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Iki Lab
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The lab designs metal complexes to apply them to cancer diagnosis and treatment.
AboutAbout the lab
Engaging with materials to bring out their functions.
The Iki Lab designs metal complexes, which combine metals and ligands, and studies how to bring out their functions.
Complexes can absorb light, emit light, convert light into heat, and distinguish between molecules, and the lab aims to apply these properties to medical diagnosis and treatment.
The lab also pursues research in analytical chemistry, developing separation and preconcentration methods and detection and quantification methods, because measuring substances is essential for understanding the environment.
The lab is founded on the belief that a method that goes beyond the limits of existing analytical methods opens up a new world to see.
Key terms
- Metal complex
- A compound in which molecules called ligands are bound around a metal ion
- Thiacalixarene
- A cyclic molecule in which phenol units are linked by sulfur atoms. It can hold other molecules or metals in the central cavity
- Lanthanides
- The 15 elements from lanthanum to lutetium. They belong to the rare earth elements and have characteristic luminescent and magnetic properties
NewsLab news
Research results on neutron capture therapy using nanogels published in Dalton Transactions
A lab paper's cover selected as a 2025 Dalton Transactions Best Cover
Professor Iki co-authors a chapter in the book "Synthesis, Functionalization, and Application Technologies of Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs)"
A lab paper selected as a Hot Article in Dalton Transactions
A master's student wins a Poster Award at the Tohoku Joint Meeting of Chemistry-Related Societies
ResearchResearch themes
Metal complexes, made from metals and ligands, show functions that go beyond the sum of their original components. Through molecular design, the lab creates multifunctional complexes that absorb light, emit light, convert light into heat, and distinguish between molecules or biological environments, with the aim of applying them to medical diagnosis and treatment.
*Illustrative imageMultifunctional lanthanide cluster complexes
Thiacalixarene self-assembles cluster complexes that hold three lanthanide ions. Depending on the lanthanide, properties such as visible and near-infrared luminescence and magnetic relaxation appear, and the lab is working to apply these complexes to bioprobes and neutron capture therapy.
*Illustrative imageDiradical complexes
Platinum(II) complexes of o-phenylenediamine strongly absorb near-infrared light and switch this absorption in response to pH and electric potential. Because they do not fluoresce, they are highly efficient at converting light into heat, and the lab aims to apply them to photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy of cancer.
*Illustrative imageFlexible lanthanide coordination polymers
Coordination polymers made from lanthanides and tripodal Schiff bases change the shape of their pores depending on the synthesis conditions. When guest molecules are taken in and released, the framework does not break down and only changes its shape, and the lab is exploring separation and sensing functions that take advantage of this flexibility.
MembersFaculty
The Iki Lab consists of faculty members, secretaries, and master's and undergraduate students.As of 2026
- ProfessorNobuhiko Iki
- Assistant ProfessorRyota Sawamura
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: “Europium (III) Hydroxide under UV light” Zlynkyx/Leo S / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Multifunctional lanthanide cluster complexes: “Terbium(III) nitrate hexahydrate under UV light” Leiem / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Diradical complexes: “Platinum (Element - 78) 2” James St. John / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Flexible lanthanide coordination polymers: “CPO-27 PerspectiveView CrossSection” Canucksplayer (talk) / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Hattori Lab): “Calixarene” Edgar181 / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Pichierri Lab): “FuranELF” Silvi / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Kasai Lab): “EFluor Nanocrystal Vials” Travis.jennings / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Miyako Lab): “Cylindrical squalenoyl-doxorubicin nanoparticle” Yesint / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
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