FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
KEIICHI INOUE LAB.
INTRODUCTION OF LABORATORY
Most of living organisms use light to create biological energy and to obtain information of external world for their survival. Among them, various types of photoreceptive proteins play the central role. We especially focus on microbial rhodopsins, the photoreceptive membrane protein in micro-organisms, and aim to elucidate their functional mechanism by means of advanced spectroscopy. Furthermore, based on those insights, we are also trying the development of new molecular tools for optogenetics which is drawing broad attention in recent years.
微生物型ロドプシンの分子構造。
光駆動型水素イオン（左）およびナトリウムイオンポンプ（右
様々な微生物型ロドプシンの水溶液試料。
多様な色の違いは、発色団であるレチナール（一番左）がタンパク質内部に取り込まれ異なる波長の光を吸収することに対応する。
光受容タンパク質の光反応を調べるためのレーザー分光システム
光で多様な機能を発現する微生物型ロドプシン
MESSAGE
IN OUR RESEARCH, WE EXPLORE THE UNEXPLOITED SCIENTIFIC FIELD BY CONTINUOUS EFFORT AND BROAD INTEREST. THERE IS A ROMANCE THAT UNRAVELS THINGS THAT NO ONE IN THE WORLD KNEW.
I specialized in chemistry at university which was the most interesting when I was a high school student. I also favored living things and I wanted to study biomolecules from a physicochemical point of view using lasers for proteins of living organisms. Therefore, I chose the Photo Physical Chemistry laboratory that is doing such research at the graduate school. In our laboratory, since the experimental sample is mainly protein, it cannot be usually purchased. So, I have to make it by genetic engineering technology using E. coli and yeast on our own. We also need to make the sample to be examined by ourselves, and we have to measure it properly, both will be needed. I chose the way of researchers, because I thought that it is a very romantic job to investigate why such a chemical reaction occurs, why such a living thing is alive, the mechanism and to unravel what I do not understand. In order to understand the mechanism of biological molecules of living organisms more than anywhere in the world, I thoroughly think and proceed the research with the aim to attain the level that there is no more.
keyword
Rhodopsin / Retinal / Optogenetics / Infrared spectroscopy / Sodium pump / Ion channel / Microbial rhodopsin / Low physical energy logistics / Magnetic field / Ultrasound / Photothermal conversion / Deep biological manipulation / Photoreaction cycle / Proton transfer / Flash photolysis / Ion Pump / Che protein / Photoreceptor protein / Absorption wavelength control / Molecular dynamics calculation / Quantum chemical calculation /Bestrophin / Optical stimulation / Spectroscopic measurement / Structural analysis / Functional measurement / Protein function / Calcium / Muscle tissue formation induction / Mechanosensitive channel / Ultrasonic manipulation / Magnetic manipulation / Heliorhodopsin / Proton pump / Laser spectroscopy / Inward proton pump / Transient absorption spectroscopy / Schizorhodopsin / Xenorhodopsin / Light-driven inward proton pump Rhodopsin /Raman spectroscopy / biophysical chemistry / marine bacteria / spectroscopy / X-ray crystallography / microbial rhodopsin / optogenetics / photoreaction / functional conversion / wavelength control / total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy / single molecule measurement / transient absorption / one Molecular observation / Macro / Micro / Reaction dynamics / Proteins / Time-resolved spectroscopy / Photoreceptor proteins / Transient grating method
PROFILE : Associate Professor Keiichi Inoue
2002 Kobe University, B. S., Chemistry
2007 Kyoto University, Ph. D., Chemistry
2007-2009 Assistant Professor, Chemical Resources Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology
2009-2016 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology
2012-2014 PRESTO researcher, JST
2014- Present PRESTO researcher, JST
2016-2018 Associate Professor, Faculty of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of T echnology
2017- Present Visiting Scientist, Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP), RIKEN
2018 Present Associate Professor, The Institute for Solid State Physics
STUDENT VOICE : YUMA KAWASAKI
We actively discuss on researches every day in Inoue lab. When I obtain interesting data, all the staff members join the discussion to support my research. Research topics in Inoue lab are at the cutting edge, and you would feel excited that your research project can lead to the world’s first discovery. Since there are many opportunities to communicate with foreign members in English, you can improve your English skills as well.
SOLID STATE PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY
We are conducting research on the mechanism of proteins that work with light energy.
Keiichi Inoue Lab.,
Department Of Advanced Materials Science,
Graduate School of Frontier Sciences,
The University of Tokyo
Kashiwanoha 5-1-5,
Kashiwa,Chiba 277-8561, Japan
+81-4-7136-3230
inoue@issp.u-tokyo.ac.jp
The Goal of Applied Physics
The goal of Applied Physics is to develop a stage = “new material” that can manipulate undeveloped degrees of freedom, to explore unknown phenomena created from that stage and to bring out excellent functions, and to bring out its excellent functions. The purpose is to contribute to the development of human society by elucidating the mechanisms and developing application fields for these phenomena and functions.
AMS (Advanced Materials Science)
Major OfficeDepartment Office
AMS (Advanced Materials Science),
Graduate School of Frontier Sciences,
The University of Tokyo
Kashiwanoha 5-1-5, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8561, Japan
Email : ams-office(at)ams.k.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Please change (at) to @.