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Health Chemistry Lab
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The lab uses mass spectrometry to uncover the functions of the lipids that make up cell membranes.
AboutAbout the lab
Probing the physiological functions of lipids with cutting-edge mass spectrometry
The Health Chemistry Lab studies the functions of lipids and lipid-related molecules at the cellular and whole-organism levels.
Biological membranes are made up of more than 1,000 types of lipid molecules, and each one is thought to have its own specific function.
Because lipids are not directly encoded by genes, studying their functions is a far more difficult challenge than studying proteins.
Using technologies such as mass microscopy and mass spectrometry, the lab works to clarify the functions of a wide variety of phospholipids.
Key terms
- Phospholipid
- The main lipids that make up cell membranes. Each has a hydrophilic (water-loving) head and a hydrophobic (oil-loving) tail.
- GPCR
- A protein on the cell surface that receives molecules from outside the cell and relays signals into the cell.
- Mass spectrometry
- A method that precisely measures the mass of molecules to determine which molecules are present and in what amounts.
NewsLab news
A doctoral student received the Excellent Presentation Award at the 16th Lipid Joint Conference
A review article by master's students and others was published in the Journal of Lipid Research
Research conducted by Assistant Professor Yuta Shimanaka at his overseas institution won the 2026 UJA Paper Award
Research results from the lab's researchers were published in the Journal of Lipid Research
Professor Junken Aoki received the 9th Osamu Hayaishi Memorial Award
ResearchResearch themes
The lab studies the physiological functions of the many kinds of lipid molecules that make up biological membranes, as well as their roles in disease. Using the latest technologies, such as mass microscopes and mass spectrometers, it investigates them from the cellular level to the whole-organism level.
*Illustrative imagePhysiological and pathological functions of lysophospholipids
The lab focuses on lysophospholipids, single-chain phospholipids that act through GPCRs. It investigates what roles they play in the body and how they act in disease.
*Illustrative imageDiscovery of novel GPCR lipid ligands
Many lipid molecules that act on GPCRs remain unidentified. The lab discovers these new lipid ligands and clarifies their functions.
*Illustrative imagePhospholipid biosynthesis and homeostasis
The lab identifies the molecules involved in how phospholipids are made and how their levels are kept constant. From this, it aims to uncover the as-yet-unknown functions of phospholipids.
MembersFaculty
The lab's members consist of faculty, researchers, secretaries, technical assistants, research students, and doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students.As of 2026
- ProfessorJunken AokiPublications ↗
- Associate ProfessorNozomu KonoPublications ↗
- Assistant ProfessorKuniyuki KanoPublications ↗
- Assistant ProfessorYuta ShimanakaPublications ↗
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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: “Applied Biosystems 4000 QTrap Mass Spectrometer (detail) (11)” Hey Paul from Sacramento, CA, USA / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Physiological and pathological functions of lysophospholipids: “Crystal Sctructure Lysophosphatidic Acid Phosphatase with Malonate in Active Site” Karlwess / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Discovery of novel GPCR lipid ligands: “3sn6 G-coupled ribbon” Dcrjsr / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
- Phospholipid biosynthesis and homeostasis: “Multicolor fluorescence image of living HeLa cells” 8x57is / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Physiological Chemistry Lab): “Mitotic LLC-PK1 cells, fluorescence microscopy ( )” ZEISS Microscopy from Germany / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Biophysical Chemistry Lab): “NMR Spectrometer” Mgianino / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Bioanalytical Chemistry Lab): “Nikon-Inverted fluorescence microscope” ArthurLau1997 / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Fundamental Organic Chemistry Lab): “Benzene IBO” Alicesu / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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