Math-Empowered Design of New Biomaterials Contributing to Life Science and Medicine

Project abstract: 

The primary goal of our collaborative project is to generate a new stronghold “Math-Empowered Materials Science for Life Science and Medicine” that showcases the unique strength of the HeKKSaGOn Alliance. For the next three years (2024 – 2027), the lead coordinator, Takashima (macromolecular chemistry, Osaka) proposes a new direction, “Math-Empowered Materials Design” together with new two co-coordinators  from materials science, Mahmoudi (mathematical modeling, Tohoku) and Urayama (polymer physics, Kyoto). The three coordinators will take the lead to predict, design and characterize new biomaterials that help us overcome limit of widely used plastic dishes and chemically crosslinked hydrogels. The other two-co-coordinators, Bastmeyer (cell and neurobiology, KIT) and Tanaka (biophysics, Heidelberg), will connect materials science and life and medical sciences, e.g. Sleeman (cancer metastasis, Heidelberg) and Sato (brain development, Osaka). We believe that the combination of the five coordinators’ expertise makes our project highly unique and strong. Towards the “real” applications, our project is supported by strong engineers who develop new experimental modalities, e.g. Korvink (μNMR, KIT) and Saijo (sonographic microscopy, Tohoku). This will put our research activities in line with the Sustainable Development Goal, “Global Health and Well-Being”. Our joint project aims to facilitate the knowledge exchange and research- based education. As described in the project proposal, we will use the HeKKSaGOn fund not for the PIs but for the students and junior researchers. We plan to organize three “HeKKSaGOn Spring Schools” to foster the personal exchange, which was not possible during the pandemic. Last but not least, we would like to emphasize that we successfully had spontaneous turnovers of the members by thematically inviting junior PIs and assistant professors, which enhances the sustainability of the HeKKSaGOn Alliance.

Lead coordinator: 

Name: Yoshinori Takashima
Position: Professor
Institution: Osaka University
Department, Faculty: Graduate School of Science, Department of Macromolecular Science

Co-coordinators:

Name: Motomu Tanaka
Position: Professor
Institution: Heidelberg University
Department, Faculty: Institute for Physical Chemistry

Other coordinators:

Name: Sonia Mahmoudi
Position: Assistant Professor
Institution: Tohoku University
Department, Faculty: Advanced Institute for Materials Research – iTHEMS

Name: Martin Bastmayer
Position: Professor
Institution: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Department, Faculty: Department for Cell and Neurobiology

Name: Kenji Urayama
Position: Professor
Institution: Kyoto University
Department, Faculty: Graduate School of Engineering, Department of Material Chemistry