Department of Applied Chemistry
Department of Chemical Engineering
Department of Biomolecular Engineering
1. Departments of Applied Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biomolecular Engineering are made up of thefollowing Core Laboratories, Research Centers/Institutes and Cooperative Laboratories:(Values in parentheses indicate the number of laboratories. A senior faculty member (associate or full professor) is
associated with each laboratory.)

Department of Applied Chemistry① Core Laboratories
Molecular Materials Design (1)，Resources and Environment (2)，Chemistry of Molecular Systems (3)② Environment Conservation Center (1)③ Cooperative Laboratories
IMRAM - Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials - [Division of Research (2)，Research Center (2) ]Division of Inorganic Material Research (1), Division of Measurements (1)，Materials-Measurement Hybrid Research Center (2)Department of Chemical Engineering① Core Laboratories
Energy Process Engineering (1)，Chemical Process Engineering (2)，Process Systems Engineering (1)② RCSCF - Research Center of Supercritical Fluid Technology
Engineering Fundamentals (1), System Development (1)③ Cooperative Laboratories
IMRAM - Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials - [Division of Research (1)，Research Center (1)]Division of Process and System Engineering (1)，Materials-Measurement Hybrid Research Center (1)Department of Biomolecular Engineering① Core Laboratories
Applied Life Chemistry (1)，Bioorganic Chemistry (2)，Biofunctional Chemistry (2)② Cooperative Laboratories
IMRAM - Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials - [ Research Center (1) ]Materials-Measurement Hybrid Research Center (1)2. In the interview, the applicant will be queried about preferred research areas (laboratories) in more detail.

Department of Applied Chemistry
Laboratory

Professor /Associate Professor
Professor
Yuji Matsumoto

Molecular Materials Design

Associate Professor
Shingo Maruyama
Assistant Professor
Kenichi Kaminaga

Professor
Keiichi Tomishige
Resources and Environment(Energy Resource Chemistry)

Associate Professor
Yoshinao Nakagawa
Assistant Professor
Mizuho Yabushita

Resources and Environment(Functional Macromolecular
Chemistry)

Chemistry of Molecular
Systems(Chemistry of Organic
Reaction ※)As chemical knowledge-driven technologies for the next generation electronics, we areengaged in studies on the vacuum deposition of condensed thin film materials, i.e., in solid andliquid, through a powerful combination of vacuum technologies and chemistry. Here, the thinfilms are defined as the materials whose thickness is less than 1 μm, sometimes can be down to
the nanoscale, and they are one of the material categories that is most indispensable for themodern electronics industry. The materials that dealt with in our laboratory are widely ranged
from inorganic electronic, magnetic and superconducting materials to organic semiconductors,
liquid crystals and ionic liquids, aiming to develop new processes and characterization tools, toexplore new material properties and functionalities and to fabricate test devices with these film
materials.
Highly effective utilization of fossil and renewable hydrocarbon resources is very
important to address environmental and energy challenges related to global warming,
depletion of fossil resources and energy security. Hydrocarbon resources can beconverted into chemicals through safe and efficient operations in which catalytic
technologies play important roles in energy consumption and environmental-benign
processes for natural gas, petroleum, biomass and other resources. Our research target
is the development of new heterogeneous catalysts consisting of metal nanoparticles,
metal oxide clusters and their combination. The catalysts are applied to the conversionof biomass and to produce value-added chemicals such as fuels, monomers for thepolymer synthesis and building blocks for pharmaceuticals.

Professor
Masaya Mitsuishi

Polymer is a wonderful building block, which is essential to life. We are interested
in bottom-up nanoscience and nanotechnology of hybrid polymer assemblies. The
unique characteristics of polymer enable us to assemble diverse nanomaterials such as
metals, oxides, and metal-organic-frameworks at the nanometer scale. Elucidation of
structure-property relations in terms of interactions of hybrid polymer nanoassemblies
with photons, electrons, and molecules is our particular research interest. Our research
topics cover a wide range of fundamentals with applications in hybrid polymer
nanoarchitecture for nanoelectronics/nanophotonics, surface and interface, highperformance hybrid nanomaterials.

Professor
Yutaka Tamaru

The biological macromolecules that make up living organisms consist of various
individual molecules or complex molecules formed by their combination. These aresynthesized through catalytic reactions involving enzymes and other factors. In thisfield, I focus on synthetic biology based on biochemistry and molecular biology,
leveraging bioinformatics for green chemical production, and developing biopharmaceuticals by harnessing biological functions. Specifically, they explore
efficient techniques for biomanufacturing by studying various metabolic and synthetic
pathways found in microorganisms, plants, and animals that thrive at room
temperature and pressure, often utilizing model organisms.

Professor
Hirotsugu Takizawa
Chemistry of Molecular
Systems(Synthetic Chemistry of
Advanced Materials ※)Description of Research

Associate Professor
Yamato Hayashi
Assistant Professor
Jun Fukushima

Structure and bonding in solid-state materials are very relevant to modern scienceand technology. This laboratory deals with material design, synthesis andcharacterization of advanced functional inorganic materials based on “Solid State
Chemistry”.
Our main research topics include:
1. Materials processing under microwave and non-equilibrium reaction fields.
2. High-pressure synthesis and crystal chemistry of inorganic compounds.
3. Sonochemical processing of inorganic materials.

Chemistry of Molecular
Systems(Quantum Physical
Chemistry)

Professor
Keisuke Asai
AssociatProfessor
Yutaka Fujimoto
Assistant Professor
Hiroki Kawamoto

Our research focuses on design and creation of novel materials with excellent
electronic properties with the aim of applying them to the fields of optical andradiation engineering. Our research involves investigating a variety of electronic
properties of matter employing techniques in material engineering, including
nanotechnology. The primary research topics involve creation of as yet unachieved
electronically excited states using hybridization of different materials and theirheterostructures, controlling the electronic properties of condensed matter via
dimensionality of electronic structure, and fabrication of electronic systems withstrong interactions and correlations. The developed materials and technologies willcontribute immensely to the advancement of optical devices and radiation sensors.

Laboratory

Environment Conservation
Center (Environment
Conserving Chemistry)

IMRAM
Materials-Measurement Hybrid
Research Center (Hybrid
Material Fabrication)

IMRAM
Materials-Measurement
Hybrid Research Center(Photo-Functional Material
Chemistry)

IMRAM
Division of Measurements(Polymer Physics andChemistry )IMRAM
Division of Inorganic Material
Research(Inorganic Materials for
Chemical Transformation)

Professor /Associate Professor

Professor
Shuichi Oi
SeniorAssistant
Professor
Shinya Tanaka

Description of Research

We are developing new material conversion reactions by appropriately controlling thereaction field such as solvent and temperature combining new catalysts and reactants
appropriately. We focus on the development of material conversion reactions centered onorganic chemistry. Specifically, development of chemical conversion reactions of carbon
dioxide and carbon monoxide to useful substances, new addition reactions and coupling
reactions using homogeneous catalysts, new electrophilic reactions using Lewis acids havebeen achieved.

Electrical conducting, magnetic, emission, and ferroelectric properties are our essential
Professor
researchtargets in molecular assembly structures such as organic π-molecules andTomoyuki Akutagawa
metal coordination compound . Various types of molecular assemblies from single
crystals, liquid crystals, plastic crystals , nanowires, organogels, to micelles can be
Assistant Professor
applied for future molecular devices and organic – inorganic hybrid materials are also
Shun Dekura
one of the useful building blocks for design of future thermoelectric and photoelectricenergy conversion systems.

Professor
Masaru Nakagawa
Associate Professor
Tomoya Oshikiri
Assistant Professor
Hiromasa Niinomi

Professor
Hiroshi Jinnai
SeniorAssistant Professor
Tomohiro Miyata

Professor
Hideki Kato
Assistant Professor
Shunya Yoshino

We pursue photonics, photochemistry, and photophysics of molecules on“metasite,” which we propose as an artificially created nano-clearance between/amongmetal and/or dielectric nanostructures with single-digit-nanometer accuracy to induce
unprecedented chemical reactions and physical phenomena. To realize this goal, we
focus on the mold-using nanoimprint technology with atomic-scale accuracy anddevelop polymer resists for electron beam exposure, photocurable molecular resists,
super precise coating processes, processes and materials for optical alignment andlamination, and nanolithography.
Polymers self-assemble to form highly periodic nano-scale structures that are usefulin manufacturing advanced devices, such as super high-density memory, batteries, tire
treads, and high-performance membranes. We focus on fundamental and basic aspectsof the self-assembling processes and their resulting nano-structures that occur in thephase transition and phase separation in polymeric systems. For a complete
understanding of the static and dynamic features of nano-structures, we specialize indeveloping advanced electron microscopy, including electron tomography (threedimensional transmission electron tomography, 3D TEM).
Our research interest focuses on the construction of high-performance inorganic
materials for photon energy conversion to chemical energy called as artificial
photosynthesis and utilization of biomass. To improve properties of inorganic
materials, we control physical properties of solids, such as band structures, defects, andelectron traps, and change the reaction properties, enhancement of the target reaction
and suppression of backward reactions, by surface modification. We also examinesynthesis processes to control morphology and surface structure. In addition, exploringof new inorganic compounds and development of new reaction processes are alsostudied.

Notes： 1. For laboratories marked with ※, please make initial contact in advance with the office, Appl. Chem.,
Chem. Eng. and Biomol. Eng. 〔TEL(022)795-7205〕
2. Please obtain more detailed information on the topics from the office of Appl. Chem., Chem. Eng. and
Biomol. Eng. 〔TEL(022)795-7205〕.

Department of Chemical Engineering
Laboratory

Professor /Associate Professor

Professor
Hideyuki Aoki
Energy Process Engineering

Assistant Professor
Yoshiya Matsukawa

Professor
Daisuke Nagao
Chemical Process Engineering(Material Processing)

Associate Professor
Keishi Suga
Assistant Professor
Kanako Watanabe

Description of Research
Energy conversion and its utilization must be carried out considering environmental
impact. Our laboratory aims to: 1) ensure environmental protection, 2) design
processes that use energy efficiently, and 3) design systems that make effective use ofresources. A few examples are: numerical analysis of spray painting process by using
LES and VOF methods, chemical reaction dynamics analysis of soot formation anddepression, numerical simulation of coal gasification and combustion for high-level
coal utilization, numerical estimation of biomass-containing porous material strengthby using FEM or RBSM with the aid of machine learning and the numerical simulationof reaction tube fouling in naphtha crackers. Our objective is to achieve high-efficiency
industrial processes and to reduce CO2 emissions by applying both experimental
studies and numerical simulations.
Control over micro- or nano-structures of materials are essential for creating new
functional materials. Our group focuses on materials processing for preparation ofmonodisperse particles having uniform sizes, morphologies and chemicalcompositions. We study the building-up processes of such monodisperse particles fordevelopment of advanced functional materials. Synthetic processes on composite
particles and thin films, self-assembling process of monodisperse particles andclarification of particle formation mechanisms are also studied.

Assistant Professor
Hikaru Namigata
Assistant Professor
Thomas Arnoldus
Josephus Welling(FRIS)

Professor
Naomi
Shibasaki-Kitakawa
Chemical Process Engineering(Reaction
Process
Engineering)

Associate Professor
Atsushi Takahashi
Assistant Professor
Kousuke Hiromori

Process Systems Engineering(Material Control Process
Engineering)

Professor
Masaki Kubo
Assistant Professor
Takamasa Saito

We are developing a novel and efficient production process based on chemical andbiological reaction engineering, targeting a wide range of fields such as environmental,
food and pharmaceuticals, and functional materials. Specifically, we are working on
the following topics:
1) continuous production process of bio-based esters using heterogeneous catalysts,2) separation and purification processes of natural bioactive compounds,
3) production processes of high value added substances using biological reactions,4) conversion process of high value-added products from renewable resources using
heterogeneous catalysts,5) oxidation and antioxidant mechanisms of bioactive compounds in food andbiological systems.
To provide the guidelines for design and control of the macroscopic flow, temperatureand concentration fields in materials processing and manufacturing, and moreover thehigher-order structures and their related functions of materials, the studies on thefollowing subjects are conducted using both in-situ observations and numericalsimulations: Crystal growth processes of semiconductors and oxides, Electromagnetic
levitation processes of molten metals and semiconductors, Manufacturing processes offunctional polymer thin films, Processes using nanoparticles, etc.

RCSCF(Engineering Fundamentals)

Associate Professor
Masaki Ota

Aiming to realize a sustainable society, we are developing higher-order systems byfunctionally using functional molecules that are compatible with the environment, thatis, environmental solvents and their mixtures. Specifically, based on thermodynamics
and transport phenomenology, we design new environmental molecules and their mixed
systems for effective use of natural/synthetic compounds according to the purpose, andverify their functionality. In addition to basic thermodynamics/transport properties, weare also studying the theoretical systemization using chemical engineering
dimensionless numbers. As a final product, we are targeting a wide range of targets suchas cosmetics, perfumes, chemical products, as well as pharmaceuticals, foods andbeverages, and we will also develop effective biomass utilization technology that applies
the functionality of environmental solvents and supercritical/subcritical solvents.

Laboratory

RCSCF(System Development)

Professor /Associate Professor
Professor
Masaru Watanabe
Assistant Professor
Yuya Hiraga
Assistant Professor
Yuki Nakayasu(FRIS)

IMRAM
Materials-Measurement
Hybrid Research Center(Hybrid Carbon Nanomaterials)

Professor
Hirotomo Nishihara(AIMR)
Assistant Professor
Takeharu Yoshii
Assistant Professor
Hirotaka Nakatsuji

Professor
IMRAM
Takaaki Tomai
Division of Process and System(FRIS)Engineering(Supercritical Fluid and Hybrid
Nano Technologies )Senior AssistantProfessor
Kazuyuki Iwase

Description of Research
In order to develop green processes for the issue of environmental, energy andresource circulation (sustainability), green solvent such as CO2 and water is managed
to utilize for various applications, in particular by focusing ionic behavior in thesolution and/or the surface of functional solid materials. Biomass upgrading, recycleof unused or waste materials, valorization of resources are targeted. Based on the basic
knowledge of high pressure fluids with ionic species, development of the process andsystem is also studied.

We have developed a variety of advanced functional carbon materials and theircomposite materials by means of organic chemistry and materials chemistry from theview point of materials process engineering. Also, we focus on the elucidation ofphysicochemical properties of carbon materials including reactivity, durability, andcatalysis from the view point of chemistry and reaction engineering by using advanced
analysis techniques. Moreover, we proceed in the application of our advanced carbonbased materials for supercapacitors, secondary batteries, fuel cells, heat pump, newenergy devices, functional adsorbents, catalysis, and healthcare, with manycollaborators including research organizations and companies.

Our research characterized by the use of supercritical fluid as a "reaction field" focuses oninterdisciplinary nanomaterial science crossing chemical engineering, materials science, andenergy engineering. We are developing the control strategy of higher-order structured
nanomaterials by understanding and controlling the interactions in nanomaterial processes
thermodynamically and electrochemically. Furthermore, based on the new nanomaterials
technology, we are developing chemical processes that contribute to the realization of a carbonneutral society, such as low-temperature waste heat recovery, carbon dioxide/waste recycling.

Notes： 1. Please obtain more detailed information on the topics from the office of Appl. Chem.,
Chem. Eng. and Biomol. Eng. 〔TEL(022)795-7205〕.

Department of Biomolecular Engineering
Professor /Associate Professor

Laboratory

Associate Professor
Seiji Takahashi
Applied Life Chemistry
Assistant Professor
Toshiyuki Waki

Professor
Hitoshi Shiku
Bioorganic Chemistry(Bioelectrochemistry)

Associate Professor
Kosuke Ino
Associate
Professor
Hiroya Abe(FRIS)
Professor
Tetsutaro Hattori

Bioorganic Chemistry(Applied Organic Synthesis)

Associate Professor
Naoya Morohashi
Assistant Professor
Yuichi Kitamoto

Professor
Nobuyuki Uozumi
Biofunctional Chemistry(Applied Biophysical
Chemistry)

Associate Professor
Yasuhiro Ishimaru
Assistant Professor
Masaru Tsujii
Professor
Mitsuo Umetsu

Biofunctional Chemistry(Protein Engineering)

Associate Professor
Hikaru Nakazawa

Description of Research
The research of this laboratory deals with basic and applied aspects of biochemistry
and molecular biology of microbial and plant specialized metabolisms, which arehighly diverse in terms of catalytic competence and specificity of enzymes andchemical structures of metabolites. The research topics include identification,functional characterization, elucidation of catalytic mechanisms, and determinationof 3D structures of novel enzymes/biosynthetic machineries in plant specialized
metabolism, such as flavonoid and isoprenoid biosynthesis, as well as their protein
and metabolic engineering studies.
Our research focuses on the development of electrochemical methods and optimal
analyses for characterization of medical, energy and environmental materials.
Examples are:
1. New sensing technologies to evaluate biomolecular and cellular functions by
combining
scanningprobe
microscopy,
electrochemical
andmicrofabrication methods.
2. Detection of localized ionic and electron transfer rate with sub-micro meterscale of various functional materials including cell-nanomaterials complexes
and functionalized electrodes.
We develop novel organic reactions and reaction methods to efficiently prepare
only what is needed, and functional molecules based on molecular recognition
chemistry, on the model of enzymes that exhibit excellent molecular recognition
ability and highly-active and selective catalysis. In particular, the following issues
are under investigation: regio- and stereoselective derivatization of calixarenes andthe development of their functions, a study on molecular recognition abilities ofnanoporous molecular crystals and its application to the development of separationmaterials, fixation of carbon dioxide to unsaturated compounds, electrophilic
alumination and borylation of unsaturated compounds, control of optical resolution
and asymmetric reactions using solvent polarity.
Our laboratory’s research is directed at the elucidation of membrane transportmachinery known as “ion channel and transporter” mediating crucial signaltransduction pathways to ensure intracellular homeostasis and integrity of bacteria
including E. coli, cyanobacteria and yeast, and plant cells. We develop experimental
approaches in molecular biology (genetic engineering), biochemistry andelectrophysiology to identify biochemical molecules implicated in adaption tovarious abiotic stress, in particular, salinity and drought stress, leading to enhanced
production of biomass and solar-derived natural energy.
We design and create functional molecules based on protein structure format andon genomic techniques. Crystal structure information and evolutional engineering
are used in creating available proteins for the therapeutic, environmental, andnanotechnology fields. In addition, the designed proteins are assembled with organicand inorganic nanomaterials for opening new frontiers for recombinant proteins.

Assistant Professor
Tomoyuki Itou
IMRAM
Materials-Measurement
Hybrid Research Center(Organic- and BioNanomaterials)

Professor
Hitoshi Kasai
Senior AssistantProfessor
Hiroki Oka
Assistant Professor
Yoshitaka Koseki

For the design of conventional drug compounds, it is common to add a watersoluble substituent to a compound having a pharmacological effect. In ourlaboratory, we take the reverse strategy and design novel anti-cancer drugs and eye
drops composed in the dimer or the compounds chemically-combined with poorly
water-soluble substituents to overcome the existing clinical problems. Using our
reprecipitation technique for fabrication of organic nanoparticles, we haveestablished the methods to obtain nano-prodrugs having particle sizes of 100 nm or
less. We are aiming at practical application of these nano-prodrugs and are also
expanding our nano-technological methods to cover a wide range of fields.

Notes：
1. Please obtain more detailed information on the topics from the office of Appl. Chem., Chem. Eng. and
Biomol. Eng. 〔TEL (022)795-7205〕.