As of April 2003, five years later, the staff at thelaboratory includes Professor Ishihara, lecturer Dr. Madoka
Takai, research associate Dr. Junji Watanabe, researcher Dr.
Kikuko Fukumoto, and Ms Kyoko Fukazawa as an assistantmember. In addition, the laboratory includes one project
researcher and 17 graduate students (9 in the doctoral courseand 8 in the master's course) and 4 senior undergraduate
students, making a total of 27 people in this large laboratory.

Biomaterial is indispensable for constructing a reliableinterface between living organisms and material. At theIshihara-Takai Laboratory, we have no doubt that "biomaterialengineering is the field that will enable us to realize ourdreams." Under this philosophy, we are working toward thedevelopment of new biomaterials and advanced medical devices
for the 21 st century. To achieve this, we have studied thedesign, synthesis, and functional evaluation of novel polymer
materials dividing four research teams responsible forbiointerface, bioconjugate, biomatrix, and nanobioprocessing.
These teams are systematically conducting research in thefollowing eight fields.

All researchers at the laboratory vigorously conduct
research and development through repeated experiments anddiscussions on their specific research topics. The environment
at the laboratory is such that anyone can freely use instruments
for material preparation and processing, polymer synthesis andanalysis, and property evaluation. We are involved in muchcollaborative research with universities and companies
domestically and overseas, while supplying MPC polymers thatcan make biocompatible on the device surfaces. In particular
we have succeeded in the industrialization of MPC polymers
through close cooperation with businesses and havecommercialized skin care and eye care products through ourresearch. Recently we have developed a method of polymer
treatment that can reduce protein adsorption on the surfaces ofbiochips and capillaries by 98% and are providing informationon this method. This technology is also effective in

1. Synthesis of phospholipid (MPC) polymers
and their applications in biomaterials
2. Preparation of a supramolecular polymer
materials for cellular engineering
3. Preparation of polymer membranes for theefficient separation of biomolecules
4. Precision synthesis of polymeric biomaterials
5. Preparation of bioactuator materials
6. Study on bioinspired polymer gel fornanomachines

Regulation of biosubstancematerials interactions

Bioengineering devices
Bioactive effects

Biointerface

Sensors for biologicalactivityDNA,
substances in brain,
hormones

Interface designand regulator

Bioconjugate

Biomatrix

Nanoparticles
Polymer aggregates
Water-soluble polymers

Bioadhesive materials
Biodegradable materials
Functional polymer alloy

High performance
artificial organs

Elastic materials
Membranes
FibersGels

Advanced drugdelivery system

Biopatterning
Biomolecule integration
Bionetwork formation
Nanomachining

Medical micromachines

Nanobioprocessing
Materials system fortissue engineering
Enhancing the quality of life and the joy of healthy life

7

Order-made medical treatment
Time reset medical treatment

Bioengineering
Production and diagnostic systems
using genetic manipulation
Medicine
Novel artificial organs A new bioseparation andPharmacology
analysis system
and medical devices
Drug delivery system
Regenerative medicine
Gene therapy(tissue engineering)
Energy Engineering
Bioenergy system
Improved efficiency by
preventing contaminationof organisms

Environment
Material system friendly to ecosystems
Reduction of environmental hormones;
biodegradable materials

Develop devices with biomaterials

Investigate the relationshipbetween biomaterials
and biomolecules

Assess the properties ofthe biomaterials

Design and preparation of biomaterials

micromachine development. Work at the laboratory is
performed in a cheerful and enjoyable environment under themotto that research should always be conducted with viewpoint

towards to the world. (For more information on our research
activities, please see the Laboratory web site at
h t t p : / / b m w . m m . t . u - t o k y o . a c . j p / i s h i h a r a / ).

Preliminary Announcement
The 9th International Micromachine /Nanotech Symposium
November 13, 2003
at Science Hall, Science Museum,Tokyo, JAPAN
Exhibitionmicromac
micr
micromachomachh ine
Exhibition

MICROMACHINE2003 MICROMACHINE 2003
2003

micromacmicr
micromachineomachinehine 2002003

2003 2003
macmachine
2003

November 12 - 14, 2003
at Science Museum, Tokyo, JAPANMICROMACHINE No. 43

MICROMACHINE is published quarterly by Micromachine Center (MMC) to promote the international exchange ofinformation related to micromachines, R&D and other technical topics, and is circulated free of change. Please send
your comments about MICROMACHINE to the publisher :Takayuki Hirano, Executive Director, Micromachine Center (MMC)
MBR99 Bldg., 6F., 67 Kanda Sakumagashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0026, Japan
Tel : +81-3-5835-1870, Fax : +81-3-5835-1873
Internet Home Page h t t p : / / w w w . m m c . o r . j p /Date of Issue : May 19, 2003

© All Copyrights Reserved by MMC