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Drug Metabolism Chemistry Lab
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The lab uses the power of chemistry to light up biological phenomena that were previously invisible and to create new medical technologies.
AboutAbout the lab
Seeing the unseen through chemistry.
The Drug Metabolism Chemistry Lab conducts life science research grounded in chemistry (chemical biology).
By precisely designing small organic molecules, the lab creates its own original chemical tools that make visible biological phenomena that could not be observed directly before.
The lab is also developing entirely new medical technologies, such as methods that quickly make cancer and other diseased tissue glow during surgery.
The lab carries out research that connects chemistry with biology and pharmacy with medicine, working together with lab members in the Faculty of Medicine.
Key terms
- Chemical Biology
- A research field that uses chemical methods to create molecules that serve as tools, and uses them to investigate how living systems work
- Fluorescent Probe
- A molecule designed to emit light when it encounters the activity of a specific molecule or enzyme. It makes the target of interest glow so that it can be observed
- Small Organic Molecule
- A relatively small molecule built on a carbon backbone. Many drugs belong to this group
NewsLab news
Students received the Excellent Oral Presentation Award, among other awards, at the Young Peptide Researchers' Summer Workshop
Developed a system that automatically synthesizes fluorescent probes that visualize enzyme activity (press release)
Developed, jointly with the Molecular Pharmacokinetics Lab, a liquid biopsy technology useful for early detection of pancreatic cancer
Students received the Student Excellent Presentation Award at the 146th Annual Meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
Students received the Excellent General Presentation Award, among other awards, at the Young Peptide Researchers' Summer Workshop
ResearchResearch themes
Through life science research grounded in chemistry (chemical biology), the lab aims to analyze new biological phenomena and create groundbreaking medical technologies. Its work includes designing photofunctional probes such as fluorescent probes, visualizing biological processes inside cells and living animals, visualizing cancer during surgery, and applying these approaches to drug discovery.
*Illustrative imageSeeing biological phenomena that were previously invisible
By precisely designing small organic molecules, the lab creates its own original chemical tools that make visible phenomena that could not be observed directly before. It also builds tools that control reactions in cells and in whole organisms, aiming for a broader understanding of biological phenomena.
*Illustrative imageMaking diseased tissue glow during surgery
The lab synthesizes hundreds of fluorescent probes at once to search for probes that selectively light up cancer, as well as new marker enzymes useful for drug discovery. It develops tools that quickly make diseased tissue visible during surgery and endoscopic surgery, and conducts joint research with clinicians in Japan and abroad.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Drug Metabolism Chemistry Lab consist of faculty, postdoctoral researchers, doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students, researchers, and visiting researchers.As of 2026
- ProfessorUrano YasuteruPublications ↗
- Associate ProfessorToru KomatsuPublications ↗
- Assistant ProfessorRyo TachibanaPublications ↗
- Project Assistant ProfessorSascha Keller
VoicesStudent voices
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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: “Fluorescence rainbow” Maxim Bilovitskiy / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Seeing biological phenomena that were previously invisible: “Multicolor fluorescence image of living HeLa cells” 8x57is / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Making diseased tissue glow during surgery: “Laparoscopic operating theatre” Dr.jayesh amin / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Molecular Pharmacokinetics Lab): “Medicine Drug Pills on Plate” epSos .de / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Clinical Pharmacokinetics Lab): “UTokyo Hospital South” Tokyo538 / CC0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Molecular Oncology Pharmacology Lab): “Acute Myeloid Leukemia (M2 type)” Makysm / CC0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Immunology and Microbiology Lab): “T Lymphocyte - NIAID” NIAID / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
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