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Functional Molecule Manufacturing Chemistry Lab (Chemical Pharmaceutical Sciences Area)
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A lab taking on deuterium-based drug discovery and the development of green organic synthesis reactions.
AboutAbout the lab
Heavy hydrogen advances drug discovery.
The Functional Molecule Manufacturing Chemistry Lab builds on organic synthetic chemistry to research drug discovery using deuterium.
The lab is pioneering a unique field, "deuterium science and deuterium drug discovery," which combines diversification through molecular structure with functionalization and refinement through deuterium.
The lab also develops a wide range of catalytic organic synthesis methods, and is interested in developing green reactions that place no burden on the environment.
The lab's website also introduces it under the name "Sawama Lab."
Key terms
- Deuterium
- A heavy isotope of hydrogen (symbol D). The stability of its bond with carbon is attracting attention in drug discovery research.
- H/D exchange reaction
- A reaction that replaces carbon-hydrogen bonds in a molecule with carbon-deuterium bonds. It is one method of deuteration.
- Heterogeneous catalyst
- A solid catalyst that does not dissolve in the reaction solution, such as a platinum-group metal supported on another material.
- Heavy drugs
- A term for drugs that contain deuterium. In English, they are called "heavy drugs."
NewsLab news
Prof. Sawama and colleagues' overview "How to Make Deuterium-Containing Compounds" published in Kagaku to Kyoiku (Chemistry and Education)
Received the Materials and Devices Joint Research Award from the Network Joint Research Center for Materials and Devices
Now recruiting graduate students
Prof. Yoshinari Sawama became Professor, and the Functional Molecule Manufacturing Chemistry Lab was newly established
ResearchResearch themes
The lab believes that delivering affordable and safe medicines requires organic synthesis capable of manufacturing small-molecule drugs with precision. Building on this strength, it is developing deuterium-based drug discovery and reactions that place no burden on the environment.
*Illustrative imageDeuterium science and deuterium drug discovery
Drug discovery research that uses the stability of carbon-deuterium bonds and characteristic signals in instrumental analysis is attracting attention. The lab is refining deuteration technology (H/D exchange reactions) and, through collaboration with researchers from many fields, aims for international coordination and harmonization of deuterium drug discovery.
*Illustrative imageDevelopment of environmentally friendly organic synthesis reactions
The lab develops a wide range of organic synthesis methods, including Lewis acid catalysts, organocatalysts, and heterogeneous catalysts, aiming for green reactions that place no burden on the environment. It has also started new research using biomass materials, and works on developing functional materials such as heavy drugs and metal sensor molecules.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Functional Molecule Manufacturing Chemistry Lab consist of faculty, project researchers, doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students, and secretaries.As of 2026
- ProfessorYoshinari Sawama
- Assistant ProfessorRiichi Hashimoto
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: “Pipettes and Gay-Lussac burette (Alessandri 1895.3-7)” valeg96 / Public domain (cropped)
- Deuterium science and deuterium drug discovery: “Deuterium-glow” en:User:Jurii (Transfered by Lanthanum-138/Original uploaded by Lanthanum-138) / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
- Development of environmentally friendly organic synthesis reactions: “12 Principles of Green Chemistry proposed by Anastas and Warner” Rajat Goyal, Archana Sharma, Vijay Kumar Thakur, Monika Ola, Prabodh Chander Sharma / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
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