WATER, MOLECULES & LIFE
Dissolve in water.
Make water work.
Learning from biological systems, we connect molecular design with practical applications.
About the Laboratory
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Learn from life.
Create through chemistry.
Connect to society.
We study the outstanding substances, structures, and mechanisms found in living systems at the molecular level. Drawing on organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, glycoengineering, analytical chemistry, and solution chemistry, we develop new molecules and materials and explore technologies for their practical use.
Our work ranges from fundamental molecular phenomena to applications in food, cosmetics, healthcare, diagnostics, and biotechnology.
Read about our philosophy ↗RESEARCH AREAS
Research Areas
We create molecules, materials, and technologies by examining how water, biomolecules, and natural polymers behave.
Polysaccharide Nanomaterials
We transform β-glucan into materials that dissolve, carry, and function, with an emphasis on solubilizing and stabilizing poorly water-soluble compounds.
Learn more ↗
Molecules Controlling Biomolecular Activity and Stability
Inspired by counterion compounds used by extremophiles, we develop betaine-derived additives that regulate enzyme and nucleic-acid function.
Learn more ↗
Molecules that Alter Water Structure
We investigate how betaine derivatives influence aqueous environments and enable new approaches to dissolution and reactions in water.
In preparation ↗FROM MOLECULES TO SOCIETY
From molecules
to practical impact.
We develop findings from fundamental chemistry into technologies that can be used in products and processes.
- 01Observe nature and needsDiscover
- 02Design molecules and materialsDesign
- 03Evaluate structure and functionEvaluate
- 04Develop applicationsImplement
RECENT TOPICS
Recent Topics
PAPER · 2025
Hydrophilic ether-modified carboxybetaines for enzyme activation and stabilization
Ether modification improved aqueous solubility while preserving enzyme activation and enabling long-term stabilization under thermal and dilution stress.
Read the paper ↗CONFERENCE · SEP 15–17, 2026
Presentation at the 78th Annual Meeting of the Society for Biotechnology, Japan
2Hp05
Extraction of flavonoids and hydrophobic components from mandarin peel using aqueous betaine-derivative solutions
Kansuke Arita, Takuma Nakai, and Kazuya Koumoto
Conference website ↗JOIN OUR LAB
Develop answers
that do not yet exist.
Information for prospective undergraduate and graduate students, collaborators, and visitors.