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Biomaterials Engineering Lab (Cooperative Course)
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A lab that studies biocompatible polymer materials for medical use, with a focus on water.
AboutAbout the lab
Pursuing biomaterials science to the fullest
The Biomaterials Engineering Lab studies the design of soft polymer biomaterials with excellent biocompatibility for diagnosis and treatment.
To understand at the molecular level how biocompatibility arises, the lab focuses on water molecules in the environment where a material meets biological components, and has proposed the “intermediate water concept.”
The research falls into three broad areas: design, synthesis, and functional control of polymers; analysis of the structure and properties of bio-interfaces; and analysis of interactions between cells and materials.
On the lab’s website, it is introduced under the name “Masaru Tanaka Lab.”
Key terms
- Intermediate water
- Water that is weakly bound to a polymer and remains mobile even at low temperatures. It has properties between those of free water and non-freezing water.
- Non-freezing water
- Water that is strongly bound to a material, with reduced molecular mobility.
- Bio-interface
- The boundary where a material, such as a medical device, meets biological components such as blood and cells.
NewsLab news
A doctoral student received the Outstanding Presentation Award at the 9th Engineering Planning Seminar
A master’s student received the Best Presenter Award at the 2026 First-Semester Graduate Seminar
ResearchResearch themes
The lab aims to design polymer materials with excellent biocompatibility for diagnosis and treatment. Believing that the state of water molecules adsorbed on a material affects the performance of medical devices, it has proposed the “intermediate water concept,” which focuses on “intermediate water,” water with properties between those of free water and non-freezing water, and applies it to material design.
*Illustrative imageDesign, synthesis, and functional control of polymers
Using organic chemistry methods that allow precise control of a polymer’s chemical structure, the lab synthesizes polymers with well-defined structures. By understanding the relationships among chemical structure, physical properties, hydration state, and biocompatibility, it aims to develop better biocompatible materials.
*Illustrative imageAnalysis of the structure and properties of bio-interfaces
To clarify what determines the function of biocompatible polymers, the lab conducts precise analysis of polymer interfaces and of how water and proteins adsorb onto them. To study intermediate water, it also carries out high-resolution measurements using external facilities such as SPring-8 and J-PARC.
*Illustrative imageAnalysis of interactions between cells and materials
Aiming to clarify the role of water molecules bound to biomolecules, the lab uses that knowledge to design and develop functional polymers that go beyond the molecules found in nature. By controlling the interactions between cells and polymers to manipulate cell adhesion and behavior, it aims at applications in early cancer diagnosis technology and regenerative medicine.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Biomaterials Engineering Lab consist of faculty members, academic researchers, technical staff, administrative assistants, a commercialization producer, doctoral, master’s, and undergraduate students, visiting researchers, and visiting research students.As of 2026
- ProfessorMasaru Tanaka
- Associate ProfessorTakahisa Anada
- Associate ProfessorSatoshi Honda
- LecturerMika Kobayashi
- Assistant ProfessorCHO Iksung
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Dialysis tubing size comparison” 作者不詳 / Public domain (cropped)
- Design, synthesis, and functional control of polymers: “Solid-polymeric-foam” Giovanna Canu, Eva Santini / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Analysis of the structure and properties of bio-interfaces: “Superabsorber Hydrogel KSG 2917 pK” Petra Klawikowski / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Analysis of interactions between cells and materials: “Stem cells, Hues 9 stained” UCSanDiegoStemCellProgram / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
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