Chemical Engineering Laboratory
Using plastic to examine molecules inside the body
We are devising techniques for observing various phenomena in the body by creating plastics that remember the shapes of molecules we want to measure. For example, we are developing a sensor that can monitor levels of medicine in a patient's body to determine whether there is enough to be effective or too much. We are also developing technology that will allow us to determine whether the concentration of substances in animal brains increases when they are thinking about things.
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College of Engineering
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Applied Chemistry
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Faculty Name
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YOSHIMI, Yasuo |
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Academic Society
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Society for Chemical Engineers The Electrochemical Society of Japan Japan Association of Chemical Sensors The Society of Polymer Science The Japan Neuroscience Society Society for Neuroscience The Japanese Society of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring International Association of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Clinical Toxicology |
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Keyword
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Artificial nerves, Sensors, Biological information, Medical engineering, Biosensors |
Study Fields
Chemical engineering
Physical chemistry
Macromolecular
chemistry
Electrochemistry
Thinking strategies for solving problems
Physical chemistry
Macromolecular
chemistry
Electrochemistry
Thinking strategies for solving problems
For Society
Drug-resistant pathogens that have rendered antibiotics ineffective due to habituation have become a global problem. Preventing drug resistance requires checking that levels of antibiotics in the blood are no more than are needed to eradicate the pathogens. However, analyses to confirm this have failed to take root in developing countries due to the enormous costs and time involved. To address this, our laboratory developed a disposable sensor that can quickly and cheaply measure the concentration of antibiotics in the blood. Because it is made from cheap plastic, each sensor is expected to cost only a few dozen yen, which we hope will lead to widespread adoption around the world.
Research Themes
- Development of sensors to measure drug levels in the blood using molecularly imprinted macromolecules
- Visualization of neurotransmitter secretion in the brain using molecularly imprinted macromolecules
- Analysis of the mechanism of molecularly imprinted macromolecule swelling that accompanies molecular recognition