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Precision Molecular Transformation Chemistry Lab
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A lab that develops new organic reactions to take on drug discovery and life sciences.
AboutAbout the lab
Creating molecules for interdisciplinary fields through the power of organic reactions
The Precision Molecular Transformation Chemistry Lab develops new organic reactions to create functional molecules needed in drug discovery, medicine, and life sciences.
The lab's work rests on two pillars: organic reaction chemistry that achieves entirely new transformations, and precise molecular modification techniques that use diverse external stimuli.
Applying knowledge and experience in organometallic chemistry, photochemistry, medicinal chemistry, and computational chemistry, the lab collaborates with researchers across fields to tackle challenges.
The lab was launched in April 2023 at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University.
Key terms
- Borylation
- A reaction that introduces boron into a molecule. The resulting carbon–boron bond can be converted into various functional groups.
- Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reaction
- A highly reliable reaction that forms carbon–carbon bonds from organoboron compounds and other partners. It is usually considered to require the addition of a base.
- PET probe
- A molecule used in positron emission tomography (PET) to visualize where molecules are located in the body.
NewsLab news
Award at the 72nd Symposium on Organometallic Chemistry, Japan
Award at the 42nd Seminar on Organic Synthesis
Award at the 128th Symposium on Organic Synthesis, Japan
A student received the Student Excellent Presentation Award at the 146th Annual Meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
Paper on photoazidation accepted and published
ResearchResearch themes
By deepening organic reaction chemistry, the lab aims to create chemistry that advances not only pharmaceutical sciences but also interdisciplinary areas with medicine and life sciences. It develops reactions that achieve new transformations and precise molecular modification techniques using external stimuli, and applies them to the creation of functional molecules.
*Illustrative imageOrganic Reaction Chemistry for Entirely New Transformations
The lab achieves chemical transformations that are currently considered impossible by developing new reactions, then investigates the reaction mechanisms to generalize them. It develops reactions based on the idea that borylating a bioactive compound itself and then transforming it would, in principle, yield a molecular probe in only two steps.
*Illustrative imagePrecise Modification Techniques Using External Stimuli
Transforming complex molecules tends to cause side reactions at unwanted positions. To aim for mild transformations at the desired position, the lab slowly generates reactive species using diverse external stimuli. It has discovered a Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reaction that proceeds without a base through the addition of certain Lewis acids, and is developing transformations based on this approach.
*Illustrative imageFunctional Molecules for Drug Discovery, Medicine, and Life Sciences
The lab develops functional molecular probes to meet the diverse needs of its collaborators. For PET probes in particular, its work ranges from developing labeling reactions that introduce short-lived radionuclides to planning strategies for introducing them into complex structures.
MembersFaculty
Members of the Precision Molecular Transformation Chemistry Lab consist of faculty, students in the doctoral, master's, and undergraduate programs, and research students.As of 2026
- ProfessorTakashi Niwa
- Assistant ProfessorSatoshi Kurumada
- Assistant ProfessorKazuki Terashima
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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: “Positron Emission Tomography” Christkannada / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Organic Reaction Chemistry for Entirely New Transformations: “Schlenk flask 500mL” Ichwarsnur / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Precise Modification Techniques Using External Stimuli: “Visible Light Photochemistry Setup” Joanna Yang / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Functional Molecules for Drug Discovery, Medicine, and Life Sciences: “SK8-18-2 human derived cells, fluorescence microscopy ( )” ZEISS Microscopy from Germany / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Pharmacognosy Lab): “Medicinal herbs garden hospital” User:Mattes / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Environmentally Benign Medicinal Chemistry Lab): “Palladium on carbon” Marbletan / CC0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Drug Molecular Design Lab): “Kandiszucker” Dietmar Rabich / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Reaction-Driven Drug Discovery Chemistry Lab): “Fume hood and table of elements, early XX century Gdansk University of Technology” LukaszKatlewa / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
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