Tomoaki Matsuura

Name

Matsuura, Tomoaki (Tomo)

Position

Principal Investigator (Associate Director, Professor)

Research Field

Biotechnology, Synthetic biology, Biophysics

E-mail

matsuura_tomoaki_at_elsi.jp

Web Page

https://members.elsi.jp/~matsuura_tomoaki/

Google Scholar Profile

https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=ja&user=UCpLbHYAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate

 

Awards/Honors

  • 52nd Encouragement Award of the Society for Biotechnology, Japan (Saito Award), 2016
       In vitro evolution of proteins using cell-free protein synthesis system
  • 4th Osaka University Presidential Awards for Encouragement, Research Division, 2015
  • 3rd Osaka University Presidential Awards for Encouragement, Research Division, 2014
  • Japanese Society of Enzyme Engineering Awards for Encouragement, 2009
       In vitro protein engineering using cell-free protein synthesis system

 

Research Interests

Advances in science have revealed most of the components that constitute the living cells. Therefore, the next challenge is to ask whether it would be possible to reconstruct cells from these components. The question “How do we create living cells?” can only be addressed by creating them.
Our group aims to create various molecular systems using the cellular components, including proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. Ultimately, we wish to create self-replicating systems that can sustain themselves, and to uncover the recipe of life. At the same time, we aim to create various molecular systems surpassing nature that can be implemented in various biotechnology applications. We are engaged in the “cell synthesis research” and “molecular system construction” using not only biology but also chemistry, physics and computational science.

Keywords: artificial cells, cell-free protein synthesis system, directed evolution, membrane proteins, liposomes