LAB LOGA page on LabLog, a review site (not the lab's official page)
Kawai Lab
Machine-translated · View original
A lab that reads biomolecules one molecule at a time through fluorescence blinking.
AboutAbout the lab
The answer lies in how a single molecule glows.
The Kawai Lab conducts chemical biology research that makes full use of photochemistry, with the keywords "molecules," "fluorescence," and "single-molecule measurement."
When fluorescent molecules are observed one at a time, each shows a characteristic way of emitting light: fluorescence blinking.
Focusing on this blinking, the lab aims to understand and control the motion and chemical reactions of biomolecules.
Within the lab, it works end to end, from organic synthesis and evaluation of photophysical properties to microscopy measurements, computational science, and time-series data analysis.
Key terms
- Chemical biology
- A research field that uses chemical methods to investigate and manipulate the mechanisms of life
- Blinking
- The on-and-off flickering of fluorescence seen when molecules are observed one at a time
- Single-molecule measurement
- A method of directly measuring the behavior of individual molecules, rather than the average of many molecules
NewsLab news
Paper from joint research with Waseda University and others published in ChemPhotoChem
A master's student received an Outstanding Poster Award at the Summer School of the Division of Biofunctional Chemistry
A student received a Poster Award at the Annual Meeting of the Quantum Life Science Society
A master's student received an Outstanding Poster Award at the interim presentation for Master's Thesis Research Planning
Lab paper published in J. Phys. Chem. Lett.
ResearchResearch themes
Aiming at single-molecule analysis and diagnostics, the lab studies how to understand and control the motion and chemical reactions of biomolecules. It focuses on fluorescence blinking, which becomes visible only when fluorescent molecules, widely used in fields such as bioimaging and clinical pathology testing, are observed at the single-molecule level.
*Illustrative imageSingle-Molecule Analysis of Biomolecules
The lab develops methods to examine the three-dimensional structures and sequences of biomolecules such as nucleic acids and peptides at the single-molecule level. By precisely controlling and analyzing fluorescence blinking, it aims to reveal structural dynamics and reaction rates at the single-molecule level.
*Illustrative imageDeveloping New Fluorescent Molecules
The lab develops fluorescent molecules and fluorescence blinking systems for next-generation single-molecule analysis and diagnostics. Through original molecular design from a photochemical perspective, it precisely controls blinking speed and responsiveness, aiming to open new possibilities for ultrasensitive diagnostic technologies.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Kawai Lab are faculty, doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students, and administrative assistants.As of 2026
- ProfessorKiyohiko KawaiPublications ↗
- Assistant ProfessorYohei KondoPublications ↗
VoicesStudent voices
Compiled from answers by students who were in the lab. Ratings and reviews reflect individual students' experiences, not the lab's official views.
Students who take part in an interview may receive a thank-you gift worth ¥1,000, regardless of what they say.
On a 4-point scale, ● marks where students' answers fall
Who is this lab for?
What's great about this lab?
What did you learn after joining?
What's the vibe, and what is the professor like?
Where do graduates go?
RelatedLabs similar to Kawai Lab
Nakamura-Okada LabSchool of Life Science and Technology, Department of Life Science and TechnologyOrganic chemistry, medicinal chemistry for drug discovery, c…
Ueno LabSchool of Life Science and Technology, Department of Life Science and TechnologyProtein engineering, bioinorganic chemistry, biomaterials, c…
Yamaguchi LabSchool of Life Science and Technology, Department of Life Science and TechnologyGene expression, genomics, drug discovery, chemical biology
Yuasa LabSchool of Life Science and Technology, Department of Life Science and TechnologyBioorganic chemistry, carbohydrate chemistry, nucleic acid c…The information on this page is compiled by the LabLog team from the lab's public information and interviews. For corrections or removal requests, please contact LabLog, not the lab.
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: “Fluorescent minerals hg” Hannes Grobe/AWI / CC BY-SA 2.5 (cropped)
- Single-Molecule Analysis of Biomolecules: “DNA tetrahedron” Antony-22 / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Developing New Fluorescent Molecules: “Fluorescein-3D-balls” Jynto / CC0 (cropped)
- Related lab (中村・岡田研究室): “Boron neutron capture therapy (bnct) illustration” Pat Kenny (Illustrator) / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (上野研究室): “Flu Self Assembly ( )” NIAID / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (山口研究室): “DAPI-stained nuclei of HeLa cells” DrBib / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (湯浅研究室): “Dispersion of White Light Through a Prism” Aligatorigiganti / CC0 (cropped)
About LabLog
LabLog is a lab review app for students only. Student members at each university interview students in labs and publish what they say. Student voices can only be read by students who sign up with a university email address. Operated by bestiee Inc.
Learn more about LabLog ↗Search engines and AI may reference the basic lab info and rating summaries on this page and the description of LabLog. Student voices are for student members only. Automated collection by programs (scraping, or input to or training of AI) is prohibited under Article 8 of the Terms of Service. If you need data for research or analysis, please contact us.