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Drug Molecular Design Lab
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The lab develops nanocapsules that deliver drugs to targeted sites inside cells.
AboutAbout the lab
Next-generation medicines, delivered by nanocapsules.
The Drug Molecular Design Lab studies nanocapsules that deliver drugs to targeted sites inside the body and inside cells.
The cargo includes not only small-molecule drugs but also proteins such as antibodies and nucleic acids such as siRNA and genes.
The lab aims to develop gene and nucleic acid therapies, drugs that target organelles such as mitochondria, and vaccines.
Key terms
- Organelle
- A small structure inside a cell that performs a specific role, such as mitochondria and the nucleus
- Nucleic acid
- A substance that carries genetic information, such as DNA and RNA. Research on delivering nucleic acids into cells as drugs is advancing
- Lipid nanoparticle
- A tiny particle made of lipids. It encapsulates mRNA and other molecules and delivers them into cells
- Adjuvant
- A substance that enhances immune function. It is used in vaccines and cancer treatment
NewsLab news
Paper on controlling cell function with nanocapsules that deliver mitochondrial components published in Mater. Today Adv.
A master's student received the Student Excellent Presentation Award at the 32nd Annual Meeting of the Japan Society of Gene and Cell Therapy
Paper on controlling cell function with artificially designed mitochondria published in Adv. Mater. Interfaces (joint research with Luca Science)
A student received the Student Excellent Presentation Award at the 153rd Regular Meeting of the Hokkaido Branch of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
Professor Yamada received the Academic Promotion Award of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
ResearchResearch themes
The lab studies drug delivery systems (DDS) that deliver drugs to targeted sites in the body and inside cells. It develops nanocapsules that target mitochondria, lipid nanoparticles that deliver nucleic acids, and nano-DDS that enhance immunity against cancer.
*Illustrative imageMitochondria-targeted DDS
The lab devised MITO-Porter, a nanocapsule that fuses with the mitochondrial membrane and delivers the molecules it carries into mitochondria. It aims to apply this to mitochondrial gene therapy, therapy-resistant cancer, and cell therapy.
*Illustrative imageCell manipulation through organelle control
Using TransMIT, an artificial nanocapsule, the lab is working to introduce mitochondria into cells from the outside and change the quality and quantity of mitochondria to switch cell functions. In collaboration with companies, it is also advancing research on mitochondria-based organelle therapeutics.
*Illustrative imageDelivering nucleic acids through lipid design
The lab builds its own lipid libraries and develops lipid nanoparticles that deliver nucleic acids such as mRNA to targeted cells. It also works on formulations that carry genome-editing RNA and proteins.
*Illustrative imageEnhancing cancer immunity with nano-DDS
The lab studies how to enhance immune responses against cancer by loading immune-activating adjuvants onto nano-DDS. It is also developing methods that deliver nucleic acids to NK cells to strengthen their function, as well as a new therapy that destroys tumor blood vessels.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Drug Molecular Design Lab consist of faculty members, postdoctoral researchers, PhD, master's, and undergraduate students, administrative assistants, and research support staff.As of 2026
- ProfessorYuma Yamada
- Associate ProfessorYusuke Sato
- Assistant ProfessorMai Kanai
- Project Assistant ProfessorYuichi Suzuki
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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: “Generic Drug Research ( )” The U.S. Food and Drug Administration / Public domain (cropped)
- Mitochondria-targeted DDS: “Mitochondria - TEM” Louisa Howard / Public domain (cropped)
- Cell manipulation through organelle control: “Mitochondria in living HeLa cells” 8x57is / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Delivering nucleic acids through lipid design: “Comirnaty.Phiole.unverduennt.P1127598” Bautsch / CC0 (cropped)
- Enhancing cancer immunity with nano-DDS: “Human Natural Killer Cell ( )” NIAID / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
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- Related lab (Future Pharmaceutics Lab): “Bovine Pulmonary Artery Endothelial Cells Fluorescent Image 2” Erin Rod / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Infection and Oncology Lab, Division of Pathophysiology, Institute for Genetic Medicine): “Ulcer-causing Bacterium (H.Pylori) Crossing Mucus Layer of Stomach” Illustration Credit: Zina Deretsky, National Science Foundation / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Molecular and Cellular Pharmaceutical Sciences Lab): “1 msc DAPI+ThR001 a” OlgaMaslova / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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