Laboratory of Physical Chemistry
Staff
Hiromichi Akizawa, Ph.D.Professor
Miho Shukuri, Ph.D.Senior Assistant Professor
Satoru Onoe, Ph.D.Assistant Professor
Research Objectives
Molecular imaging
The work in our laboratory focuses on “molecular imaging.” In molecular imaging, the molecular imaging probe which interacts with a biomolecule of interest is administered to a living body, and the behavior, distribution and concentration of the biomolecule are visualized by detecting the signal emitted from the probe. Therefore, molecular imaging provides physiological or biochemical information in a living body at the level of a molecule, and can contribute not only to elucidation of life phenomenon but also to the medical care as a diagnostic technique.
Our research projects are roughly classified to the following three categories: i) the development of new molecular imaging probes, ii) the elucidation of mechanism of diseases through molecular imaging technique, and iii) the development of new therapeutic agents based on findings from our researches on categories i and ii. Some of our current projects are described below.
- Development of molecular imaging probes for predicting the effect of anti-cancer agent.
- Controlling movement of molecular imaging probe for tumor imaging: enhanced accumulation to the tumor and decreased accumulation to non-tumor tissues
- Development of molecular imaging probes for neurological disorders
- Elucidation of mechanism of neurological disorders
- Development of agents for boron neutron capture therapy