RESEARCH AREAS

One-step selection of 'chemical antibody' using HAS

Aptamers are “chemical antibodies” with great potential for various applications where antibodies are used. However, traditional methods for aptamer selection are time-consuming and labor-intensive. Our lab has developed a totally new concept for aptamer discovery, i.e., hydrogel for aptamer selection (HAS). HAS allows us to select aptamers in a single step only taking 60 hours. This method is published in Nature Biotechnology (10.1038/s41587-023-01973-8).

Protein Delivery for Regenerative Medicine Using Biomimetic Extracellular Matrix

Our lab has pioneered the development of programmable tissue-like aptamer-functionalized hydrogels for on-demand protein drug release. Now we are using this emerging class of biomaterials for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. We are also tuning these biomaterials for the treatment of cancer and diabetes.

Cell Delivery Using Biomimetic Cell Wall & Extracellular Matrix

We are developing new tools for cell surface engineering. In particular, we apply nucleic acids to synthesize programmable nanostructures to engineer the cell surface.  Engineered cells will acquire more powerful functions than their natural counterparts and hold great potential for regenerative medicine, cancer treatment, drug delivery, etc. Engineered cells can also be tuned for ex vivo biomedical applications (e.g., tissue engineering and bioprinting).

Protein & Cell Imaging Using Biomimetic Nanostructures

Accurate and sensitive examination of proteins and cells is extremely important to understand biological mechanisms and diagnose the disease. However, it is challenging to do so since the amounts of proteins or cells are often very small.  We are developing novel enzyme-free methods for signal amplification by using novel fluorescent nanostructures. These methods will be applied to cancer diagnosis and regenerative medicine.

​