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Biological Structural Chemistry Lab
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A lab that determines the structures of membrane proteins to create seeds for new drugs.
AboutAbout the lab
Once you know the shape, the function comes into view.
The Biological Structural Chemistry Lab conducts research aimed at elucidating the structure and function of biomolecules.
In particular, the lab works on structural analysis and functional control of membrane proteins embedded in cell membranes, and applies this work to drug discovery and to understanding how life works.
Using X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy, the lab examines structures in detail down to the molecular level.
The lab uses computer simulations to predict protein dynamics and interactions, and also has applications to drug development through industry-academia collaboration in view.
Key terms
- Membrane protein
- A protein embedded in the cell membrane that handles the passage of substances and information into and out of the cell
- X-ray crystallography
- A method in which a protein is crystallized and exposed to X-rays to read out the arrangement of its atoms
- Cryo-electron microscopy
- A microscopy method that observes frozen samples with an electron beam to determine the three-dimensional structure of molecules
ResearchResearch themes
The lab aims to clarify the structure and function of biomolecules. To accelerate membrane protein research, it has built in-house a set of foundational technologies, covering everything from predicting thermostabilization to purification, compound screening, antibody generation, and three-dimensional structure determination.
*Illustrative imagePredicting Thermostabilization with Theoretical Calculations
Using its own theoretical calculations, the lab analyzes entropy changes in membrane proteins and quickly evaluates whether they can be made more heat-resistant. By combining integral equation theory with a morphometric approach, it reduced the computational cost to one ten-thousandth of that of conventional methods, making it possible to examine every amino acid substitution variant.
*Illustrative imageOn-Column Purification Using Antibodies
This is a method for efficiently purifying membrane proteins that have been thermostabilized based on the predictions. Using a His-tag antibody developed in the lab, membrane proteins produced in cells can be recovered quickly and at high purity. The method is widely applicable to crystallization, cryo-EM analysis, and compound screening.
*Illustrative imageSearching for Binding Compounds
The lab screens compounds from many angles, including evaluation of inhibitory activity, evaluation of stability, measurement of binding strength by calorimetry, and analysis of binding kinetics. A new immobilization method that uses antibodies recognizing nanodiscs makes it possible to examine binding while preserving the stability of the membrane protein.
*Illustrative imageDeveloping Functional Antibodies
The lab immunizes mice with membrane proteins in the form of proteoliposomes to generate highly sensitive antibodies. Specific binding is confirmed by liposome ELISA, antibodies that distinguish three-dimensional structure are selected by denatured dot blot, and binding strength is then analyzed to pick out high-affinity antibodies.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Biological Structural Chemistry Lab include faculty, researchers, university research administrators (URAs), technical assistants and secretaries, and students in the doctoral, master's, and undergraduate programs.As of 2026
- ProfessorTakeshi Murata
- Associate ProfessorSatoshi Ogasawara
- Project Associate ProfessorSatoshi Yasuda
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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: “Lysozyme crystal1” No machine-readable author provided. Lode~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims). / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Predicting Thermostabilization with Theoretical Calculations: “TMEM171 Structure Model” Bauma319 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- On-Column Purification Using Antibodies: “Metal-affinity column” TimVickers / Public domain (cropped)
- Searching for Binding Compounds: “ITCinaglovebox” EnthalpicallyUnfavorable / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Developing Functional Antibodies: “ELISA Plate image” Kim.kan / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (生体高分子化学研究室): “Sample of White-Tailed Deer Sperm Under Fluorescent Microscopy” Theprevetvikng / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (反応有機化学研究室): “Iodine crystal” 2x910 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (分析化学研究室): “BC photo from research 1” BCanalyst / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (環境分析化学研究室): “Nacreous aragonite ("mother-of-pearl") 9” James St. John / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
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