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Yoshikawa laboratory (Molecular Photonics Area)
Department of Applied Physics, Graduate School of Engineering
Exploring innovative material and life sciences by utilizing advanced optical techniques
Please feel free to contact Prof. Hiroshi Yoshikawa if you are interested in joining our group as students (master or doctor) or posdocs. Various types of entrance exams are provided. Foreign students can also choose International Priority Graduate Program on Applied and Engineering Physics where all activities including lectures can be done in English.
Main Research Topics
Main topic 1: Active control self-organizing systems by using advanced laser techniques
We control assembly and ordering of atoms/molecules by utilizing various optical techniques such as laser trapping and laser ablation that are based on photophysical effects of intensive lasers (e.g., photoelectric fields and thermal effects). This new optical approaches allows for the production of innovative materials (e.g., Crystals for optoelectronics and pharmaceutics) with unique structures, size, and shapes which cannot be achieved by conventional approaches alone.
Nature Photonics 2016 (Web news in Japanese), Chem Soc Rev 2014, J Phys Chem C 2019, J Phys Chem C 2021, APEX 2021, Appl Phys A 2022, J Phys Chem Lett 2023, Science 2023, etc
Main topic 2: Advanced optical measurement of unique structures and mechanical properties of soft interfaces
We investigate unique structures and functions of soft matter such as biological membranes, gels, and cellular tissue (organoids) by using non-invasive optical measurement techniques that do not disturb weak attractive and/or repulsive forces in the system.
APL Bioeng 2020(featured in Scilight), J Phys Chem Lett 2014, JACS 2011, J Phys Chem B 2013, PCCP 2017, J Phys Chem Lett 2022, PNAS 2024, etc
Main topic 3: Bio-photomechanis of development and diseases
We investigate the impact of mechanics on diseases and biological development by using advanced photonics.
Cell Stem Cell 2015 (Front Cover, Selected for Best of Cell Stem Cell 2015), J Phys Chem B 2016, Stem Cell Rep 2018, APEX 2020, iScience 2022 etc
News
- 【New Publication】
“Simultaneous visualization of membrane fluidity and morphology defines adhesion signatures of cancer cells” is published in PNAS. Our group developed an advanced optical microscope (reflection interference microscopy combined with fluorescence microscopy) for the simultaneous visualization of membrane fluidity and morphology to define cell adhesion signatures such as cancer cell malignancy. - 【New Publication】
“Cell polarity linked to gravity sensing is generated by LZY translocation from statoliths to the plasma membrane” is published in Science. Yoshikawa group contributed to the laser manipulation of organelles (amyloplasts) in plant tissues, which act as gravity sensors via molecular signaling of LZY proteins.
- 【New Publication】
“Spatiotemporal Control of Ice Crystallization in Supercooled Water via an Ultrashort Laser Impulse” is published in J Phys Chem Lett. This paper is selected as Supplementary Cover Art and featured in Chemistry World.
08/05/2023
You can watch various movies of laser-induced ice crystallization such as (1)Water(real-time), (2)Water (milliseconds), (3)Water (microseconds), (4) Sucrose solution (milliseconds).
