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Functional Molecular Chemistry Lab (Bioresource Chemistry Division)
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A lab that explores health-promoting functions of lipids and carotenoids from marine organisms.
AboutAbout the lab
Exploring how marine lipid components work for health
The Functional Molecular Chemistry Lab studies functional substances characteristic of marine organisms.
The sea teems with diverse organisms, from fish and mammals to algae, crustaceans, mollusks such as shellfish, and microorganisms.
The lab calls the substances characteristic of these organisms "marine chemicals" and focuses mainly on fat-soluble components such as phospholipids and carotenoids.
Its research rests on three pillars: evaluation of their actions in the body from the viewpoint of molecular nutrition, modification of molecules to enhance their functions, and the search for new functional molecules.
Key terms
- Carotenoid
- A group of yellow and red pigments found in living organisms. Fucoxanthin, which is abundant in wakame, is one of them
- Phospholipid
- A lipid that has both a water-compatible part and an oil-compatible part in a single molecule. It forms cell membranes
- Sarcopenia
- A condition in which muscle mass and strength decline with age
NewsLab news
Research results by doctoral students and others were published in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
Results of a joint study were published in General and Comparative Endocrinology
A master's student received the Student Encouragement Award at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the Japan Oil Chemists' Society
Research results by master's students and others were published in Fisheries Science
A master's student received the Best Student Presentation Award at the Hokkaido Branch Meeting of the Japanese Society of Fisheries Science
ResearchResearch themes
Treating fat-soluble components of marine organisms, such as phospholipids and carotenoids, as "marine chemicals," the lab investigates their effects on health. Its research is built on three pillars: evaluating their actions, modifying molecules, and searching for new components.
*Illustrative imageMetabolic syndrome-preventing effects of marine lipids
The lab has shown that fucoxanthin, a carotenoid abundant in brown algae such as wakame, improves blood glucose and suppresses weight gain in obese model mice. It is also investigating its ability to suppress inflammation in organs.
*Illustrative imageLipid components that prevent muscle loss
Aiming to prevent sarcopenia, the lab is searching for marine lipid components that help muscle cells grow. Promising components are given to animals in their diet to confirm their effects.
*Illustrative imageRemodeling phospholipids with enzymes
The lab studies methods that use the properties of enzymes such as lipases to produce phospholipids incorporating desired fatty acids. It is also working on producing new phospholipids that give health-promoting molecules the ability to mix with both water and oil.
*Illustrative imageSearching for new components from marine organisms
From sea squirts, scallop ovaries, salmon testes, marine bacteria, and other sources, the lab extracts fat-soluble components with structures not seen in terrestrial organisms and investigates their structures and functions.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Functional Molecular Chemistry Lab consist of faculty, doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students, research students, and technical assistants.As of 2026
- ProfessorMasashi Hosokawa
- Associate ProfessorFumiaki Beppu
- Assistant ProfessorNaoki Takatani
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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: “Omega 3 Fish oil softgel capsules” Gpkp / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Metabolic syndrome-preventing effects of marine lipids: “CSIRO ScienceImage 915 Undaria pinnatifida Japanese kelp” division, CSIRO / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
- Lipid components that prevent muscle loss: “C2C12 cells x10 mag” Davidxyz / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Remodeling phospholipids with enzymes: “Phospholipids aqueous solution structures” Mariana Ruiz Villarreal, LadyofHats / Public domain (cropped)
- Searching for new components from marine organisms: “Halocynthia roretzi-Sea pineapples at Tsukiji Market-01” bifyu / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Food Chemistry Lab (Division of Marine Food Science)): “Japan, Hokkaido, drying kelp 1” Marie-Sophie Mejan / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Bioanalytical Chemistry Lab (Bioresource Chemistry Division)): “Fish lined up at a fresh fish store at Tezukayama, Osaka, Japan, February” Laitche / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Food Engineering Lab (Marine Resource Development Engineering Division)): “Palmeria palmata” Cwmhiraeth / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Bioorganic Chemistry Lab): “Aplysina archeri (Stove-pipe Sponge-pink variation)” Nhobgood (talk) Nick Hobgood / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
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