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Molecular Assembly Chemistry Lab
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The lab investigates the functions that emerge from combining molecules, through both synthesis and computation.
AboutAbout the lab
Combining molecules to bring out new functions.
The Molecular Assembly Chemistry Lab studies the special functions that appear when molecules are combined.
Molecular assemblies designed and optimized with computational chemistry are actually built through polymer synthesis.
The lab aims to develop new materials with molecular recognition, optical functions, electrical conductivity, and biocompatibility.
A distinctive feature is that a synthetic chemistry group and a computational chemistry group work together on the research.
Key terms
- Cyclic polymer
- A polymer with no chain ends, connected in a ring. Its properties differ from those of linear polymers.
- Self-assembly
- The spontaneous gathering of molecules to form ordered shapes or structures.
- Molecular dynamics simulation
- A method that follows the motion of atoms and molecules on a computer to study the structure and properties of materials.
NewsLab news
Paper highlighted on the Front Page of Colloids and Interfaces
A master's student won a poster award at the joint symposium of Hokkaido University and National Central University (Taiwan)
Paper on cyclic PEG and platinum nanoparticles published in Colloids and Interfaces
Paper on physical adsorption of cyclic PEG onto gold surfaces published in Langmuir
A master's student received the Best Presentation Award at the 60th Hokkaido Branch Research Meeting
ResearchResearch themes
The lab investigates the properties and functions unique to cyclic polymers, which cannot be achieved with linear or branched polymers. It also uses computational chemistry to understand the structure and function of soft matter, which consists of soft assemblies of molecules, and of supramolecular systems.
*Illustrative imageStabilizing gold nanoparticles with cyclic PEG
The surface of drug-delivery nanoparticles is typically coated with biocompatible polyethylene glycol (PEG). The lab found that gold nanoparticles onto which cyclic PEG, which has no chain ends, is physically adsorbed show very high dispersion stability.
*Illustrative imageForming micelles from cyclic copolymers
Block copolymers with hydrophilic and hydrophobic parts form micelles and vesicles through self-assembly. When they are made cyclic, the thermal stability of the micelles increases greatly, even though the chemical structure and molecular weight remain the same.
*Illustrative imageSimulating thermoresponsive polymers
Some polymers dissolve in water at low temperatures and become insoluble at high temperatures. Because it is hard to observe directly what happens at the molecular level, the lab uses all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to explore the mechanism of this loss of solubility.
*Illustrative imageCalculations on porphyrin assemblies
Some porphyrins with very similar structures absorb light in clearly different ways. The lab determines the structures of dimers in solution with molecular dynamics calculations and examines how they relate to optical properties using quantum chemical calculations.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Molecular Assembly Chemistry Lab consist of faculty members, a secretary, technical assistants, and doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students.As of 2026
- Associate ProfessorShin-ichiro Sato
- Associate ProfessorTakuya Yamamoto
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: “Simulated structure of the water hexane interface” Cnrowley / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Stabilizing gold nanoparticles with cyclic PEG: “Gold255” Aleksandar Kondinski / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Forming micelles from cyclic copolymers: “Double emulsion droplets” Catrin Sohrabi / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Simulating thermoresponsive polymers: “Graphene oxide in liquid water” Marie-Laure Bocquet / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Calculations on porphyrin assemblies: “Single crystal of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-ethoxycarbonylphenyl)porphine” Leiem / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Reactive Organic Chemistry Lab): “Acetylacetone-keto-tautomer-from-xtal-Mercury-3D-balls” Ben Mills / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Polymer Chemistry Lab): “Polyethylene balls5” Lluis tgn / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Inorganic Synthesis Chemistry Lab): “Early Testing of Aerogel and Silicon Detectors for TIGERISS (SVS14979 - -Aerogel-4)” NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio - eMITS/Sophia Roberts, eMITS/Scott Wiessinger, University of Maryland College Park/Jeanette Kazmierczak / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Biomolecular Chemistry Lab): “Microbial cellulose pellicle” User:Lightenoughtotravel / Public domain (cropped)
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