Researcher Interview Vol.2, Hiroshi Kimura 

“Microfluidic device technology that embodies medical science and engineering collaboration”

―Please tell us about your research.

My aim is to cultivate new research fields and industries by bringing micro / nano device technology specifically from the engineering field together with a diversity of other research fields. As the name implies, our micro / nano device is a small machine, and with the use of semiconductor microfabrication technology and 3D printers / plotters, we can custom design and process these micron-ranged small spaces. We are focused on integrating such devices together with biotechnology, and are working hard every day to develop systems that can be applied to medicine and drug discovery. By handling living cells and rebuilding biological functions in a small artificially created space, our research hopes to both replace animal experiments in drug discovery as well as to elucidate unknown life phenomena. Indeed, what we are developing is a hybrid mechanical-biological system. A system which skillfully combines seemingly incompatible things such as machines and living things, not only affords greater convenience for its medical applications, but it also sets the stage for new discoveries.

-Please tell us about your activities at Micro/Nano Technology Center.

At the Micro / Nano Technology Center, I am the leader of the medical engineering and medical research collaboration team. This team actively promotes medical-engineering collaborative research aided by the fact that Tokai University is one of the few private universities with a medical school. I have been promoting collaborative research related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) ever since the establishment of the Micro / Nano Technology Center with Professor Hatano and Assistant Professor Otomo of the School of Medicine. It has also been adopted by the Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) as part of their “Bridging Research Strategic Promotion Program”.

Of course, even beyond the framework of this research team, we are actively engaged in collaborative research with other teams and researchers both inside and outside the University. My involvement in Micro / Nano device technology also extends beyond the medical field because of the technology’s impressive compatibility with a variety of different fields. Thanks to this, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with researchers from diverse fields. Therefore, I seek to have a meaningful understanding of not only the views of engineering researchers, but also those of medical and pharmaceutical researchers. At the Micro / Nano Technology Center, we aim to serve as a bridge between different fields of research.

-What is your research motivation?

There may be an obvious disparity between the problem of biology researchers struggling with a lack of proper experimental tools, and the problem of patients suffering from illness, or the problem of fishermen fearing marine radiation pollution, but for me, they all are my research targets whom I would like to help. For the few, or for the many, I would like to help them in the same way. While it may sound ordinary, my greatest motivation is to help people who are having problems with their research.

In a way, it ties into another motivation of mine as an educator at the University, which is to watch and advocate students’ growth.  Many of my research themes are conducted by students who belong to the laboratory. Witnessing them become adults through research activities is as exciting as making new discoveries in research.

-What is innovation that is useful for society?

With a declining birthrate and an aging population, it is expected that the importance of medical care will continue to grow, from advanced treatment to daily home-based examinations. Widespread availability of medical devices that are easy to operate and compact, like those we are currently developing, could allow everyone to be able to receive prompt tests and advanced treatment with peace of mind. My research is part of a new cross-disciplinary research field which seeks to create an innovative system by combining cutting-edge engineering technology with various academic fields such as medicine and biotechnology. The 21st century is called the age of biotechnology, along with IT (information technology). Research on advanced technologies that fuse such engineering and biotechnology will draw more attention in the future.

-Please give a message to the students.

Soon after graduation, students will work in society. The process of research is the same as, and so will need to prepare you for, the process of working in the real world. You will acquire problem-solving skills, critical-thinking skills, and develop strategies for achieving objectives, which are all otherwise difficult to learn in a classroom setting. And, no matter what, the sheer joy of accomplishing your research goals is irreplaceable. Please try various things through your research activities. I’m sure it will give you confidence. At Tokai University and the Micro / Nano Technology Center, there are many opportunities for everyone to play an active role.

Associate Professor Hiroshi Kimura

(Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering)

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tokai University in 2012. He has been in his current position since 2015. During this time, he studied abroad as a visiting researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Medicine 2017-2018. He specializes in bioengineering and microfluidics, and is engaged in medical science and engineering collaborative research that transcends the boundaries of academic fields. He is also the principal investigator of a large budget such as the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED).

Research map: https://researchmap.jp/hiropain

Scopus Author ID: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=15845824700

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An article by Dr. So Nakagawa was published in Daily Gendai on April 21.  “What is the difference between the new coronavirus and the 9% lethal SARS?”

Apr.21, 2020

Picture is cited from Daily Gendai 2020

Picture is cited from Daily Gendai 2020

 

Many people think of the new coronavirus as “a little heavy flu,” but it’s a mistake. In fact, it is the same coronavirus as the “Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus” with a fatality rate of 9.6%, and the genes are also very similar. How long? Interview with Dr. So Nakagawa, Ph.D., who is a postdoctoral researcher at the National Institute of Genetics, a visiting researcher at Harvard University, and a lecturer at the Molecular Life Sciences School of Medicine, Tokai University.

“The similarity of the genes that make up each virus is about 70 to 90%. However, the new coronavirus is not an evolution of the SARS virus. They are like relatives. One of the genes with the lowest similarity compared to each other is the S gene. ” The spike protein (S protein) forming the viral protrusion has the role of binding to the receptor on the surface of the infected cell and mediating the fusion of the viral outer membrane and cell membrane. The S gene has a design drawing that determines the character of the S protein and creates it faithfully.

(Continued to the Daily Gendai official website)

Comparative Virology and Genomic Analysis of the New Coronavirus

Apr. 28, 2020

Undergraduate School of Medicine, Department of Molecular Life Sciences, Basic Medical Science and Molecular Medicine Junior Associate Professor So Nakagawa (The Institute of Medical Sciences and Micro/Nano Technology Center) and Associate Professor Takayuki Miyazawa of the Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University published a special feature in the May edition of Jikken Igaku (Yodosha).

The article, titled “Comparative Virology and Comparative Genomic Analysis of the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2,” was also included in the online version of the publication. Nakagawa is an expert in genomics and bioinformatics whose research focuses on the coevolution on viruses and their hosts. The article was submitted after a request from the publishing company. It analyzes the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 from the view of comparative virology and genomics, building off of the published research of many other scientists. The article describes the virological classification and properties of SARS-CoV-2, its genomic structure, and spontaneous mutations.

See the full text www.u-tokai.ac.jp

*The online version of the article published in Jikken Igaku is available at the website below (Japanese only). https://www.yodosha.co.jp/jikkenigaku/special/SARS-CoV-2.html
(You must register for a free Yodosha HP membership to view the article.)

Picture is cited from Tokai website 2020

(Retrieved from www.u-tokai.ac.jp)

Tokai Project Selected for AMED Translational Research Strategic Promotion Program

Mar. 24, 2020

A project run by the research group of School of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering Associate Professor Hiroshi Kimura (Micro/Nano Technology Center, Tokai University) called “Building a Model for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) with Physiological Neuromuscular Junction” was recently selected as a Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) Translational Research Strategic Promotion Program Multidisciplinary Research Development Support Project. The goal of the program is to promote the creation of innovative medicines, medical devices, and other medical-related items by constructing a system to effectively translate promising basic research results into clinical research and practical application. This particular project is implemented by the Metropolitan Academic Research Consortium (MARC), which is composed of clinical research institutions, particularly at private universities, in the metropolitan Tokyo area. The initiative is aimed at the development of innovative medicines and medical devices in Japan, focusing on projects by researchers at universities with a medical school who do not themselves belong to the medical faculty.

Associate Professor Kimura is working to develop a microfluidic device which artificially imitates nerve tissues and the functions of various organs, such as the kidney and liver. Utilizing this technology, Kimura is conducting joint research with School of Medicine Professor Shinji Hadano and Assistant Professor Asako Otomo to explain the mechanisms behind ALS. Through the project chosen by AMED, they hope to further develop their research.

Pictures are cited from Tokai website 2020

(Retrieved from www.u-tokai.ac.jp)

Full-scale Sales Begin for “Myell” Nanosheet Used in Microscopic Observations

March 17, 2020

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Picture is cited from Tokai website 2020

The university-originating venture Tune Co. Ltd., established by a group led by Tokai University Micro/Nano Technology Center Director and School of Science Professor Rio Kita, began full-scale sales of Myell™, a nanosheet for use in microscopic observations. Myell was produced as a result of joint research between the Center and Nikon Instech Co., Ltd. as well as patented technology from Tokai University. It is a polymeric ultra-thin film that can serve as a replacement for the cover glass typically used in microscopic observations, offering potential benefits for the fields of bioscience, medicine, biology, and many others. Myell will be sold exclusively by Funakoshi Co., Ltd., a retailer of research instruments and other related products.

Click here for the official website of Tokai university

Research group of Associate Professor Tomita of the Department of Chemistry received the 2019 Joint Research Award for Materials and Devices

Picture is cited from Tokai website 2020

A research group led by Associate Professor Tsuneyuki Tomita of the Faculty of Science, Faculty of Science has recently won the 2019 Joint Research Award for Materials and Devices at the Joint Research Center for Materials and Devices. At the 9th Joint Research Center for Materials and Devices Research Activity Report and the Dynamic Alliance Achievement Report for 2018-Evolving Joint Research Center Organization held at Senri Life Science Center in Osaka on July 1. The award ceremony was held, and Prof. Tomita was present.

Research group of Associate Professor Okamura and Researcher Zhang have developed a new technology to observe biological samples deeper and deeper with an optical microscope

Associate Professor Yosuke Okamura (Micro / Nano Research and Development Center) and Researcher Hiroshi Zhang of the Department of Applied Chemistry (Faculty of Engineering) have recently used biological optical microscopes to make biological samples deeper and deeper using a common optical microscope using water-repellent nanosheets. We have developed a new technology that can observe up to. A paper summarizing the results was published in the online journal “PLOS ONE” on science on January 10.

[Title] Nanosheet wrapping-assisted coverslip-free imaging for looking deeper into a tissue at high resolution

[Paper URL] https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0227650

Series Researcher Interview Vol. 1 Rio Kita. Feb 6th. 2020

Tokai University Micro / Nano Research and Development Center Researcher Interview 

“Fascinated by the physical universality of soft materials and system-dependent diversity”

Rio Kita.  Professor, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Micro and Nano Research and Development Center, Tokai University

(Published on Feb 2020, interviewed by Takahashi and Mori)

―Please tell us about your research.

If I roughly divide my research,

① Study on phase equilibrium and phase separation dynamics of polymer solution

② Analysis of blood rheology and gelation of plasma proteins

③ Characterization of polymer (Study on molecular properties in thermal equilibrium)

④ Analysis of irreversible transport phenomena in non-equilibrium phenomena of polymers

⑤ Molecular dynamics analysis of soft materials

In short, it means “to study the properties of soft substances at the molecular level.“

Since joining Tokai University in 2005, I have been conducting molecular dynamics research on soft materials as a member of the Dielectric Spectroscopy Group with Prof. Shin Yagihara and Prof. Naoki Shinyashiki of the Department of Physics. Soft materials containing water (synthetic polymers [Ref. 1-7], gels [Ref. 8-11], biopolymers etc. [Ref. 12-16], mixed solution of low molecules [Ref. 17-19], ultra thin polymer film we have been studying the molecular properties of dispersions,using various methods such as laser interferometry, light scattering, small-angle X-ray scattering, thermal analysis, viscoelasticity measurement, and broadband dielectric spectroscopy.

As a subject of physics, we are actively adopting basic research on the structure and function of biological macromolecules such as polysaccharides, nucleic acids, and proteins, which are complex systems, and methods and methodologies of polymer physics. In addition, it will be quite challenging in terms of physics. Based on this, we also conduct molecular biology research and research aimed at industrial applications. Recently, in cooperation with the teachers of the Micro / Nano Research and Development Center, we are focusing on fusion research between humanities and science, and hope to return the results to education.

-Please tell us about your activities at the Micro / Nano Research and Development Center.

In 2014, adopted the Private University Strategic Research Support Project “Next-Generation Medical Technology Created from Ultrathin Polymer” (5 years in Tokai University ) by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, I was involved in the establishment and operation of the company and has been conducting joint research with teachers from each department and department of Tokai University. There were many encounters, and I was able to understand the difficulty of collaborative research beyond the boundaries of the field, as well as experience its effectiveness and the impact of success. Communicating with a variety of professional teachers gives me lots of new realizations and makes me study a lot. Sometimes it’s difficult to keep up, but I feel that it’s also fun.

-I heard that you represent a venture company.

There is a venture company from Tokai University that was established to return the results of the private-sector strategic business “Next-Generation Medical Technology Created from Ultrathin Polymer Films” to society. One of the achievements of the Micro-Nano Research and Development Center, which has been conducting basic to applied research in a medical-engineering collaboration system, is the application of ultra-thin polymer films to imaging tools. This was developed by Professor Okamura of the Department of Applied Chemistry, but because of the many inquiries, I thought it would be useful as a new research tool for researchers around the world.

It’s Tune Co., Ltd. The officers are eight faculty members who have been involved in the private strategic business together. Check out the students and teachers who are observing light microscopy.
Tune Co., Ltd .:http://www.tune-tech.co.jp/

-What is innovation that is useful for society?

I don’t have enough experience to talk about innovation, but there are a lot of things I’ve noticed when brainstorming with researchers in other fields. The joint research themes launched from there are challenging but not easy to accomplish. In the process, it is a business mind, or if you have not noticed before, but realize that you can solve the problems that are in trouble in the world, it will actually be useful to the world and at the same time will lead to industrial promotion, possibly. In that sense, I need to work closely with the industry and I feel it is important to have the courage to practice it. I have been doing basic research for a long time, and of course I should not neglect basic research, but at the Micro-Nano Research and Development Center, there are many opportunities for industry-government-academia collaboration, so many people have a WIN-WIN relationship. I want to create innovation while building.

-Please give a message to the students.

Tokai University is often ranked 3rd to 7th among private universities in Japan in recent global university rankings, and I think this is amazing. Although there is some variation due to ranking by various indicators, it keeps a single digit among about 800 private universities  lead to personal growth.

Professor Rio Kita (Professor, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science)

Completed the doctoral program at Gunma University Graduate School of Engineering in 1999. After serving as a research fellow at RIKEN, a research scholar at Basic Chemistry, and a group leader at Max Planck Institute (Polymer), Germany, he was a lecturer at the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Tokai University in 2005. Associate professor in 2008, present post since 2014. Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Colloid and Polymer Science. Director of the Japanese Society of Biorheology.

He specializes in polymer physics, thermodynamics, and solution theory, and is engaged in equilibrium and non-equilibrium physical property studies on soft materials.

Also serves as of Tokai University Micro / Nano Research and Development Center.

President and CEO of Tokai University-based venture company Tune Co., Ltd.

Researchmap: https://researchmap.jp/read0122295/?lang=japanese

Scopus Author ID: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=7006395467

Rio Kita, Recent Publications

  1. K. Sasaki, M. Takatsuka, R. Kita, N. Shinyashiki and S. Yagihara, “Enthalpy and Dielectric Relaxation of Poly(vinyl methyl ether)”, Macromolecules 51, 5806-5811 (2018). doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.8b00780
  2. T. Fukai, N. Shinyashiki, S. Yagihara, R. Kita and F. Tanaka, “Phase Behavior of Co-Nonsolvent Systems: Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) in Mixed Solvents of Water and Methanol”, Langmuir 34, 3003-3009 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.7b03815
  3. H. Saito, S. Kato, K. Matsumoto, Y. Umino, R. Kita, N. Shinyashiki, S. Yagihara, M. Fukuzaki and M. Tokita, “Dynamic Behaviors of Solvent Molecules Restricted in Poly (Acryl Amide) Gels Analyzed by Dielectric and Diffusion NMR Spectroscopy”, Gels 4, 56 (2018). doi.org/10.3390/gels4030056 PDF
  4. S. Yagihara, R. Kita, N. Shinyashiki, M. Fukuzaki, K. Shoji, T. Saito, T. Aoyama, K. Matsumoto, H. Masuda, T. Kawaguchi, H. Saito, Y. Maruyama, S. Hiraiwa and K. Asami, “Physical Meanings of Fractal Behaviors of Water in Aqueous and Biological Systems”, presented at the 2018 12th International Conference on Electromagnetic Wave Interaction with Water and Moist Substances, ISEMA 2018, 2018.doi.org/10.1109/ISEMA.2018.8442299
  5. K. Sasaki, Y. Matsui, M. Miyara, R. Kita, N. Shinyashiki and S. Yagihara, “Glass transition and dynamics of the polymer and water in the poly(vinylpyrrolidone)-water mixtures studied by dielectric relaxation spectroscopy”, Journal of Physical Chemistry B 120, 6882-6889 (2016).https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b05347
  6. K. Sasaki, R. Kita, N. Shinyashiki and S. Yagihara, “Dielectric Relaxation Time of Ice-Ih with different preparation”, Journal of Physical Chemistry B 120, 3950-3953 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b01218
  7. 【Patent】 Rio Kita, Keishi Kimura, Kazu Morohoshi , Separation method of water containing hydrogen isotope, Japanese patent application, 2016-109028.
  8. T. Yasuda, K. Sasaki, R. Kita, N. Shinyashiki and S. Yagihara, “Dielectric Relaxation of Ice in Gelatin-Water Mixtures”, Journal of Physical Chemistry B 121, 2896-2901 (2017).https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcb.7b00149
  9. T. Kawaguchi, R. Kita, N. Shinyashiki, S. Yagihara and M. Fukuzaki, “Physical properties of tofu gel probed by water translational/rotational dynamics”, Food Hydrocolloids 77, 474-481 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd.2017.10.025
  10. K. Sasaki, A. Panagopoulou, R. Kita, N. Shinyashiki, S. Yagihara, A. Kyritsis and P. Pissis, “Dynamics of Uncrystallized Water, Ice, and Hydrated Protein in Partially Crystallized Gelatin-Water Mixtures Studied by Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy”, Journal of Physical Chemistry B 121, 265-272 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b04756
  11. K. Sasaki, R. Kita, N. Shinyashiki, and S. Yagihara, “Glass transition of partially crystallized gelatin-water mixtures studied by broadband dielectric spectroscopy”, J. Chem. Phys. 140, 124506 (2014).
  12. Dueramae, M. Yoneyama, N. Shinyashiki, S. Yagihara and R. Kita, “The effect of hydrophobicity using optical beam deflection technique”, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 132, 997-1003 (2019). doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2018.12.054
  13. J. Sakamoto, R. Kita, I. Duelamae, M. Kunitake, M. Hirano, D. Yoshihara, T. Yamamoto, T. Noguchi, B. Roy and S. Shinkai, “Cohelical Crossover Network by Supramolecular Polymerization of a 4,6-Acetalized beta-1,3-Glucan Macromer”, Acs Macro Letters 6, 21-26 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.6b00706
  14. D. Niether, T. Kawaguchi, J. Hovancová, K. Eguchi, J. K. G. Dhont, R. Kita and S. Wiegand, “Role of Hydrogen Bonding of Cyclodextrin–Drug Complexes Probed by Thermodiffusion”, Langmuir 33, 8483-8492 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.7b02313
  15. I. Dueramae, M. Yoneyama, N. Shinyashiki, S. Yagihara and R. Kita, “Self-assembly of acetylated dextran with various acetylation degrees in aqueous solutions: Studied by light scattering”, Carbohydrate Polymers 159, 171-177 (2017). Ibid 161, 306 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.01.042
  16. 【Book】R. Kita and T. Dobashi, Eds., “Nano/Micro Science and Technology in Biorheology: Principles, Methods, and Applications” (2015) Springer, NY.
  17. K. Eguchi, D. Niether, S. Wiegand and R. Kita, “Thermophoresis of cyclic oligosaccharides in polar solvents”, European Physical Journal E 39, 86-1 – 86-8 (2016).https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2016-16086-5
  18. K. Maeda, N. Shinyashiki, S. Yagihara, S. Wiegand, and R. Kita, “Ludwig-Soret effect of aqueous solutions of ethylene glycol oligomers, crown ethers, and glycerol: Temperature, molecular weight, and hydrogen bond effect”, J. Chem. Phys. 143, 124504-1 ~ 124504-7 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4931115
  19. K. Maeda, N. Shinyashiki, S. Yagihara, S. Wiegand, and R. Kita, “How does thermodiffusion of aqueous solutions depend on concentration and hydrophobicity?”, Eur. Phys. J. E 37, 94-100 (2014).

Ms. Shiratori, the Graduate School of Engineering, Department of Applied Physical Science, was awarded at the Japan Society for Biomaterials. Feb 3, 2020

Kono Shiratori, a first-year student of the Graduate School of Engineering, Department of Applied Science and Chemistry (Supervisor:Associate Professor Yosuke Okamura = Department of Applied Science, Faculty of Engineering / Micro / Nano Research and Development Center), Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture on November 26, 2019 Received the Excellent Research Poster Award at the Japan Society of Biomaterials Congress held at. This society is active in the development and improvement of science and technology related to materials used in living organisms and their applications. The award is given to excellent presentations by young researchers, including students, among the presenters of the conference.Ms. Shiratori made a presentation on the theme of “Creation of a water-repellent porous ultra-thin film capable of imaging tissue and cell stimulation in one visual field and wrapping technology”. Okamura’s laboratory announced the results of a joint research with the laboratory of Associate Professor Hiroaki Mitsuhashi (Faculty of Engineering, Department of Life Sciences), who is working on the study of genetic diseases using zebrafish. When observing an organism such as a fish, it is common practice to place the object on a petri dish and observe with a microscope. However, this method has the drawback that accurate observation is difficult because the object cannot be fixed. In this award-winning research, we proposed a method for more stable observation of objects by covering zebrafish eggs and fry with a uniquely created water-repellent ultra-thin film. At the conference, the results of actual observations were presented with videos.After receiving the award, she said, “It was very meaningful that not only many people were interested during the conference, but also advice from researchers in various fields such as materials and mechanical fields. I think this was because of the generous guidance of Asst.Prof. Okamura as well as researcher Post Doctoral Hiroshi Zhang, who originally chose this research theme because the ultra-thin film (nano-sheet) floating in the aqueous solution when the research was introduced was shining. I thought that it was “beautiful” when I saw it, but as I continued my research, I felt that it was worthwhile to lead to the development of treatments. I feel that it is in the process of exploring what I don’t know. I want to explore various possibilities in the future. ” Ms. Shiratori received the Excellent Poster Award at the Society of Polymer Science held in May.