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Toshinori Sato, Professor, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Biosciences and Informatics

Sugar Chains: Enticing if not sweet

Under the slogan “Strict research, fun academic life”, three faculty and staff members, six undergraduates, ten master’s students, and three doctoral students dedicate themselves to the research of glycotechnology.

Prof. Toshinori Sato and students

The subject of our research is sugar. When opening a textbook to study sugars, students often get confused because of its stereoisomers and structural isomers. The structure of sugar was revealed by Emil Fischer, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1902. Many people may feel that sugar is difficult as there are many different types of sugar in our bodies, such as oligosaccharide, glycolipid, glycoprotein and polysaccharide. Most sugars that exist within an organism are not sweet, and they exist as “sugar chains”, which are complexly linked chains of sugars with unfamiliar names. I was puzzled by their complexity when I first started research on sugar chains, but recently I have become certain that sugar chains have an important role to play!

In our laboratory, we develop nanoparticles using naturally-occurring polysaccharide in order to efficiently deliver biomedicine to the cells. At the same time, through analysis of sugar chains that act as markers of tumor cells and iPS cells and those related to virus infections and Alzheimer’s disease, we also conduct research in order to uncover the mechanism of life as well as develop cell-targeting molecules and inhibitors of virus infection. Ever since I took the first step into the field of the sugar chain after setting my sights on becoming a researcher, it has become the most interesting field of research for me.

Along with the advancement of basic technology to reveal the roles of sugar chains, their usage in diagnosis and drug development is anticipated as research related to the fields of cancer, infectious diseases, and regenerative medicine accelerates. Research on sugar chains does not solely belong to the academic field of chemistry, but is shared with the field of medicine. Our objects of experiment are wide-ranging and include all kinds of biomolecules such as DNA and proteins. Although sugar is an enticing molecule, the research of sugar is not so sweet. Every day is a series of failures through trial and error, but discussions at times of failure are opportunities to learn, and I have cleared many walls with the help of hardworking students and highly capable co-researchers who give me advice. When we clear a wall, we then see another challenge that looks even more difficult and interesting, and I realize the meaning of Yukichi Fukuzawa’s words, “The more you study, the more you find it profound.”

Student's Voice
Keiichi Matsubayashi, Fourth-year Student,
Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Biosciences and Informatics

Solving the mysteries of life with sugar


In Professor Sato’s laboratory, we study sugar chains, which are said to be the third biopolymer, after DNA and proteins. We work on experiments day and night, and at the weekly review sessions, we all discuss each other’s research progress. There are times when I receive harsh comments, but they make me realize the importance of reviewing the results from a different angle. Research is not always sweet as sugar, but it is particularly pleasing when I achieve something in my research.
While we work hard on our research, we also enjoy having get-togethers with other members of the lab for a little break. Because senior students and junior students are all close, we enjoy playing softball or holding an okonomiyaki party, and through such exchange unbound by year level, I am able to spend an enjoyable and fruitful academic life.

*This article appeared in the 2013 winter edition (No.277) of “Juku.”
*Position titles, etc., are those at the time of publishing.