Bio-Alchemy using biological systems and water
-A hierarchical organizing design
for 3-D nano/micro architecture of bio-based materials-

Professor: Tetsuo Kondo, Ph. D.

Nature always creates patterns including shapes, colors and movements, which strongly connect with various functions in lives. The pattern-property relationship can also inspire and guide a novel fabrication of bio-based materials, which is the main research concept of our laboratory. At first our laboratory attempts to understand the pattern, and based on the understanding, a design for fabrication of unique materials would be made. In this way, we can develop superior bio-based materials with 3-D novel nano/micro hierarchical structures. It is no doubt that our proposed methods are environmentally friendly one, and therefore they should be compared with conventional methods in terms of both energy efficiency and cost performance.

Biomaterial design laboratory pursues a scientific and artistic research development, and thereby our final goal is “Bio-Alchemy using biological systems and water”.

Here, our laboratory is now dealing with native carbohydrate polymers and fibers including cellulose as the main subject, and chitin and chitosan, β-1,3 glucan, and hyaluronan as well as native protein fibers including collage, fibroin, actin and myosin.

Ongoing Research Projects
■ Safe and comfortable nano materials from microbial cellulose fibers！

■ Nano-dispersion and dissolution of biomass into water！

■ Rapid energy conversion of biomass！

■ Fabrication of artificial cell walls using cellulose honeycomb-template！

■ Encouraging protoplasts and cells to produce materials ！

■ Manipulation of movements for microorganisms and cells！