Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo

“Freely creating whatever you wish to create” - understanding life phenomena based on organic synthetic chemistry

We conduct organic synthesis research targeting natural organic compounds. There are various organic compounds (biologically active substances) with various functions in nature. Among these are not only those that are highly useful to humans, such as pharmaceuticals and agricultural chemicals, but also those that are biologically significant. However, it is not always easy to obtain such compounds stably and in large quantities from natural resources. The supply of samples through organic synthetic chemistry is one solution to this problem, and through“manufacturing”at the molecular level, it is also possible to produce compounds with more powerful functions than natural products. I am primarily engaged in synthetic research focusing on biologically active substances derived from microorganisms. In addition, I am conducting research to understand how these biologically active substances are produced in living organisms (biosynthesis) using organic synthetic chemistry approaches. We conduct daily experiments with the aim of understanding life phenomena by incorporating the latest computational chemistry techniques, based on our ability to design synthetic pathways for the rational creation of target molecules and synthesize them freely. Currently, we are conducting synthetic studies aimed at understanding the biosynthetic mechanisms of rare natural products that exhibit antimicrobial activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria, and are beginning to see some interesting results.

Cultivating researchers who can freely design and synthesize molecules by understanding life sciences from a molecular perspective

We believe that considering life phenomena based on the formation and structure of molecules is extremely important in the field of agricultural chemistry. I believe that understanding life sciences from a molecular perspective will enable us to apply our knowledge to a wide range of global issues, such as the food and environmental problems. In actual educational activities, we intend to train students in basic organic chemistry knowledge and compound handling techniques through student experiments and other methods. In our graduate program, we focus on cutting-edge research in organic synthesis chemistry to develop students' ability to interpret molecular structures and properties, synthesize organic molecules with ease, and cultivate international awareness and communication skills. To that end, we believe it is important to share as many opportunities as possible with students to gain practical experience in solving problems together. We strive to provide intensive guidance in seminars and research presentations held in our laboratory, as well as in daily research experiments. We aim to nurture researchers who can freely design and synthesize molecules by incorporating the latest technologies and ideas, such as computational chemistry, while respecting the traditions of organic synthesis chemistry in agricultural chemistry.

Creation of useful and practical compounds based on flexible molecular synthesis

Through manufacturing based on organic synthetic chemistry, I would like to conduct research aimed at solving various issues surrounding agricultural science, including food and environmental issues. In practice, we create useful compounds through approaches such as designing target molecules, devising and synthesizing efficient synthetic routes, and creating more active and high-value-added derivatives through structural activity relationship studies of synthetic products. As examples, we have achieved the synthesis of herbicidal active molecules that are expected to be applied to agricultural chemicals, estimated toxic components produced by pathogens specific to certain crops, and compounds with insecticidal activity against malaria parasites. In addition, we have begun research on the synthesis of natural products with anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory activities, and we expect to expand this research into structure-activity relationship studies in the future. While our strength as synthetic chemists lies in our ability to conduct research specializing in the chemical synthesis of specific molecules, we also hope to expand our research into further applied research by finding value in the molecules we create and encouraging their use in joint research projects.