Designer Melanin for Analyzing and Controlling Cells

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K19045
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 37:Biomolecular chemistry and related fields
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Uesugi Motonari 京都大学, 化学研究所, 教授 (10402926)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-07-09 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: ケミカルバイオロジー / 磁気 / メラニン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This project developed a method to synthesize artificial melanin intracellularly by hijacking the melanin biosynthesis with a synthetic small molecule. This unprecedented allowed intracellular synthesis of magnetic melanin materials. When cultured in the presence of an external magnetic field, the cells were aligned along the magnetic power lines. This method opens new avenues for mechanobiology and magnetogenetics research and may provide a framework for magnetically controlling specific cells. The results of this study were published in J. Am. Chem. Soc.in 2022.

Free Research Field

ケミカルバイオロジー

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

この研究で開発された新手法は、細胞を磁気で操ることを可能にし、細胞の基礎研究に磁気を使うという新たな方法を切り拓くと期待されます。将来的には、特定の細胞を磁気で制御することで、細胞治療などの医療に役立つ可能性があります。