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Chief Scientist Laboratories Molecular Physiology Laboratory

Chief Scientist: Rikiya Watanabe (Ph.D.)

Research Summary

Rikiya Watanabe(Ph.D.)

Our study aims to understand cellular functions using a bottom-up approach from the single molecule level. To achieve this, we are attempting to elucidate the mechanism by which individual biomolecules or their networks function in a precise manner, by developing novel single-molecule techniques using multidisciplinary approaches, including biophysics, bioMEMS, and chemical biology. In addition, we are developing a methodology to investigate correlations between genetic mutations, dysfunctions, and diseases with single molecule sensitivity, which would provide new insights for biological as well as pharmaceutical studies.

Main Research Fields

  • Biology

Related Research Fields

  • Interdisciplinary Science & Engineering
  • Biophysics
  • Nano/Microsystems

Keywords

  • Membrane protein
  • Artificial Biomembrane
  • Artificial cell
  • bioMEMS
  • Digital Biosensing

Selected Publications

Papers with an asterisk(*) are based on research conducted outside of RIKEN.

  • 1. Iida, T., Ando, J., Yoshimura, M., Makino, A., Nakano, M., Kogo, Y., Shinoda, H., Toyoda, M., Noda, T., & Watanabe, R.:
    "Portable wide-field femtoliter-chamber imaging system for point-of-care digital bioanalysis"
    iScience (2024) 110868
  • 2. Iida, T., Ando, J., Shinoda, H., Makino, A., Yoshimura, M., Murai, K., Mori, M., Takaeuchi, H., Noda, T., Nishimasu, H., & Watanabe, R.:
    "Compact wide-field femtoliter-chamber imaging system for high-speed and accurate digital bioanalysis"
    Lab Chip (2023) 23, 684-691
  • 3. Ueda, T., Shinoda, H., Makino, A., Yoshimura, M., Iida, T., & Watanabe, R.:
    "Purification/Amplification-Free RNA Detection Platform for Rapid and Multiplex Diagnosis of Plant Viral Infections"
    Anal Chem (2023) 95, 9680-9686
  • 4. Shinoda, H., Iida, T., Makino, A., Yoshimura, M., Ishikawa, J., Ando, J., Murai, K., Sugiyama, K., Muramoto, Y., Nakano, M., Kiga, K., Cui, L., Nureki, O., Takaeuchi, H., Noda, T., Nishimasu, H., & Watanabe, R.:
    "Automated amplification-free digital RNA detection platform for rapid and sensitive SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis"
    Commun Biol (2022) 5, 473
  • 5. Shinoda, H., Taguchi, Y., Nakagawa, R., Makino, A., Okazaki, S., Nakano, M., Muramoto, Y., Takahashi, C., Takahashi, I., Ando, J., Noda, T., Nureki, O., Nishimasu, H., & Watanabe, R.:
    "Amplification-free RNA detection with CRISPR-Cas13"
    Commun Biol (2021) 4, 476
  • 6. Sakamoto, S., Komatsu, T., Watanabe, R., Zhang, Y., Inoue, T., Kawaguchi, M., Nakagawa, H., Ueno, T., Okusaka, T., Honda, K., Noji, H., & Urano, Y.:
    "Multiplexed single-molecule enzyme activity analysis for counting disease-related proteins in biological samples"
    Sci Adv (2020) 6, eaay0888
  • 7. *Watanabe, R., Sakuragi, T., Noji, H., & Nagata, S.:
    "Single molecule analysis of phospholipid scrambling by TMEM16F"
    Proc Natl Acad Sci USA (2018) 115, 3066-3071
  • 8. *Abe, K., Katsuno, H., Toriyama, M., Baba, K., Mori, T., Hakoshima, T., Kanemura, Y., Watanabe, R., & Inagaki, N.:
    "Grip and slip of L1-CAM on adhesive substrates direct growth cone haptotaxis"
    Proc Natl Acad Sci USA (2018) 115, 2764-2769
  • 9. *Watanabe, R., Soga, N., Fujita, D., Tabata, K. V., Yamauchi, L., Kim, SH., Asanuma, D., Kamiya, M., Urano, Y., Suga, H., & Noji, H.:
    "Arrayed lipid bilayer chambers allow single-molecule analysis of membrane transporter activity"
    Nat Commun (2014) 5, 4519
  • 10. *Watanabe, R., & Noji, H.:
    "Timing of inorganic phosphate release modulates the catalytic activity of ATP-driven rotary motor protein"
    Nat Commun (2014) 5, 3486

Annual research report

Related Links

Lab Members

Principal investigator

Rikiya Watanabe
Chief Scientist

Core members

Makoto Kimura
Senior Research Scientist
Takanori Uzawa
Senior Research Scientist
Jun Ando
Research Scientist
Hajime Shinoda
Research Scientist
Yoshiaki Kinoshita
Research Scientist
Asami Makino
Technical Staff I
Daisuke Yamazaki
Technical Staff I
Noriko Minagawa
Technical Staff I
Tatsuya Iida
Technical Staff I
Mami Yoshimura
Technical Staff I
Yuka Takano
Assistant
Kazue Murai
Research Part-time Worker II
Tomoe Michiyuki
Administrative Part-time Worker I

Contact Information

Bioscience Building S252
2-1 Hirosawa, Wako,
Saitama 351-0198, Japan
Email: rikiya.watanabe@riken.jp

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